DUAL FOCAL LENGTH LENS SYSTEM

• US 20090135494A1
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Bietry, Joseph R., Border, John N., Cahall, Scott C., Griffith, John D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/676
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0896 with variable magnification or multiple imaging planes, including multispectral systems systems with only refractive elements G02B15/14

Abstract

A dual focal length optical system includes a first optical system and a second optical system. The first optical system is positioned along an optical path and includes an optical structure having an object side surface and an image side surface. The first optical system also includes a first surface of an intermediate reflective element located between the object side surface and the image side surface of the optical structure as viewed along the optical path. The first optical system has a first focal length. The second optical system shares a portion of the same optical path and includes a second surface of the same intermediate reflective element as that of the first optical system. The second optical system has a second focal length. The first focal length of the first optical system is longer than the second focal length of the second optical system.

Claims

1. A dual focal length optical system comprising:

a first optical system positioned along an optical path, the first optical system including an optical structure having an object side surface and an image side surface, the first optical system also including a first reflective surface of an intermediate reflective element located between the object side surface and the image side surface of the optical structure as viewed along the optical path, the first optical system having a first focal length; and

a second optical system sharing a portion of the same optical path and including a second reflective surface of the same intermediate reflective element as that of the first optical system, the second optical system having a second focal length, the first focal length of the first optical system being longer than the second focal length of the second optical system.

8. The system of claim 1, the image side surface of the optical structure of the first optical system being a first image side surface of the optical structure, the second optical system including the object side surface of the optical structure and a second surface of the optical structure that is not shared by the first optical system.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the object side surface of the optical structure includes an aspheric surface.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the image side surface of the optical structure includes optical power.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the image side surface of the optical structure includes an aspheric surface.

20. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the intermediate Reflective element is fixed in position.

2. A dual focal length optical system comprising:

a first optical system positioned along an optical path, the first optical system including an optical structure having an object side surface and an image side surface, the first optical system also including a first surface of an intermediate reflective element located between the object side surface and the image side surface of the optical structure as viewed along the optical path, the first optical system having a first focal length;

a second optical system sharing a portion of the same optical path and including a second surface of the same intermediate reflective element as that of the first optical system, the second optical system having a second focal length, the first focal length of the first optical system being longer than the second focal length of the second optical system; and

a second intermediate element associated with the first optical system, the second intermediate element including an optical surface positioned along a portion of the optical path that is not shared by the second optical system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second intermediate element includes an aspheric surface.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the first intermediate element, the second intermediate element, and the object side surface and the image side surface of the optical structure of the first optical system make up portions of the same optical element.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the optical element is a solid material element.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the solid material element comprises two elements cemented together.

7. The system of claim 4, the image side surface of the optical structure of the first optical system being a first image side surface of the optical structure, the second optical system including the object side surface of the optical structure and a second surface of the optical structure that is not shared by the first optical system.

9. A dual focal length optical system comprising:

a first optical system postioned along an optical path, the first optical system including an optical structure having an object side surface and an image side surface, the first optical system also including a first surface of an intermediate reflective element located between the object side surface and the image side surface of the optical structure as viewed along the optical path, the first optical system having a first focal length; and

a second optical system sharing a portion of the same optical path and including a second surface of the same intermediate reflective element as that of the first optical system, the second optical system having a second focal length, the first focal length of the first optical system being longer than the second focal length of the second optical system;

wherein the image side surface of the optical structure of the first optical system being a first image side surface of the optical structure, the second optical system including the object side surface of the optical structure and a second surface of the optical structure that is not shared by the first optical system; and

wherein the second surface of the optical structure includes optical power.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second surface of the optical structure includes an aspheric surface.

14. A dual focal length optical system comprising:

a first optical system positioned along an optical path, the first optical system including an optical structure having an object side surface and an image side surface, the first optical system also including a first surface of an intermediate reflective element located between the object side surface and the image side surface of the optical structure as viewed along the optical path, the first optical system having a first focal length;

a second optical system sharing a portion of the same optical path and including a second surface of the same intermediate reflective element as that of the first optical system, the second optical system having a second focal length, the first focal length of the first optical system being longer than the second focal length of the second optical system;

a first image sensor associated with the first optical system; and

a second image sensor associated with the second optical system.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

an additional optical element positioned between either or both of the first image sensor and the first optical system and the second image sensor and the second optical system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the additional optical element is moveably positioned in order to affect a change in focal length, focus, or both.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein one or both of the first image sensor and the second image sensor is moveable along its associated optical path to affect a change in focus.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a controller configured to perform a digital zooming function using both the images produced by the first optical system and the second optical system.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first focal length of the first optical system and the second focal length of the second optical system is a fixed focal length.