Optical lens providing omni-directional coverage and illumination

• US 7,362,516 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2003
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mistral, Inc.
• Original Assignee: O.D.F. Medical Ltd., O.D.F. Optronics Ltd.
• Inventors: Gal, Ehud, Liteyga, Gennadiy, Graisman, Gil
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, JORDAN MARC
• Application Number:
  US10/521,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20060164733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 359/725, 348/36, 348 38- 39
• US Class Current: 359/725
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00177 for 90 degrees side-viewing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0582 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/06 involving anamorphosis G03B37/02, G03B37/04 take precedence

Abstract

The invention presents a wide-angle imaging assembly which comprises a main lens produced from an aspheric optical block. The aspheric optical block comprises a vertical axis of symmetry; a transparent upper surface, at least part of which is capable of reflecting rays that impinge upon it from the interior of the optical block; a transparent perimeter surface; and a transparent lower surface. The optical block is fabricated from material selected to enable optical transmittance of a specific spectral range. Light rays in the specific spectral range originating in a first scene, having a 360 degrees panoramic perimeter, are refracted by the transparent perimeter surface, enter the optical block, are then reflected by the upper surface towards the transparent lower surface, where they are then refracted by the transparent lower surface, and exit through it.

Claims

1. A wide-angle imaging assembly comprising a main lens produced from an aspheric optical block, said aspheric optical block having:

a. a vertical axis of symmetry;

b. a transparent upper surface, at least part of which is capable of reflecting rays that impinge upon it from the inner side of said optical block;

c. a transparent perimeter surface; and

d. a transparent lower surface;

wherein the fabrication material of said optical block is selected to enable optical transmittance of a specific spectral range; and

wherein light rays in the specific spectral range originating in a first scene having a 360 degrees panoramic perimeter are refracted by said transparent perimeter surface, enter said optical block, are then reflected by said upper surface towards said transparent lower surface, are then refracted by said transparent lower surface, and exit through said transparent lower surface;

said imaging assembly further comprising a transparent area fabricated as a hole in a part of the upper surface around the vertical axis of symmetry extending along the vertical axis of symmetry from the upper surface to the lower surface enabling light from a second scene, located at least partially above said first scene, to pass through said transparent area and travel through the optical block and exit said block.

2. A wide angle imaging assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the hole is conical.

3. A wide-angle imaging assembly comprising a main lens produced from an aspheric optical block, said aspheric optical block having:

a. a vertical axis of symmetry;

b. a transparent upper surface, at least part of which is capable of reflecting rays that impinge upon it from the inner side of said optical block;

c. a transparent perimeter surface; and

d. a transparent lower surface;

wherein the fabrication material of said optical block is selected to enable optical transmittance of a specific spectral range; and

wherein light rays in the specific spectral range originating in a first scene having a 360 degrees panoramic perimeter are refracted by said transparent perimeter surface, enter said optical block, are then reflected by said upper surface towards said transparent lower surface, are then refracted by said transparent lower surface, and exit through said transparent lower surface;

said imaging assembly further comprising;

a. a hole which is conically shaped, extending along the vertical axis of symmetry from the upper surface to the lower surface; and

b. a black cone compatibly shaped to be placed inside said hole,

wherein said cone is designed to prevent glare.

4. A wide-angle imaging assembly comprising a main lens produced from an aspheric optical block, said aspheric optical block having:

a. a vertical axis of symmetry;

b. a transparent upper surface, at least part of which is capable of reflecting rays that impinge upon it from the inner side of said optical block;

c. a transparent perimeter surface; and

d. a transparent lower surface;

wherein the fabrication material of said optical block is selected to enable optical transmittance of a specific spectral range; and

wherein light rays in the specific spectral range originating in a first scene having a 360 degrees panoramic perimeter are refracted by said transparent perimeter surface, enter said optical block, are then reflected by said upper surface towards said transparent lower surface, are then refracted by said transparent lower surface, and exit through said transparent lower surface;

said imaging assembly further comprising a holding element, fabricated together with and a part of said optical block, said holding element located adjacent to the lower surface and extending downwards, wherein said holding element does not interfer with or block the rays that exit from said lower surface and a mechanical connector having a first edge and a second edge;

where said first edge of said connector is designed to connect to said holding element and said second edge of said connector is designed to connect to an illumination source, positioning said illumination source adjacent to the exterior edge of said holding element.

5. A wide angle imaging assembly according to claim 4, further comprising an illumination source that distributes illumination rays, which travel through the holding element and are distributed by the surfaces of the optical block, wherein the wavelength of said illumination source is within the range of the specific spectral range to which said optical block is transparent.

6. A wide angle imaging assembly according to claim 5, comprising a plurality of illumination sources, capable of emitting more than one wavelength, wherein all of said illumination wavelengths are within the specific spectral range to which the optical block is transparent.

7. A wide-angle imaging assembly comprising a main lens produced from an aspheric optical block, said aspheric optical block having:

a. a vertical axis of symmetry;

b. a transparent upper surface, at least part of which is capable of reflecting rays that impinge upon it from the inner side of said optical block;

c. a transparent perimeter surface; and

d. a transparent lower surface;

wherein the fabrication material of said optical block is selected to enable optical transmittance of a specific spectral range; and

wherein light rays in the specific spectral range originating in a first scene having a 360 degrees panoramic perimeter are refracted by said transparent perimeter surface, enter said optical block, are then reflected by said upper surface towards said transparent lower surface, are then refracted by said transparent lower surface, and exit through said transparent lower surface;

said wide-angle imaging assembly further comprising;

a. an axi-symmetric lens, capable of refracting a second panoramic scene, which is at least partially included in the first scene;

said axi-symmetric lens being positioned coaxially with and above the optical block;

b. a hole extending along the vertical axis of symmetry of said optical block;

c. an optical assembly located within said hole, said optical assembly comprising at least a prism or reflective surface designed to refract or reflect light rays that are reflected by said axis-symmetric lens; and

d. a compatibly positioned image capture device,

wherein said axi-symmetric lens is capable of transmitting light rays in a second spectral range which is at least partially different than the specific spectral range to which said optical block is transparent;

said optical assembly does not interfere or block the rays reflected from said optical block; and

said first panoramic scene provided by said optical block in said specific spectral range is at least partly identical to the panoramic scene provided by said axi-symmetric lens in said second spectral range.