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US 7,367,723 B2Granted
Fast switching camera aperture
AssigneeMitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsWojciech Matusik, William S. Yerazunis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A camera aperture includes a first polarizer and a second polarizer with a polarization 90° with respect to the first polarizer. The second polarizer has a through hole at a center. A polarizing rotator is disposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer. A size of the aperture is changed when a voltage is applied selectively to the polarizing rotator.
Claims19
A camera aperture, comprising:
- a first polarizer with a first polarization;
- a second polarizer with a second polarization offset by 90° from the first polarization, the second polarizer having a through hole;
- and
- a polarizing rotator disposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer.
1 more element
A camera aperture, comprising:
- a set of polarizers, all but one of the polarizers having a through hole, in which a polarization of all polarizers having a through hole is offset by 90° from the polarization of the one polarizer without the through hole;
- and
- a set of polarizing rotators disposed between each pair of polarizers.
A method for switching camera aperture sizes, comprising the steps of:
- passing a light field through a first polarizer with a first polarization;
- and then
- passing the light field through a polarizing rotator while selectively applying a voltage to the polarizing rotator;
- and then
- passing the light field through a second polarizer with a second polarization offset by 90° from the first polarization of the first polarizer, the second polarizer having a through hole.
2 more elements
A method for switching camera aperture sizes, comprising steps of:
- passing a light field through a set of polarizers, all but one of the polarizers having a through hole, in which a polarization of all polarizers having a through hole is offset by 90° from the polarization of the one polarizer without the through hole;
- and
- passing the light field through a set of polarizing rotators, each polarizing rotator disposed between each pair of the polarizers while selectively applying voltages to the polarizing rotators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.