Multi-resolution optical system and method of fabricating same

• US 9,148,632 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Harding, Kevin George, Abramovich, Gil
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, Dave
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, NAM D
• Application Number:
  US13/930,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20130286157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 348/36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 15/02 by changing, adding, or subtracting a part of the objective, e.g. convertible objective
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0081 with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0046 Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming for optical zoom lenses in general G02B7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/02 Lateral adjustment of lens
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 9/08 Shutters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A multi-resolution lens system includes a relay lens configured to be directed toward a field-of-view (FOV) and receive a first plurality of image photons emanating from the FOV, a high-resolution lens positioned to receive a second plurality of image photons from the FOV and to pass the second plurality of image photons toward the relay lens, and a shutter device positioned to receive over an area thereof the image photons of the FOV that pass through the relay lens, and simultaneously receive overlaid on a portion of the area thereof the image photons from the portion of the FOV that pass through the high-resolution lens and toward the relay lens.

Claims

1. A multi-resolution optic lens system comprising:

a housing having a first aperture and a second aperture;

a relay lens positioned within the housing;

a high-resolution lens positioned within the housing between the first aperture and the relay lens;

a focusing lens positioned within the housing between the relay lens and the second aperture; and

a blocking device positioned within the housing between the first aperture and the focusing lens.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a camera positioned at the second aperture of the housing.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a controller attached to the high-resolution lens and the blocking device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the controller is configured to selectively configure the blocking device in one of a first mode and a second mode;

wherein the blocking device permits photons to pass through a first sub-region of the blocking device and block photons from passing through a second sub-region of the blocking device in the first mode; and

wherein the blocking device permits photons to pass through the second sub-region of the blocking device and block photons from passing through the first sub-region of the blocking device in the second mode.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the blocking device comprises one of a mechanical shutter and a liquid crystal display.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the blocking device is positioned between the relay lens and the focusing lens.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the blocking device is positioned between the high-resolution lens and the relay lens.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the relay lens has a focal length that corresponds to a distance between the relay lens and the blocking device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the blocking device is configured to simultaneously block photons in a first spectrum and transmit photons in a second spectrum, different from the first spectrum.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the first spectrum and the second spectrum are selected from the group consisting of a visible light spectrum, a near infrared spectrum, and an infrared spectrum.

11. A method of manufacturing a lens assembly comprising:

providing a housing having a first aperture and a second aperture;

positioning a relay lens between the first aperture and the second aperture of a housing to receive a first image of a field-of-view (FOV);

positioning a high-resolution lens at a first position within the housing between the first aperture and the relay lens to receive a second image from within the FOV and to pass the second image through the relay lens;

positioning a focusing lens within the housing between the relay lens and the second aperture to receive the second image from the high-resolution lens;

positioning a controllable blocking device within the housing between the first aperture and the focusing lens to simultaneously receive the first image and the second image; and

wherein the high-resolution lens is positioned not to receive the first image of the FOV.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

positioning a camera at the second aperture of the housing to receive the first image and the second image; and

coupling a controller to the high-resolution lens and the controllable blocking device, the controller programmed to;

laterally re-position the high-resolution lens to a second position within the housing to pass a third image from a selected portion within the FOV toward the relay lens; and

operate the controllable blocking device to selectively pass the third image to the camera.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising programming the controller to operate the controllable blocking device to selectively pass the first image to the camera.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising programming the controller to operate the controllable blocking device to selectively pass the second image to the camera.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising programming the controller to laterally reposition the high resolution lens and operate the controllable blocking device without altering the first image of the full FOV.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising positioning the controllable blocking device within the housing at one of a first position and a second position;

wherein the first position is between the relay lens and the focusing lens; and

wherein the second position is between the high-resolution lens and the relay lens.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising instructions, which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:

control a blocking device to pass photons from a full field-of-view (FOV) toward a digitizing input;

generate a primary image from the photons passing from the full FOV;

identify a first object-of-interest within the primary image for magnification;

position a high-resolution lens to receive and pass photons from the identified first object-of-interest, through a relay lens, and toward the blocking device; and

control the blocking device to pass photons from the identified first object-of-interest toward the digitizing input.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to generate a secondary image from the photons passing from the identified first object-of-interest.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to:

operate the blocking device in a first mode to selectively pass photons from the full FOV to the digitizing input and block photons from the identified first object-of-interest; and

operate the blocking device in a second mode to selectively pass photons of the first objet-of-interest to the digitizing input and block photons from the full FOV.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the instructions further cause the computer to operate the blocking device to selectively pass photons of the first object-of-interest using one of digital segmentation and color filtering.