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US 12,044,832 B1Granted
Anamorphic optical system
AssigneePanamorph, Inc.
InventorShawn L. Kelly
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pair of optical prisms arranged in a complementary relationship provides for anamorphic magnification and cooperates with a refractive or diffractive element having at least one axis of effective cylindrical curvature, wherein each at least one axis of effective cylindrical curvature and the apexes of the pair of optical prisms are all substantially parallel to one another. The refractive or diffractive element generates an aberration as a result of rotation thereof about an axis parallel to the at least one axis of effective cylindrical curvature that at least partially compensates a corresponding aberration generated by the pair of optical prisms.
Claims42
A method of anamorphically magnifying an image, comprising:
- a. projecting light of the image generally along a first axis through an anamorphic optical system, wherein said anamorphic optical system comprises:
- i. at least one first optical prism, wherein said at least one first optical prism comprises:
- a). a first surface;
- b) a second surface, wherein a first plane underlying said first surface intersects with a second plane underlying said second surface, and said first and second planes intersect at a first apex;
- c) a first base boundary, wherein said first surface comprises a first edge that is distal to said first apex, said second surface comprises a second edge that is distal to said first apex, and said first base boundary extends between said first edge and said second edge;
- and
- d) at least one optical medium between said first surface and said second surface;
- ii. at least one second optical prism, wherein said at least one second optical prism comprises:
- a) a third surface;
- b) a fourth surface, wherein a third plane underlying said third surface intersects with a fourth plane underlying said fourth surface, and said third and fourth planes intersect at a second apex;
- c) a second base boundary, wherein said third surface comprises a third edge that is distal to said second apex, said fourth surface comprises a fourth edge that is distal to said second apex, and said second base boundary extends between said third edge and said fourth edge;
- and
- d) at least one optical medium between said third surface and said fourth surface, wherein said first and second apexes are substantially parallel with respect to one another, said first and second apexes are each substantially perpendicular to said first axis, said at least one first optical prism and said at least one second optical prism are arranged in a complementary relationship, so that said first apex and said second base boundary are both offset in a first transverse direction relative to said first axis, said second apex and said first base boundary are both offset in a second transverse direction relative to said first axis, said first and second transverse directions are opposite relative to one another, said at least one first optical prism and said at least one second optical prism in combination provide for anamorphic magnification of the light of said image when said light passes through said at least one first optical prism and said at least one second optical prism, a direction of said anamorphic magnification is substantially perpendicular to said first and second apexes, and said at least one first optical prism and said at least one second optical prism in combination generate at least one first aberration in said light of said image;
- iii. an optical corrector comprising at least one refractive or diffractive element, wherein said optical corrector exhibits anamorphic optical power associated with at least one linear axis of cylindrical curvature, each said at least one linear axis of cylindrical curvature is substantially parallel to both said first and second apexes, said optical corrector is rotated relative to said first axis about an axis parallel to said at least one linear axis of cylindrical curvature by a corresponding rotation angle that provides for at least partially compensating for at least one said at least one first aberration responsive to said rotation angle, wherein said optical corrector is off normal relative to said first axis;
- and
- b. wherein said anamorphic optical system provides for forming an anamorphically magnified image from said light of said image responsive to the operation of projecting said light through said anamorphic optical system.
13 more elements
An anamorphic optical system, comprising:
- a. at least one first optical prism, wherein said at least one first optical prism comprises:
- i. a first surface;
- ii. a second surface, wherein a first plane underlying said first surface intersects with a second plane underlying said second surface, and said first and second planes intersect at a first apex;
- iii. a first base boundary, wherein said first surface comprises a first edge that is distal to said first apex, said second surface comprises a second edge that is distal to said first apex, and said first base boundary extends between said first edge and said second edge;
- and
- iv. at least one optical medium between said first surface and said second surface;
- b. at least one second optical prism, wherein said at least one second optical prism comprises:
- i. a third surface;
- ii. a fourth surface, wherein a third plane underlying said third surface intersects with a fourth plane underlying said fourth surface, and said third and fourth planes intersect at a second apex;
- iii. a second base boundary, wherein said third surface comprises a third edge that is distal to said second apex, said fourth surface comprises a fourth edge that is distal to said second apex, and said second base boundary extends between said third edge and said fourth edge;
- and
- iv. at least one optical medium between said third surface and said fourth surface, wherein said first and second apexes are substantially parallel with respect to one another, said first and second apexes are each substantially perpendicular to a first axis, said at least one first optical prism and said at least one second optical prism are arranged in a complementary relationship, so that said first apex and said second base boundary are both offset in a first transverse direction relative to said first axis, said second apex and said first base boundary are both offset in a second transverse direction relative to said first axis, said first and second transverse directions are opposite relative to one another, said at least one first optical prism and said at least one second optical prism in combination provide for anamorphic magnification of light of an image when said light passes through said at least one first optical prism and said at least one second optical prism, a direction of said anamorphic magnification is substantially perpendicular to said first and second apexes, and said at least one first optical prism and said at least one second optical prism in combination generate at least one first aberration in said light of said image;
- and
- c. an optical corrector comprising at least one refractive or diffractive element, wherein said optical corrector exhibits anamorphic optical power associated with at least one linear axis of cylindrical curvature, each said at least one linear axis of cylindrical curvature is substantially parallel to both said first and second apexes, said optical corrector is rotated relative to said first axis about an axis parallel to said at least one linear axis of cylindrical curvature by a corresponding rotation angle that provides for at least partially compensating for at least one said at least one first aberration responsive to said rotation angle, wherein said optical corrector is off normal relative to said first axis.
11 more elements
A method of anamorphically magnifying an image, comprising:
- a. projecting light of the image from an image projector through an anamorphic optical system generally along a first axis, wherein said anamorphic optical system operates on said light to provide anamorphic magnification of said image along or in a direction of a magnification axis of said image, and said anamorphic optical system produces at least one optical aberration in said image;
- and
- b. passing said light of said image through an optical corrector, wherein said optical corrector incorporates at least one refractive or diffractive element, said optical corrector exhibits anamorphic optical power associated with at least one linear axis of cylindrical curvature so as to provide for at least partially compensating for at least one said at least one optical aberration, said at least one linear axis of cylindrical curvature is substantially perpendicular to said magnification axis, and said optical corrector is rotated relative to said first axis about an axis parallel to said at least one linear axis of cylindrical curvature by a corresponding rotation angle in excess of 10 degrees off normal relative to said first axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.