All optical extended “depth-of field” imaging system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An imaging system for focusing images on a detector, the imaging system comprising:
- (a) an optical axis; and
(b) a plurality of mutually exclusive portions arranged transverselyrelative to said optical axis of the imaging system,each said portion including a respective focusing mechanism that has a respective focal range that is different from said focal range of said respective focusing mechanism of any other said portion, said focusing mechanisms operative to produce on the detector respective substantially focused images of objects within said focal ranges and wherein at least one of said portions includes a plurality of discontiguous subportions and wherein said discontiguous subportions are sparsely distributed substantially throughout an aperture of the imaging system.
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Abstract
The instant invention is an optical imaging system that produces images of acceptable quality of objects which are located at a wide variety of distances from the optical imaging system. A preferred embodiment of the optical imaging system includes an object (10), an auxiliary lens (12), a composite phase marsk (14) and a detector (18) arranged along an optical axis (20). Light from the object (10) is focused by the auxiliary lens (12) in tandem with the composite phase mark (14), producing an image (16) which is incident th detector (18).
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An imaging system for focusing images on a detector, the imaging system comprising:
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(a) an optical axis; and (b) a plurality of mutually exclusive portions arranged transversely relative to said optical axis of the imaging system, each said portion including a respective focusing mechanism that has a respective focal range that is different from said focal range of said respective focusing mechanism of any other said portion, said focusing mechanisms operative to produce on the detector respective substantially focused images of objects within said focal ranges and wherein at least one of said portions includes a plurality of discontiguous subportions and wherein said discontiguous subportions are sparsely distributed substantially throughout an aperture of the imaging system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for focusing images of an object on a detector comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an imaging system including; (i) an optical axis; and (ii) a plurality of mutually exclusive portions arranged transversely relative to said optical axis of said imaging system, each said portion including a respective focusing mechanism that has a respective focal range that is different from said focal range of said respective focusing mechanism of any other said portion, said focusing mechanisms operative to produce on the detector substantially focused images of objects within said focal ranges, and (b) having the object within said focal range of at least one of said focusing mechanisms, and wherein at least one of said portions includes a plurality of discontiguous subportions and wherein said discontiguous subportions are sparsely distributed substantially throughout an aperture of said imaging system. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification