Variable power lens system

A lens system comprising:

• a plurality of closely spaced electrodes having addressable pairs of discrete locations, means for addressably impressing on each said electrode pair electric energy of a selected amount thereby producing different electrical fields at different electrode pair locations, optically active material located in intimate relation with the electrodes and being responsive to the electric fields for producing a corresponding index of refraction in the active material at each respective location, and optically active material being configured in a relatively thin film of up to about 100 microns in thickness between said electrodes to thereby minimize the power necessary to drive the active material to the various indices of refraction, the different indices of refraction creating a gradient index of refraction across said system, the electrodes being in the form of a matrix of addressable dots.

A lens system comprising:

• a plurality of closely spaced electrodes having addressable pairs at discrete locations, means for addressably impressing on each said electrode pair electric energy of a selected amount thereby producing different electrical fields at different electrode pair locations, optically active material located in intimate relation with the electrodes and being responsive to the electric fields for producing a corresponding index of refraction in the active material at each respective location, said optically active material being configured in a relatively thin film of up to about 100 microns in thickness between said electrodes to thereby minimize the power necessary to drive the active material to the various indices of refraction, the different indices of refraction creating a gradient index of refraction across said system, a substrate material for supporting the electrodes, said substrate material having at least one of a curved surface, prismatic surface, and fresnel surface.

A light transmission device comprising:

• a carrier mixed with an electrically and optically active material, said device at least momentarily operatively coupled to a matrix of programmable electrodes, said electrodes being programmed to produce a gradient electric field across said matrix.

A variable power Fresnel lens comprising:

• a plurality of optically active lens elements arranged in a Fresnel lens pattern and responsive to a source of energy stimulus for changing the index of refraction over the lens surface, a source of energy stimulus and means for applying said energy stimulus to said lens elements in a controlled manner for selecting the optical power of said lens.