Combinatorial optical processor

A combinatorial optical processor method, comprising the steps of:

• receiving an optical signal from an object at a combinatorial optical processor having N randomly addressable optical elements, where in is an integer greater than or equal to 2;
• selecting a state for each of the N randomly addressable optical elements in the combinatorial optical processor;
• and
• producing an image of the object using the randomly addressable optical elements.

A method for optical digital to analog conversion comprising:

• Receiving a digital control signal at a combinatorial optical processor having N randomly addressable optical modules;
• and
• processing a radiative object using one or more of the N randomly addressable optical modules to produce a radiative image;
• wherein each of the N randomly addressable optical modules may take on 2 or more different states, such that there are at least 2N different possible transforms between the radiative object and the radiative image;
• wherein the 2N different possible transforms form an analog set. wherein the digital control signal determines the state of each of the N randomly addressable optical modules.

A three-dimensional display apparatus, comprising:

• a first optical module;
• a second optical module optically coupled to the first optical module;
• an object source optically coupled to the first module;
• and
• a module controller coupled to one or more of the first and second optical modules,
• wherein at least one of the first and second optical modules includes N addressable optical elements, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1,
• wherein the first and second modules may be synchronized with the object source, thereby translating information from the object source onto one or more image plane locations to produce a three-dimensional image.

A linked combinatorial optics system, comprising:

• a first combinatorial optics system;
• and
• a second combinatorial optics system optically coupled to the first combinatorial optics system,
• wherein each of the first and second combinatorial optics systems includes one or more optical modules;
• wherein at least one of the one or more optical modules includes N addressable optical elements, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

A compound linked combinatorial optics system, comprising:

• a first combinatorial optics linked system;
• and
• a second combinatorial optics linked system optically coupled to the first combinatorial optics system,
• wherein each of the first and second combinatorial optics linked systems includes
• a first combinatorial optics system;
• and
• a second combinatorial optics system optically coupled to the first combinatorial optics system,
• wherein each of the first and second combinatorial optics systems includes one or more optical modules;
• wherein at least one of the one or more optical modules includes N addressable optical elements, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

A combinatorial optical processor, comprising:

• means for receiving an optical signal from an object at a combinatorial optical processor having N randomly addressable optical elements, where in is an integer greater than or equal to 2;
• means for selecting a state for each of the N randomly addressable optical elements in the combinatorial optical processor;
• and
• means for producing an image of the object using the randomly addressable optical elements.

A combinatorial optical processor, comprising one or more optical modules;

• wherein at least one of the one or more optical modules includes N randomly addressable optical elements, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1,
• wherein the N randomly addressable optical elements are configured such that, depending on a state of each randomly addressable optical element, the combinatorial optical processor may provide at least 22 randomly addressable filter functions,
• wherein each of the at least 22 randomly addressable filter functions produces a unique transform between an object and an image whereby there are at least 2N transforms,
• wherein the at least 2N transforms form a set of related transforms,
• wherein an nth transform is related to an (n+1)th transform in the same way as an (n−1)th transform is related to the nth transform, wherein n is an integer between 1 and N−1,
• wherein one or more of the optical modules includes a nonlinear optical medium having one or more subsections that define one or more of the N addressable optical elements.