Extended depth of field imaging system using chromatic aberration
First Claim
1. An extended depth of field imaging method, comprising:
- illuminating a target with a light of a first quasi-monochromatic wavelength in the infrared range;
illuminating the target with a light of a second quasi-monochromatic wavelength different from the first wavelength;
receiving light reflected from the target at an electronic imaging location;
extending depth of target field within which an image of the illuminated target received is substantially in focus by interposing a collection lens constructed and arranged to accentuate chromatic aberration between the illuminated target and the electronic imaging location and by interposing a wavelength dependent aperture between the collection lens and an imaging sensor for receiving the light reflected from the target.
2 Assignments
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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
23 Claims
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1. An extended depth of field imaging method, comprising:
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illuminating a target with a light of a first quasi-monochromatic wavelength in the infrared range; illuminating the target with a light of a second quasi-monochromatic wavelength different from the first wavelength; receiving light reflected from the target at an electronic imaging location; extending depth of target field within which an image of the illuminated target received is substantially in focus by interposing a collection lens constructed and arranged to accentuate chromatic aberration between the illuminated target and the electronic imaging location and by interposing a wavelength dependent aperture between the collection lens and an imaging sensor for receiving the light reflected from the target. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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2. A system for imaging an object, comprising:
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an illumination system generating light of first and second different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths wherein at least one of the first and second quasi-monochromatic wavelengths is in the infrared range; a chromatically aberrant lens system constructed and arranged to accentuate chromatic aberration, the lens system having a first focal distance for the first wavelength light and a second focal distance for the second wavelength light, the second focal distance being different from the first focal distance; and an imaging sensor receiving, via the lens system, first and second wavelength light reflected from an object to be imaged, the imaging sensor generating an image of the object by assembling first wavelength light focused thereon when a distance of the object from the lens system is the first focal distance and second wavelength light focused thereon when the distance of the object from the lens system is the second focal distance, wherein the imaging sensor is a solid-state imaging array responsive to both the first and second wavelengths of light, wherein the solid-state imaging array comprises an array of pixel elements and is arranged to capture sequential frames of data, each frame comprising data responsive to light incident on substantially all of the array of pixel elements. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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22. A system for imaging an object, comprising:
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an illumination system generating light of first and second different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths wherein at least one of the first and second quasi-monochromatic wavelengths is in the infrared range; a chromatically aberrant lens system having a first focal distance for the first wavelength light and a second focal distance for the second wavelength light, the second focal distance being different from the first focal distance, the lens system comprising a plano-convex lens element and a plano-concave lens element; a wavelength dependent aperture disposed between the plano-convex lens element and the plano-concave lens element; and an imaging sensor receiving, via the lens system, light reflected from an object to be imaged, the sensor generating an image of the object by assembling first wavelength light focused thereon when a distance of the object from the lens system is the first focal distance and second wavelength light focused thereon when the distance of the object from the lens system is the second focal distance.
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23. A system for imaging an object, comprising:
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an illumination system generating light of first and second different quasi-monochromatic wavelengths wherein at least one of the first and second quasi-monochromatic wavelengths is about 850 nm; a chromatically aberrant lens system having a first focal distance for the first wavelength light and a second focal distance for the second wavelength light, the second focal distance being different from the first focal distance; and an imaging sensor receiving, via the lens system, light reflected from an object to be imaged, the sensor generating an image of the object by assembling first wavelength light focused thereon when a distance of the object from the lens system is the first focal distance and second wavelength light focused thereon when the distance of the object from the lens system is the second focal distance.
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Specification