Non-linear device for amplifying the intensities of light rays that produce an image

A device for producing a final image by non-linear amplification of the intensities of initial light rays which comprises:

• a flat photosensitive optical component;
• means including a flat screen associated with a luminous source and an electrical signal for forming an initial image and for directing initial light rays from said initial image onto the flat photosensitive optical component, the initial light rays passing through the flat photosensitive optical component and becoming final light rays;
• the flat photosensitive optical component having a transparency that varies point by point in accordance with the intensity of the initial light rays striking that point and with another characteristic of the initial light rays, each point of the flat photosensitive optical component having a transparency varying as an increasing function of the luminous intensity striking that point, such that the intensities of the final light rays are the products of the intensities of the corresponding initial light rays and of the transparencies of each point on the flat photosensitive optical component where the initial rays strike the flat photosensitive optical component, the ratios of the intensities of the final light rays being different than the ratios of the intensities of the corresponding initial light rays;
• and
• means responsive to the other characteristic of the initial light rays, together with the intensity of the light striking a point of the flat photosensitive optical component, controlling the transparency of the flat photosensitive optical component at such point.

A device for non-linearly amplifying the intensity of light rays, which comprises:

• a flat photosensitive optical component;
• an objective lens for directing initial light rays of an image of a scene onto the flat photosensitive optical component, the flat photosensitive optical component being positioned near the focal plane of the objective lens and the initial light rays passing through the flat photosensitive optical component and becoming final light rays having the same direction as the corresponding initial light rays;
• a sensor for sensing the average intensity of the initial light rays and for generating a first electrical signal representative of said average intensity;
• an electrical circuit connected to the flat photosensitive optical component and responsive to the first electrical signal from the sensor for applying a second electrical signal to said flat photosensitive optical component which is a function of the average intensity of the initial light rays;
• the flat photosensitive optical component having a transparency that varies point by point in accordance with the intensities of the initial light rays striking that point and with said second electrical signal, such that the intensities of the final light rays are the products of the intensities of the corresponding initial light rays and the transparencies of each point on the flat photosensitive optical component where the initial light rays strike the flat photosensitive optical component, the ratios of the intensities of the final light rays differing from those of the intensities of the corresponding initial light rays.

A device for non-linearly amplifying the intensity of light rays, which comprises:

• a flat photosensitive optical component;
• an objective lens for directing initial light rays of an image of a scene onto the flat photosensitive optical component, the flat photosensitive optical component being positioned near the focal plane of the objective lens and the initial light rays passing through the flat photosensitive optical component and becoming final light rays having the same direction as the corresponding initial light rays;
• the flat photosensitive optical component having a transparency that varies point by point in accordance with the intensities of the initial light rays striking that point, such that the intensities of the final light rays are the products of the intensities of the corresponding initial light rays and the transparencies of each point on the flat photosensitive optical component where the initial light rays strike the flat photosensitive optical component, the ratios of the intensities of the final light rays differing from those of the intensities of the corresponding initial light rays,
• the transparency of each point of the flat photosensitive optical component being an increasing and then decreasing function of the intensities of initial light rays striking said point.

A device for non-linearly amplifying the intensity of light rays, which comprises:

• a flat photosensitive optical component;
• an objective lens for directing initial light rays of an image of a scene onto the flat photosensitive optical component the flat photosensitive optical component being positioned near the focal plane of the objective lens and the initial light rays passing through the flat photosensitive optical component and becoming final light rays having the same direction as the corresponding initial light rays;
• an electronic circuit connected to the flat photosensitive optical component including a sensor responsive to an average intensity of the initial light rays, said electronic circuit controlling an average transparency of the flat photosensitive optical component by applying electrical signals to said flat photosensitive optical component;
• the flat photosensitive optical component having a transparency that varies point by point in accordance with the intensities of the initial light rays striking that point and with said electrical signals, such that the intensities of the final light rays are the products of the intensities of the corresponding initial light rays and the transparencies of each point on the flat photosensitive optical component where the initial light rays strike the flat photosensitive optical component, each point of the flat photosensitive optical component having a transparency varying as a decreasing function of the luminous intensity of the initial light rays reaching said point, the ratios of the intensities of the final light rays being less than those of the initial light rays.

A device of non-linearly amplifying the intensity of light rays, which comprises:

• a flat photosensitive optical component;
• an objective lens for directing initial light rays for an image of a scene onto the flat photosensitive optical component, the flat photo-sensitive optical component being positioned near the focal plane of the objective lens and the initial light rays passing through the flat photosensitive optical component and becoming final light rays having the same direction as the corresponding initial light rays;
• an electronic circuit connected to the flat photosensitive optical component including a sensor responsive to an average intensity of the initial light rays, said electronic circuit controlling an average transparency of the flat photosensitive optical component by applying electrical signals to said flat photosensitive optical component;
• the flat photosensitive optical component having a transparency that varies point by point in accordance with the intensities of the initial light rays striking that point and with said electrical signals, the flat photosensitive electro-optical component including a liquid crystal, said liquid crystal having a rotary power of 180 degrees and being positioned between two crossed polarizers in such a manner that the transparency is an increasing an then decreasing function of the intensities of the initial light rays, the intensities of the final light rays being the products of the intensities of the corresponding initial light ray and the transparencies of each point on the flat photosensitive optical component where the initial light rays strike the flat photosensitive optical component, the ratios of the intensities of the final light rays differing from those of the intensities of the corresponding initial-light rays.