Methods and systems for reducing depth of field of hybrid imaging systems
AssigneeThe Regent of the University of Colorado
InventorsWade Thomas Cathey, Jr., Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr., Sherif S. Sherif
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An imaging system for imaging an object onto an image plane. An optical arrangement forms an intermediate image of the object at an intermediate plane with a first value of axial resolution. The imaging system also includes a digital processor configured to process the intermediate image to form a final image of the object. The imaging system further includes a specially designed optical element that cooperates with the optical arrangement and the digital processor to define a second value of axial resolution that is greater than the first value.
Claims37
An imaging system, comprising:
- an optical arrangement for forming an intermediate image of an object with a first value of axial resolution;
- a digital processor configured for processing the intermediate image to form a final image of the object;
- and
- at least one specially designed optical element configured to cooperate with the optical arrangement and the digital processor to define a second value of axial resolution that is greater than the first value.
In an imaging system of the type having an optical arrangement configured to form an intermediate image of an object with a first depth of field, an improvement comprising:
- a digital processor configured for processing the intermediate image to form a final image of the object;
- and
- an optical element configured for cooperating with the optical arrangement and the digital processor
- such that the combination of said optical arrangement, digital processor and optical element yields a second depth of field that is less than the first depth of field.
A method for reducing depth of field of an image of an object, comprising:
- forming an intermediate image of the object by directing light from said object through at least one optical element exhibiting a first depth of field;
- perturbing a phase function of said light forming the intermediate image using a specially designed optical element;
- and
- digitally processing the intermediate image to form a final image such that the optical element and the specially designed optical element combined yield a second depth of field that is less than the first depth of field.
An imaging system, comprising:
- an optical arrangement configured to form an intermediate image of an object, the optical arrangement including one or more optical elements and a specially designed optical element;
- and
- a digital processing arrangement configured to process the intermediate image to form (a) an in focus image of a first axial portion of the object and (b) an out of focus image of a second axial portion of the object.
A method for reducing depth of field of an image of an object, comprising:
- forming an intermediate image of the object by directing light from said object through at least one optical element exhibiting a first depth of field;
- perturbing a phase function of said light forming the intermediate image by using a specially designed optical element;
- and
- digitally processing the intermediate image, including the perturbed phase function, to form a final image such that the optical element and the specially designed optical element combined yield a second depth of field that is less than the first depth of field,
- wherein said perturbing further includes utilizing a phase grating as the specially designed optical element,
- wherein the phase grating exhibits an in-focus point spread function (“PSF”) and an out-of-focus PSF, and
- wherein said utilizing includes selecting said phase grating to exhibit an angle between the in-focus PSF and the out-of-focus PSF that is maximized in Hilbert space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.