Optical zoom system

An optical zoom system for positioning movable lens carriages, comprising:

• a linear extending rail;
• a first movable lens carriage operatively coupled with and movable along a portion of the rail, the first movable lens carriage comprising:
• a first read head positioned to detect and generate a first read head signal indicative of motion of the first movable lens carriage along a portion of the rail;
• a second movable lens carriage operatively coupled with and movable along a portion of the rail, the second movable lens carriage axially aligned with the first movable lens carriage and comprising:
• a second read head positioned to detect and generate a second read head signal indicative of motion of the second movable lens carriage along a portion of the rail;
• a first drive motor operatively coupled with the first movable lens carriage and arranged to move the first movable lens carriage along a portion of the rail responsive to a first control signal;
• a second drive motor operatively coupled with the second movable lens carriage and arranged to move the second movable lens carriage along a portion of the rail responsive to a second control signal;
• and
• a control system operatively connected with the first and second movable lens carriages and the first and second drive motors, the control system arranged to generate at least one of a first control signal and a second control signal responsive to receipt of a magnification change signal.

An optical zoom system for positioning movable lens carriages, comprising:

• a linear extending rail;
• a pair of fixed lenses axially aligned parallel with the rail;
• a first movable lens carriage operatively coupled with and movable along a portion of the rail, the first movable lens carriage comprising:
• a first read head positioned to detect and generate a first read head signal indicative of motion of the first movable lens carriage along a portion of the rail;
• wherein the first read head is an optical read head;
• a second movable lens carriage operatively coupled with and movable along a portion of the rail, the second movable lens carriage axially aligned with the first movable lens carriage and comprising:
• a second read head positioned to detect and generate a second read head signal indicative of motion of the second movable lens carriage along a portion of the rail;
• wherein the second read head is an optical read head;
• a first drive motor operatively coupled with the first movable lens carriage and arranged to move the first movable lens carriage along a portion of the rail responsive to a first control signal;
• a second drive motor operatively coupled with the second movable lens carriage and arranged to move the second movable lens carriage along a portion of the rail responsive to a second control signal, wherein the second drive motor is independently operable from the first drive motor;
• a first pulley system connected between the first drive motor and the first movable lens carriage;
• a second pulley system connected between the second drive motor and the second movable lens carriage;
• and
• a control system operatively connected with the first and second movable lens carriages and the first and second drive motors, the control system arranged to generate at least one of a first control signal and a second control signal responsive to receipt of a magnification change signal;
• wherein the first movable lens carriage and the second movable lens carriage positioned between the pair of fixed lenses and positioned such that lenses attached to the first and second movable lens carriages are axially aligned with the pair of fixed lenses.

A method of modifying a magnification level of an image provided by an optical zoom system, the method comprising:

• (A) generating, by a control system, a first control signal to cause a first drive motor to move a first movable lens carriage to a predetermined position responsive to receipt of a magnification change signal;
• (B) generating by the first movable lens carriage a first read head signal based on detection by a first read head of an indicator on a tape scale adjacent the first read head;
• and
• (C) generating, by the control system, a second control signal to cause the first drive motor to stop moving the first movable lens carriage at the predetermined position responsive to receipt of the first read head signal.

A method of modifying a magnification level of an image provided by an optical zoom system, the method comprising:

• (A) generating, by a control system, a first control signal to cause a first drive motor to move a first movable lens carriage to a predetermined position responsive to receipt of a magnification change signal, including determining, by the control system, the predetermined position based on a current position of the first movable lens carriage and the magnification change signal;
• (B) generating by the first movable lens carriage a first read head signal based on detection by a first read head of an indicator on a tape scale adjacent the first read head, wherein the first read head signal includes a direction component and a distance component;
• (C) generating, by the control system, a second control signal to cause the first drive motor to stop moving the first movable lens carriage at the predetermined position responsive to receipt of the first read head signal;
• (D) generating, by the control system, a third control signal to cause a second drive motor to move a second movable lens carriage to an other predetermined position responsive to receipt of the magnification change signal;
• (E) generating, by the second movable lens carriage, a second read head signal based on detection by a second read head of an indicator on the tape scale adjacent the second read head;
• and
• (F) generating, by the control system, a fourth control signal to cause the second drive motor to stop moving the second movable lens carriage at the other predetermined position responsive to receipt of the second read head signal;
• determining, by the control system, the predetermined first position based on a current position of the first movable lens carriage and the magnification change signal;
• wherein the determining step is performed with reference to one or more lookup table values stored in a memory;
• and
• wherein step A further comprises:
• determining which of the one or more movable lens carriages to move first based on the current position of each of the one or more movable lens carriages and the predetermined position for each of the one or more movable lens carriages.