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US 11,892,349 B1Granted
Pupil division multiplexed imaging systems
AssigneeWavefront Research, Inc.
InventorsThomas A. Mitchell, Thomas W. Stone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure provides an imaging optical system. In one aspect, the imaging optical system includes, among other things, a segmented light redirecting element configured to redirect the at least two portions of said electromagnetic radiation into substantially different directions and a segmented light separating element configured to substantially separate electromagnetic radiation into at least two portions.
Claims23
An imaging optical system, comprising:
- at least one segmented light bending element;
- said at least one segmented light bending element comprising a plurality of segments, each segment in said plurality of segments being configured to direct a portion of electromagnetic radiation emanating from an object plane in a plurality of portions along a direction in a plurality of directions;
- wherein each direction in said plurality of directions is substantially different from other directions in said plurality of directions;
- an optical sub-system having at least one optical element, said optical sub-system being configured to substantially receive said plurality of portions of said electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions;
- an image plane;
- said optical sub-system being configured to substantially focus said plurality of portions of electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions onto said image plane;
- and
- a plurality of detecting elements;
- said plurality of detecting elements being substantially located proximate to said image plane;
- and
- at least one detecting element in in said plurality of detecting elements being configured to substantially receive at least one portion of said plurality of portions of electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions.
8 more elements
An imaging optical system, comprising:
- at least one segmented light bending element;
- said at least one segmented light bending element comprising a plurality of segments, each segment in said plurality of segments being configured to direct a portion of electromagnetic radiation emanating from an object plane in a plurality of portions along a direction in a plurality of directions;
- wherein each direction in said plurality of directions is substantially different from other directions in said plurality of directions;
- said at least one segmented light bending element being configured to direct a portion of said electromagnetic radiation into at least two portions;
- an optical sub-system having at least one optical element, said optical sub-system being configured to substantially receive said plurality of portions of said electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions;
- an image plane;
- and
- said optical sub-system being configured to substantially focus said plurality of portions of electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions onto said image plane.
5 more elements
An imaging optical system, comprising:
- at least one segmented light bending element;
- said at least one segmented light bending element comprising a plurality of segments, each segment in said plurality of segments being configured to direct a portion of electromagnetic radiation emanating from an object plane in a plurality of portions along a direction in a plurality of directions;
- wherein each direction in said plurality of directions is substantially different from other directions in said plurality of directions;
- said at least one segmented light bending element being configured to direct a portion of said electromagnetic radiation into at least two portions;
- an optical sub-system having at least one optical element, said optical sub-system being configured to substantially receive said plurality of portions of said electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions;
- an image plane;
- said optical sub-system being configured to substantially focus said plurality of portions of electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions onto said image plane;
- at least one segmented light separating element;
- and
- said at least one segmented light separating element comprising a plurality of segments, each segment in said plurality of segments being configured to substantially receive at least one portion of said plurality of portions of electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions.
7 more elements
An imaging optical system comprising:
- at least one segmented light bending element;
- said at least one segmented light bending element comprising a plurality of segments, each segment in said plurality of segments being configured to direct a portion of electromagnetic radiation emanating from an object plane in a plurality of portions along a direction in a plurality of directions;
- wherein each direction in said plurality of directions is substantially different from other directions in said plurality of directions;
- an optical sub-system having at least one optical element, said optical sub-system being configured to substantially receive said plurality of portions of said electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions;
- an image plane;
- said optical sub-system being configured to substantially focus said plurality of portions of electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions onto said image plane;
- at least one segmented light separating element;
- said at least one segmented light separating element comprising a plurality of segments, each segment in said plurality of segments being configured to substantially receive at least one portion of said plurality of portions of electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions;
- and
- at least one light shielding element;
- said at least one light shielding element being configured to limit a field of view of said optical sub-system.
8 more elements
An imaging optical system, comprising:
- a first optical sub-system having at least one optical element;
- said first optical sub-system being configured to substantially collimate electromagnetic radiation emanating from an object plane;
- at least one segmented light bending element;
- said at least one segmented light bending element being configured to substantially receive a portion of said electromagnetic radiation from said object plane;
- said at least one segmented light bending element comprising a plurality of segments, each segment in said plurality of segments being configured to direct a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said first optical sub-system in a plurality of portions along a direction in a plurality of directions;
- wherein each direction in said plurality of directions is substantially different from other directions in said plurality of directions;
- a second optical sub-system having at least one optical element, said second optical sub-system being configured to substantially receive said plurality of portions of said electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions;
- an image plane;
- said second optical sub-system being configured to substantially focus said plurality of portions of electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions onto said image plane;
- at least one segmented light separating element;
- and
- said at least one segmented light separating element comprising a plurality of segments, each segment in said plurality of segments being configured to substantially receive at least one portion of said plurality of portions of electromagnetic radiation directed in said plurality of directions.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.