Extended depth of field imaging system using chromatic aberration
First Claim
1. An imaging system comprising:
- an electronic imaging device;
a lens assembly having one or more lenses constructed and arranged to accentuate chromatic aberration for providing a wavelength dependent focal shift, the lens assembly being disposed between the imaging device and a target region; and
an illumination source for illuminating an optical code label on an object located in the target region so that, in use, at least some illumination from the illumination source can be reflected from the optical code label, through the lens assembly and impinge on the imaging device;
wherein the illumination source emits at least two different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light that are reflected from the optical code label,wherein at least one of the two different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light is infrared light.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An imaging system (FIG. 3) is disclosed that has a wavelength dependent focal shift caused by longitudinal chromatic aberration in a lens assembly (203) that provides extended depth of field imaging due to focal shift (213,214) and increased resolution due to reduced lens system magnification. In use, multiple wavelengths of quasi-monochromatic illumination, from different wavelength LEDs (206,207) or the like, illuminate the target, either sequentially, or in parallel in conjunction with an imager (200) with wavelength selective (colored) filters. Images are captured with different wavelengths of illumination that have different focus positions (208,209), either sequentially or by processing the color planes of a color imager separately. Extended depth of field, plus high resolution are achieved. Additionally, information about the range to the target can be determined by analyzing the degree of focus of the various colored images.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An imaging system comprising:
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an electronic imaging device; a lens assembly having one or more lenses constructed and arranged to accentuate chromatic aberration for providing a wavelength dependent focal shift, the lens assembly being disposed between the imaging device and a target region; and an illumination source for illuminating an optical code label on an object located in the target region so that, in use, at least some illumination from the illumination source can be reflected from the optical code label, through the lens assembly and impinge on the imaging device; wherein the illumination source emits at least two different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light that are reflected from the optical code label, wherein at least one of the two different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light is infrared light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19)
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4. An imaging system comprising:
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an electronic imaging device; a lens assembly having chromatic aberration, disposed between the imaging device and a target region; and an illumination source for illuminating an object located in the target region so that, in use, at least some illumination from the illumination source can be reflected from the object, through the lens assembly and impinge on the imaging device, wherein the illumination source emits at least two different quasi-monochromatic wayelengths of light, wherein the electronic imaging device includes an array of pixels; a first subset of the pixels are sensitive to a first set of wavelengths of light that includes a first one of said quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light; and a second subset of the pixels are sensitive to a second set of wavelengths of light that includes a different one of said quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light, wherein at least one of the emitted quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light is infrared light. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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17. An imaging system comprising:
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an electronic imaging device; a lens assembly having chromatic aberration, disposed between the imaging device and a target region; and an illumination source for illuminating an object located in the target region so that, in use, at least some illumination from the illumination source can be reflected from the object, through the lens assembly and impinge on the imaging device, wherein the illumination source emits at least two different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light, wherein the lens assembly comprises; a first rotationally symmetric lens having undercorrected spherical aberration; and an aperture element substantially axially aligned along the optical axis of the first lens;
wherein the aperture element is wavelength dependent. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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20. An extended depth of field imaging method comprising:
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illuminating an optical code label on a target object with at least two different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light, wherein the at least two different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light are reflected from the optical code label, and;
wherein at least one of the two different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light is infrared light;receiving light of the at least two different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths reflected from the illuminated optical code label at an electronic imaging location; and interposing a lens assembly having chromatic aberration between the illuminated optical code label and the electronic imaging location so as to extend the depth of a target field within which an image of the illuminated optical code label received at the electronic imaging location is substantially in focus. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An extended depth of field imaging method comprising:
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illuminating a target with at least two different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light; receiving light reflected from the illuminated target at an electronic imaging device; interposing a lens assembly having chromatic aberration between the illuminated target and the electronic imaging location so as to extend the depth of a target field within which an image of the illuminated target received at the electronic imaging location is substantially in focus; providing the electronic imaging device with an array of pixels, wherein a first subset of the pixels are sensitive to a first set of wavelengths of light that includes a first one of said quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light, and a second subset of the pixels are sensitive to a second set of wavelengths of light that includes a different one of said quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light wherein at least one of the two different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths of light is infrared light.
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Specification