IR illuminator to avoid camera field-of-view

An IR illuminator for providing infrared light for a digital camera having a camera lens with a camera field of view, comprising:

• at least two mounting substrates arranged adjacent to the digital camera;
• at least one LED mounted to each of the mounting substrates for radiating the infrared light wherein the field of view of uniform emission of radiated light is greater than 70 degrees from a central direction that is the direction that the at least one LED is facing;
• and
• a free form cover lens positioned to cover the at least one LED,
• wherein a size and shape of the free form cover lens is such that an emission pattern of light radiation is emitted without entering into the camera lens.

An IR illuminator for providing infrared light for a digital camera having a camera lens with a camera field of view, comprising:

• at least two mounting substrates arranged adjacent to the digital camera;
• at least one LED mounted to each of the mounting substrates for radiating the infrared light;
• and
• a free form cover lens positioned to cover the at least one LED wherein a size and shape of the free form cover lens is such that an emission pattern of light radiation is emitted without entering into the camera lens, wherein the free form cover lens has an outer surface having an outer cross section shape and an inner surface having an inner cross section shape, and
• wherein the inner cross section shape has a steeper angle than the outer cross section shape.

An IR illuminator for providing infrared light for a digital camera having a camera lens with a camera field of view, comprising:

• at least two mounting substrates arranged adjacent to the digital camera;
• at least one LED mounted to each of the mounting substrates for radiating the infrared light, wherein a surface of the mounting substrate on which the at least one LED is mounted is rounded,
• a free form cover lens positioned to cover the at least one LED wherein the free form cover lens is a toric lens that substantially matches the rounded surface of the mounting substrate;
• and
• wherein a size and shape of the free form cover lens is such that an emission pattern of light radiation is emitted without entering into the camera lens.

An IR illuminator for providing infrared light for a digital camera having a camera lens with a camera field of view, comprising:

• at least two mounting substrates arranged adjacent to the digital camera;
• at least one LED mounted to each of the mounting substrates for radiating the infrared light;
• a free form cover lens positioned to cover the at least one LED,
• wherein a size and shape of the free form cover lens is such that an emission pattern of light radiation is emitted without entering into the camera lens;
• and
• wherein the camera has a field of view boundary that is curved, and
• wherein the free form cover lens has an outer ellipsoidal surface that conforms with a size and shape of the curved field of view boundary.