Vehicular vision system with a wide angle lens including a diffractive element

A vehicular vision system for displaying scenic information of an area exteriorly of a vehicle on a display system, said vision system comprising:

• a focusing lens having a receiving end and a focusing end, said receiving end being opposite said focusing end;
• a wide angle lens positioned adjacent to said receiving end of said focusing lens, said wide angle lens directing a virtual image of a wide angle field of view of a scene exteriorly of the vehicle toward said receiving end of said focusing lens, said wide angle lens including an outer negative optic and an inner negative optic, said inner negative optic being positioned between said outer negative optic and said receiving end of said focusing lens, said wide angle lens including a diffractive element on said inner negative optic;
• and
• an image capture device which is adapted to receive an image refracted through said focusing lens, said virtual image of said wide angle field of view being focused by said focusing lens on said image capture device, wherein said diffractive element alters a phase Φ of energy passing therethrough according to the following equation:
• Φ=A1ρ2+A2ρ4;
• where ρ is a radial aperture coordinate divided by 1 mm, A1 is a constant within a range of approximately 15 to 55 and A2 is a constant within a range of approximately −0.01 to −0.5.

A vehicular vision system for displaying scenic information of an area exteriorly of a vehicle on a display system, said vision system comprising:

• a focusing lens having a receiving end and a focusing end, said receiving end being opposite said focusing end;
• a wide angle lens positioned adjacent to said receiving end of said focusing lens, said wide angle lens directing a virtual image of a wide angle field of view of a scene exteriorly of the vehicle toward said receiving end of said focusing lens, said wide angle lens including an outer negative optic and an inner negative optic, said inner negative optic being positioned between said outer negative optic and said receiving end of said focusing lens, said wide angle lens including a diffractive element;
• and
• an image capture device which is adapted to receive an image refracted through said focusing lens, said virtual image of said wide angle field of view being focused by said focusing lens on said image capture device, wherein said wide angle lens provides a wide angle field of view of at least approximately 160°.

A vehicular vision system for displaying scenic information of an area exteriorly of a vehicle on a display system, said vision system comprising:

• a focusing lens having a receiving end and a focusing end, said receiving end being opposite said focusing end;
• a wide angle lens positioned adjacent to said receiving end of said focusing lens, said wide angle lens directing a virtual image of a wide angle field of view of a scene exteriorly of the vehicle toward said receiving end of said focusing lens, said wide angle lens including an outer negative optic and an inner negative optic, said inner negative optic being positioned between said outer negative optic and said receiving end of said focusing lens, said wide angle lens including a diffractive element, wherein said inner negative optic comprises one of polycarbonate and acrylic and said outer negative optic comprises crown glass;
• and
• an image capture device which is adapted to receive an image refracted through said focusing lens, said virtual image of said wide angle field of view being focused by said focusing lens on said image capture device.