Solid catadioptric lens with two viewpoints

• US 7,268,956 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Scripting Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Electronic Scripting Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Mandella, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pritchett, Joshua L.
• Application Number:
  US11/336,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20060132907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 359364-366, 359/362, 359/642, 359/709, 359725-729, 359/712, 359/708
• US Class Current: 359/727
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/16 for use in conjunction with image converters or intensifiers , or for use with projectors, e.g. objectives for projection TV
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0808 on-axis systems with at least one of the mirrors having a central aperture
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/086 wherein the system is made of a single block of optical material, e.g. solid catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0896 with variable magnification or multiple imaging planes, including multispectral systems systems with only refractive elements G02B15/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/00 Simple or compound lenses

Abstract

A dual viewpoint solid catadioptric lens has a first spherical refractive surface S1 having a center C1 located on an optical axis of the lens and having a radius r1, and a second spherical refractive surface S2 having a center C2 located on the optical axis of the lens and having a radius r2<r1. The lens also has a first ellipsoidal reflective surface E1 with foci F1 and F1′ on the optical axis of the lens, and a second ellipsoidal partially reflective surface E2 having foci F2 and F2′ on the optical axis of the lens. Focus F1 coincides with C1, focus F2 conincides with C2, and focus F1′ coincides with F2′. The points C1 and C2 provide dual viewpoints for the lens, which may be used in a variety of imaging applications.

Claims

1. A dual viewpoint solid catadioptric lens comprising:

a first spherical refractive surface S1 having a center C1 located on an optical axis of the lens and having a radius r1;

a second spherical refractive surface S2 having a center C2 located on the optical axis of the lens and having a radius r2, wherein r2 is less than r1;

a first ellipsoidal reflective surface E1 having foci F1 and F1′

on the optical axis of the lens, wherein F1=C1;

a second ellipsoidal partially reflective surface E2 having foci F2 and F2′

on the optical axis of the lens, wherein F2=C2, and wherein F1′

=F2′

,

whereby C1 and C2 provide dual viewpoints for the lens.

2. The lens of claim 1 wherein the distance between C2 and C1 is less than r1.

3. The lens of claim 1 wherein S2 and E2 intersect at an angle σ

1_min from the optical axis of the lens measured from C1.

4. The lens of claim 1 wherein S1 and E1 intersect at an angle σ

1_max from the optical axis of the lens measured from C1.

5. The lens of claim 1 wherein S2 and E2 intersect at an angle σ

2_max from the optical axis of the lens measured from C2.

6. The lens of claim 1 wherein a distance L1 between F2 and a vertex of E2 is R2*[1−

sqrt(−

K2)]/[1+K2], a distance L2 between F2 and F2′

is 2*R2[sqrt(−

K2)]/[1+K2], and a distance L3 between F2′ and

the vertex of E2 is R2[1+sqrt(−

K2)]/[1+K2], where R2 is a radius of curvature of S2 and K2 is a conic constant of E2.

7. The lens of claim 1 wherein a distance L4 between F1 and a vertex of E1 is R1*[1−

sqrt(−

K1)]/[1+K1], a distance L5 between F1 and F1′

is 2*R1[sqrt(−

K1)]/[1+K1], and a distance L6 between F1′ and

the vertex of E1 is R1[1+sqrt(−

K1)]/[1+K1], where R1 is a radius of curvature of S1 and K1 is a conic constant of E1.

8. The lens of claim 1 wherein E1 and E2 have equal eccentricities.

9. The lens of claim 1 wherein σ

1_max=π

/2.

10. The lens of claim 1 wherein S1 and E1 intersect at an angle σ

1_max from the optical axis of the lens measured from C1, wherein S2 and E2 intersect at an angle σ

2_max from the optical axis of the lens measured from C2, and wherein σ

1_max#σ

2_max.

11. The lens of claim 1 wherein E1 and E2 have different eccentricities.

12. The lens of claim 1 wherein F1′

=F2′

is coincident with S2.

13. The lens of claim 1 wherein E2 has a semi-latus rectum R2 equal to r2.

14. The lens of claim 1 wherein E1 has a semi-latus rectum R1 equal to r1.

15. The lens of claim 1 wherein σ

2_max=π

/2.

16. The lens of claim 1 wherein the lens is a solid body of revolution.

17. The lens of claim 1 wherein the lens is constructed from two or more sections.

18. The lens of claim 1 wherein an interior of the lens has a uniform index of refraction.

19. A dual viewpoint solid catadioptric lens comprising:

a first spherical refractive surface S1 having a center C1 located on an optical axis of the lens and having a radius r1;

a second spherical refractive surface S2 having a center C2 and having a radius r2, wherein r2 is less than r1;

a first ellipsoidal reflective surface E1 having foci F1 and F1′

on the optical axis of the lens, wherein F1=C1;

a second ellipsoidal partially reflective surface E2 having foci F2 and F2′

, wherein F2=C2, and wherein F1′

=F2′

,

whereby C1 and C2 provide dual viewpoints for the lens.