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US 7,095,561 B2Granted
Compact telephoto imaging lens systems
AssigneeWavefront Research, Inc.
InventorsThomas A. Mitchell, Thomas W. Stone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical system including an array of micro-optic afocal optical subsystems capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from a source and of transmitting at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation received from the source, and an imaging subsystem capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from the an array of micro-optic afocal optical subsystems and imaging at least a portion of the received electromagnetic radiation onto an image plane.
Claims17
An optical system comprising:
- an array of micro-optic afocal subsystems, said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems being capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from a source and of transmitting at least a portion of the received electromagnetic radiation;
- and,
- an imaging subsystem capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems and imaging onto an image plane at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation received from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems;
- an effective focal length of the optical system being magnified over a focal length of said imaging subsystem with a substantially small increase in a length of the optical system.
1 more element
An optical system comprising:
- an array of micro-optic afocal subsystems, said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems being capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from a source and of transmitting at least a portion of the received electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- an imaging subsystem capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems and imaging onto an image plane at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation received from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems;
- wherein said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems comprises a plurality of micro-optic planar arrays of optical elements;
- and
- wherein said plurality of micro-optic planar arrays of optical elements comprises two planar arrays of gradient index (GRIN) rod lenses.
3 more elements
An optical system comprising:
- an array of micro-optic afocal subsystems, said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems being capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from a source and of transmitting at least a portion of the received electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- an imaging subsystem capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems and imaging onto an image plane at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation received from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems;
- wherein said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems comprises a non periodic planar array structure.
1 more element
An optical system comprising:
- an array of micro-optic afocal subsystems optically disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation from a source;
- and,
- an imaging subsystem optically disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems and to image electromagnetic radiation onto an image plane;
- said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems being also optically disposed to provide electromagnetic radiation to said imaging subsystem;
- an effective focal length of the optical system being magnified over a focal length of said imaging subsystem with a substantially small increase in a length of the optical system.
2 more elements
An optical system comprising:
- an array of micro-optic afocal subsystems optically disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation from a source;
- and
- an imaging subsystem optically disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems and to image electromagnetic radiation onto an image plane;
- said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems being also optically disposed to provide electromagnetic radiation to said imaging subsystem;
- wherein said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems comprises a plurality of micro-optic planar arrays of optical elements;
- and
- wherein said plurality of micro-optic planar arrays of optical elements comprises two planar arrays of graded index (GRIN) rod lenses.
4 more elements
An optical system comprising:
- an array of micro-optic afocal subsystems optically disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation from a source;
- and
- an imaging subsystem optically disposed to receive electromagnetic radiation from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems and to image electromagnetic radiation onto an image plane;
- said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems being also optically disposed to provide electromagnetic radiation to said imaging subsystem;
- wherein said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems comprises a non periodic planar array structure.
2 more elements
An optical system comprising:
- an array of micro-optic afocal subsystems comprised of at least two micro-optic planar arrays of refractive elements;
- said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems being capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from a source and of transmitting at least a portion of the received electromagnetic radiation;
- and,
- an imaging subsystem capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems and imaging onto an image plane at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation received from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems;
- said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems being also optically disposed to provide electromagnetic radiation to said imaging subsystem;
- wherein said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems comprises a non periodic planar array structure.
3 more elements
An optical system comprising:
- an array of micro-optic afocal subsystems comprised of at least two planar arrays of graded index (GRIN) rod lenses;
- said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems being capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from a source and of transmitting at least a portion of the received electromagnetic radiation;
- and,
- an imaging subsystem capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems and imaging onto an image plane at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation received from said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems;
- said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems being also optically disposed to provide electromagnetic radiation to said imaging subsystem;
- wherein said array of micro-optic afocal subsystems comprises a non periodic planar array structure.
3 more elements
A method for obtaining a small telephoto ratio in an optical system, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an array of micro-optic afocal subsystems;
- angularly magnifying an input field of view utilizing the array of micro-optic afocal subsystems;
- and,
- providing the angularly magnified field of view to an imaging subsystem;
- whereby a small telephoto ratio is obtained for the optical system.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.