Hemispherical star camera
First Claim
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1. A digital camera, comprising:
- a monocentric lens having a focal length, an outer spherical surface and a center;
a plurality of pixelated optical sensor arrays, each pixelated optical sensor array having a plurality of pixels and being oriented toward the center of the monocentric lens and spaced apart from the outer spherical surface of the monocentric lens, such that the pixelated optical sensor array is disposed about the focal length of the monocentric lens from the center of the monocentric lens; and
a plurality of tubular baffles, one tubular baffle of the plurality of tubular baffles for each pixelated optical sensor array of the plurality of pixelated optical sensor arrays, the baffle being disposed between the outer spherical surface of the monocentric lens and the pixelated optical sensor array, the baffle corresponding to the pixelated optical sensor array and having a longitudinal axis normal to the baffle'"'"'s corresponding pixelated optical sensor array and extending through the center of the monocentric lens, the baffle enclosing a light path volume through which light passes optically unaltered while blocking zeroth-order stray light paths, and, the baffle being disposed such that only light that enters and exits the monocentric lens via the outer spherical surface, without internally reflecting off any planar surface of the monocentric lens, enters the baffle.
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Abstract
A digital camera optically couples a monocentric lens to image sensor arrays, without optical fibers, yet shields the image sensor arrays from stray light. In some digital cameras, baffles are disposed between an outer surface of a monocentric lens and each image sensor array to shield the image sensor arrays from stray light. In other such digital cameras, an opaque mask defines a set of apertures, one aperture per image sensor array, to limit the amount of stray light. Some digital cameras include both masks and baffles.
44 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A digital camera, comprising:
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a monocentric lens having a focal length, an outer spherical surface and a center; a plurality of pixelated optical sensor arrays, each pixelated optical sensor array having a plurality of pixels and being oriented toward the center of the monocentric lens and spaced apart from the outer spherical surface of the monocentric lens, such that the pixelated optical sensor array is disposed about the focal length of the monocentric lens from the center of the monocentric lens; and a plurality of tubular baffles, one tubular baffle of the plurality of tubular baffles for each pixelated optical sensor array of the plurality of pixelated optical sensor arrays, the baffle being disposed between the outer spherical surface of the monocentric lens and the pixelated optical sensor array, the baffle corresponding to the pixelated optical sensor array and having a longitudinal axis normal to the baffle'"'"'s corresponding pixelated optical sensor array and extending through the center of the monocentric lens, the baffle enclosing a light path volume through which light passes optically unaltered while blocking zeroth-order stray light paths, and, the baffle being disposed such that only light that enters and exits the monocentric lens via the outer spherical surface, without internally reflecting off any planar surface of the monocentric lens, enters the baffle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification