# US 10,310,145 B2 · Image acquisition system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,145 B2 - Document ID: US10310145B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/257,735 - Filed: 2016-09-06 - Published: 2017-06-15 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-09 - Assignees: FotoNation Limited - Applicants: FotoNation Limited - Inventors: Peter Corcoran; Petronel Bigioi; Christopher Dainty; Alexander Goncharov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310145B2 ## CPC - G02B 3/0043: {Inhomogeneous or irregular arrays, e.g. varying shape, size, height} - G02B 3/0056: {arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses (G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085)} - G02B 27/0075: {with means for altering, e.g. increasing, the depth of field or depth of focus} - G06V 40/19: Sensors therefor - G06V 40/193: {Preprocessing; Feature extraction} - H04N 23/11: for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image acquisition system for acquiring iris images for use in biometric recognition of a subject includes an optical system comprising a cluster of at least 2 lenses arranged in front of a common image sensor with each lens optical axis in parallel spaced apart relationship. Each lens has a fixed focus and a different aperture to provide a respective angular field of view. The lens with the closest focus has the smallest aperture and the lens with the farthest focus has the largest aperture so that iris images can be acquired across a focal range of at least from 200 mm to 300 mm. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image acquisition system for acquiring iris images for use in biometric recognition of a subject, the system including an optical system comprising: at least first and second lens systems each arranged in front of a common image sensor with each lens system including an optical axis in parallel spaced apart relationship to the optical axis of the other lens system, each lens system having a fixed focus, and a different aperture than the other lens system to provide a different angular field of view, each of the first and second lens systems comprising multiple optical elements, the first lens system having a closer focus and a smaller aperture than the second lens system, such that the image acquisition system can simultaneously acquire iris images across a focal range of at least from 200 mm to 300 mm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 comprising two, three or four fixed focus lens system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 wherein each lens system has a fixed focal length extending between approximately 4.0 mm and 5.0 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 wherein each lens system comprises an optical assembly have a total track length less than approximately 4.22 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 wherein each lens system comprises at least two lenses that simultaneously provide images over a focus range extending from 180 mm to 350 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 comprising at least three lens systems that simultaneously provide images over a focus range extending from 150 mm to 480 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 comprising at least three lens systems that simultaneously provide images over a focus range extending from 133 mm to 530 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 wherein each lens system comprises multiple lenses providing a focal length f approximately equal to 4.26 mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 comprising two lens systems with aperture diameters of approximately 1.3 mm and 1.7 mm respectively. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 where each lens system comprises: a front optical element and a rear optical element disposed between said front optical element and said sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image acquisition system of claim 10 wherein said rear optical element is spaced 0.8 mm from said sensor and wherein said front optical element is spaced 2.2 mm from the rear optical element. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The image acquisition system according to claim 10 wherein the optical characteristics of the optical elements of the first lens system differ from the optical characteristics of the optical elements of the second lens system only in the thickness of the respective rear optical elements. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) An image acquisition system according to claim 10 wherein each of said front and rear optical elements is spaced apart by air. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) An image acquisition system according to claim 10 wherein said front optical elements of the lens system are formed on a common substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An image acquisition system according to claim 14 wherein said front optical elements comprises a molded glass. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) An image acquisition system according to claim 10 wherein said rear optical elements for each lens system is formed on a common substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) An image acquisition system according to claim 16 wherein said rear optical elements comprise a molded glass different than material forming the front optical elements. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) An image acquisition system according to claim 10 wherein surfaces of said front and rear optical elements facing said sensor have aspheric characteristics. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 further comprising an infra-red flash. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises an RGB sensor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises an RGB-IR sensor. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) An image acquisition system according to claim 1 wherein the systems are arranged in either a regular or an irregular arrangement. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) A smartphone including the image acquisition system according to claim 1.