Multiple field of view optical system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical system, comprising:
- a reflecting telescope including first and second mirrors disposed in fixed, non-rotatable relation to each other, the reflecting telescope having a first optical axis and providing a first field of view;
a refracting telescope having a second optical axis and providing a second field of view;
an imaging system having an imaging axis; and
a housing for mounting the reflecting telescope and the refracting telescope, the housing configured to rotate about a rotation axis to a first position wherein the first optical axis is at least substantially coincident with the imaging axis, and to a second position wherein the second optical axis is at least substantially coincident with the imaging axis;
wherein the rotation axis is at least substantially perpendicular to the imaging axis.
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Abstract
Optical systems, including apparatus and methods, for obtaining images, particularly with multiple fields of view. These systems may utilize a plurality of optical components with different optical axes, where the optical axes may be selectively rotated into alignment with an imaging axis to obtain images having various discrete fields of view.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An optical system, comprising:
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a reflecting telescope including first and second mirrors disposed in fixed, non-rotatable relation to each other, the reflecting telescope having a first optical axis and providing a first field of view; a refracting telescope having a second optical axis and providing a second field of view; an imaging system having an imaging axis; and a housing for mounting the reflecting telescope and the refracting telescope, the housing configured to rotate about a rotation axis to a first position wherein the first optical axis is at least substantially coincident with the imaging axis, and to a second position wherein the second optical axis is at least substantially coincident with the imaging axis; wherein the rotation axis is at least substantially perpendicular to the imaging axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 21)
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10. An optical system providing multiple fields of view, comprising:
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a reflecting telescope including first and second mirrors disposed in fixed, non-rotatable relation to each other and a refracting telescope, the reflecting telescope and the refracting telescope each providing a distinct field of view; an imaging system for producing images from image data collected along an imaging axis by the telescopes; and a rotatable turret to which the telescopes are mounted, the turret configured to discretely change the field of view of the image data collected by rotating around a rotation axis disposed at least substantially perpendicular to the imaging axis until an optical axis of exactly one of the telescopes is at least substantially aligned with the imaging axis. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of obtaining an optical image, comprising:
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choosing a magnification for incoming image data from a set of at least three discrete magnifications; and selectively aligning an optical axis of exactly one of a plurality of optical components with an imaging axis to obtain an image having the chosen magnification; wherein at least one of the optical components is a reflecting telescope including first and second mirrors disposed in fixed, non-rotatable relation to each other and at least another of the optical components is a refracting telescope; and wherein the step of aligning the optical axis includes rotating each of the optical components around a rotation axis disposed at least substantially perpendicular to the imaging axis. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An optical instrument, comprising:
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a reflecting telescope including first and second mirrors configured to transform incoming image data received at the reflecting telescope into magnified afocal outgoing image data; an inverse refracting telescope rigidly attached to the first and second mirrors of the reflecting telescope, the refracting telescope configured to transform incoming image data received at the refracting telescope into minified afocal outgoing image data; an aperture stop rigidly attached to the first and second mirrors of the reflecting telescope, the aperture stop configured to limit illumination falloff of image data passing through the aperture stop; and a rotation mechanism for simultaneously rotating the reflecting telescope, the refracting telescope, and the aperture stop to selectively direct exactly one of the magnified afocal outgoing image data, the minified afocal outgoing image data, or the image data passing through the aperture stop at least substantially along an imaging axis. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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22. An optical system, comprising:
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a first optical component including a first pair of optical elements disposed in fixed, non-rotatable relation to each other, the first optical component having a first optical axis and providing a first field of view; a second optical component including a second pair of optical elements disposed in fixed, non-rotatable relation to each other, the second optical component having a second optical axis and providing a second field of view; an imaging system having an imaging axis; a housing for mounting the first optical component and the second optical component, the housing configured to rotate about a rotation axis to a first position wherein the first optical axis is at least substantially coincident with the imaging axis, and to a second position wherein the second optical axis is at least substantially coincident with the imaging axis; and a third optical component including a third pair of optical elements disposed in fixed, non-rotatable relation to each other, the third optical component mounted outside the housing and providing a third field of view, the third optical component configured selectively to provide magnification of image data received by the optical system and passing through at least one of the first optical component and the second optical component; wherein the rotation axis is at least substantially perpendicular to the imaging axis.
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Specification