Digital focus lens system

A method for controlling a digital lens system having N switchable elements in optical communication with each other such that each of them may contribute to a cumulative focal power, where N is 2 or more, wherein each switchable element is capable of being switched between a discrete first-state and a discrete second-state, the method comprising:

• generating a control signal containing information for controlling the states of each of the N switchable elements;
• and
• coupling the control signal to the N switchable elements to set the state of each of the N switchable elements,
• and wherein a portion of the control signal includes a data stream comprising a control word,
• wherein in the first states the focal lengths are the same for all N switchable elements, and
• wherein in their second states, the focal lengths of the N switchable elements are unique and,
• except for a smallest second state focal length, each second state focal length is twice as large as another second state focal length.

A Digital Focus Lens System for providing an optical system having a plurality of selectable focal powers, comprising:

• a first switchable element capable of being switched between a first-element first-state and a first-element second-state;
• and
• and a second switchable element capable of being switched between a second-element first-state and a second-element second-state;
• wherein the first switchable element has a focal length fm0 in the first-element first state and the second switchable element has the same focal length fm0 in the second-element first state,
• wherein the first and second switchable elements are in optical communication with each other such that each of them may contribute to a cumulative focal power,
• wherein, a first focal power may be selected by activation of the first switchable element to the first-element first-state and activation of the second switchable element to the second-element first-state,
• wherein a second focal power is selected by activation of the first switchable element to the first-element second-state and activation of the second switchable element to the second-element first-state,
• wherein a third focal power is selected by activation of the first switchable element to the first-element first-state and activation of the second switchable element to the second-element second-state, and
• wherein a fourth focal power is selected by activation of the first switchable element to the first-element second-state and activation of the second switchable element to the second-element second-state,
• wherein the first and second switchable elements are two of N switchable elements in a module of a device having one or more modules, where N is greater than or equal to two,
• wherein each of the N switchable elements is independently switchable between discrete first and second states, wherein the N switchable elements are configured such that a focal length of the system can be selected from a set of at least 2N different values,
• wherein the N switchable elements are configured such that:
• f
• m
• ,
• n
• 1
• =
• (
• 2
• n
• Δ
• m
• +
• 1
• f
• m
• ,
• n
• 0
• )
• -
• 1
• where fm1 is a focal length of the nth switchable element in the mth module when it is in its second state,
• where fm,n0 is a focal length of the nth switchable element in the mth module when the it is in its first state,
• where Δm is a constant for the mth module having the dimensions of length and independent of n,
• where n is an integer between 0 and N−1, and m is an integer that is less than or equal to the number of modules in the device.

A Digital Focus Lens System for providing an optical system having a plurality of selectable focal powers, comprising:

• a first switchable element capable of being switched between a first-element first-state and a first-element second-state;
• and
• and a second switchable element capable of being switched between a second-element first-state and a second-element second-state;
• wherein the first switchable element has a focal length fm0 in the first-element first state and the second switchable element has the same focal length fm0 in the second-element first state,
• wherein the first and second switchable elements are in optical communication with each other such that each of them may contribute to a cumulative focal power,
• wherein, a first focal power may be selected by activation of the first switchable element to the first-element first-state and activation of the second switchable element to the second-element first-state,
• wherein a second focal power is selected by activation of the first switchable element to the first-element second-state and activation of the second switchable element to the second-element first-state,
• wherein a third focal power is selected by activation of the first switchable element to the first-element first-state and activation of the second switchable element to the second-element second-state, and
• wherein a fourth focal power is selected by activation of the first switchable element to the first-element second-state and activation of the second switchable element to the second-element second-state,
• wherein the first and second switchable elements are two of N switchable elements in a module of a device having M modules, where N is greater than or equal to two and M is a number greater than or equal to 1;
• wherein each of the N switchable elements is switchable between discrete first and second states, wherein a module focal length Fm, or module focal power Pm, of an mth module are selectable from a set of 2N focal lengths for the switchable elements, where m is an integer between 1 and M,
• wherein the N switchable elements are configured such that a focal length Fm for the mth module can be selected from 2N−1 different possible values given by
• F
• m
• ∈
• {
• Δ
• m
• 0
• ,
• Δ
• m
• 1
• ,
• Δ
• m
• 2
• ⁢
• ⁢
• …
• ⁢
• ⁢
• Δ
• m
• 2
• N
• -
• 1
• }
• where Δm is a constant for the mth module having the dimension of length.