Optical block assembly

An optical block for a closed circuit television camera, comprising a folded light path optical block assembly configured for use in a closed circuit television assembly;

• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly is configured to rotate about at least one rotational axis;
• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly comprises a light gathering lens at a front end of said optical block assembly and an image sensor at a back end of said optical block assembly;
• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly is configured to transmit light along two or more linear light paths between said light gathering lens and said image sensor;
• and wherein said folded light path optical block is configured to rotate about said at least one rotational axis within a plane defined by the longitudinal axes of said two or more linear light paths, said rotational axis intersecting said plane defined by the longitudinal axes of said two or more linear light paths at a point located within an area having an outermost periphery defined between the light bending points located at the intersection of adjacent longitudinal axes of said linear light paths, and by the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of one of said initial linear light paths with said front end of said assembly and the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of one other of said linear light paths with said back end of said assembly.

An optical block for a closed circuit television camera, comprising a folded light path optical block assembly configured for use in a closed circuit television assembly;

• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly is configured to rotate about at least one rotational axis;
• wherein said at least one rotational axis intersects the center of gravity of said folded light path optical block assembly;
• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly comprises a light gathering lens at a front end of said optical block assembly and an image sensor at a back end of said optical block assembly;
• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly is configured to transmit light along two or more linear light paths between said light gathering lens and said image sensor;
• and wherein said folded light path optical block is configured to rotate about said at least one rotational axis within a plane defined by the longitudinal axes of said two or more linear light paths, said rotational axis intersecting said plane defined by the longitudinal axes of said two or more linear light paths at a point located within an area having an outermost periphery defined between the light bending points located at the intersection of adjacent longitudinal axes of said linear light paths, and by the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of one of said initial linear light paths with said front end of said assembly and the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of one other of said linear light paths with said back end of said assembly.

An optical block for a closed circuit television camera, comprising a folded light path optical block assembly configured for use in a closed circuit television assembly;

• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly is configured to rotate about at least one rotational axis;
• wherein said at least one rotational axis intersects the center of gravity of said folded light path optical block assembly;
• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly is configured to rotate about at least two rotational axes, said at least two rotational axes comprising a pan axis and a tilt axis;
• and wherein said pan axis intersects said tilt axis of said folded light path optical block assembly at said center of gravity of said folded light path optical block assembly.

A closed circuit television apparatus, comprising:

• a folded light path optical block assembly, said folded light path optical block assembly comprising:
• a light gathering lens at a front end of said optical block assembly, said light gathering lens configured to gather and transmit light along an initial linear light path,
• a closed circuit television image sensor at a back end of said optical block assembly, said image sensor configured to receive light transmitted along a terminal linear light path, and
• at least one light bending component operatively disposed to form an optical path between said light gathering lens and said image sensor;
• wherein said light gathering lens, said image sensor, and said at least one light bending component are disposed in a common geometric plane;
• and
• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly is configured to rotate about at least one rotational axis within said common geometric plane, said at least one rotational axis intersecting a space having an outermost periphery defined between said at least one light bending point, the point of intersection of a longitudinal axis of said initial linear light path with said front end of said assembly and the point of intersection of a longitudinal axis of said terminal linear light path with said back end of said assembly.

An optical block assembly, comprising:

• a light gathering lens disposed at a front end of said assembly, said light gathering lens configured to gather and transmit light along an initial linear light path;
• an image sensor disposed at a back end of said assembly, said image sensor configured to receive light transmitted along a terminal linear light path;
• and
• one or more light bending components operatively disposed to form an optical path between said light gathering lens and said image sensor, each of said one or more light bending components configured to receive light transmitted along a first linear light path and to transmit said light along a second linear light path having a longitudinal axis that is different than the longitudinal axis of said first linear light path of the same light bending component;
• wherein said each of said one or more light bending components forms a respective light bending point within said optical path between said light gathering lens and said image sensor, said one or more light bending components being configured together in operative relationship with said light gathering lens and said image sensor to receive light transmitted from said light gathering lens along said initial linear light path, and to transmit said light along one or more successive linear light paths, said one or more successive linear light paths including said terminal linear light path to said image sensor;
• and
• wherein said folded light path optical block is configured to rotate about at least one rotational axis, said at least one rotational axis intersecting a space having an outermost periphery defined between said one or more light bending points, the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of said initial linear light paths with said front end of said assembly and the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of said terminal linear light path with said back end of said assembly.

A method of operating an optical block for a closed circuit television camera, said method comprising providing a folded light path optical block assembly configured for use in a closed circuit television assembly, and rotating said folded light path optical block assembly about at least one rotational axis;

• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly comprises a light gathering lens at a front end of said optical block assembly and an image sensor at a back end of said optical block assembly;
• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly is configured to transmit light along two or more linear light paths between said light gathering lens and said image sensor;
• and wherein said method further comprises rotating said folded light path optical block about said at least one rotational axis within a plane defined by the longitudinal axes of said two or more linear light paths, said rotational axis intersecting said plane defined by the longitudinal axes of said two or more linear light paths at a point located within an area having an outermost periphery defined between the light bending points located at the intersection of adjacent longitudinal axes of said linear light paths, and by the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of one of said initial linear light paths with said front end of said assembly and the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of one other of said linear light paths with said back end of said assembly.

A method of operating an optical block for a closed circuit television camera, said method comprising providing a folded light path optical block assembly configured for use in a closed circuit television assembly, and rotating said folded light path optical block assembly about at least one rotational axis;

• wherein said at least one rotational axis intersects the center of gravity of said folded light path optical block assembly;
• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly comprises a light gathering lens at a front end of said optical block assembly and an image sensor at a back end of said optical block assembly;
• wherein said folded light path optical block assembly is configured to transmit light along two or more linear light paths between said light gathering lens and said image sensor;
• and wherein said method further comprises rotating said folded light path optical block about said at least one rotational axis within a plane defined by the longitudinal axes of said two or more linear light paths, said rotational axis intersecting said plane defined by the longitudinal axes of said two or more linear light paths at a point located within an area having an outermost periphery defined between the light bending points located at the intersection of adjacent longitudinal axes of said linear light paths, and by the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of one of said initial linear light paths with said front end of said assembly and the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of one other of said linear light paths with said back end of said assembly.

A method of operating an optical block assembly, comprising:

• providing an optical block assembly comprising the following components:
• a light gathering lens disposed at a front end of said assembly, said light gathering lens configured to gather and transmit light along an initial linear light path;
• an image sensor disposed at a back end of said assembly, said image sensor configured to receive light transmitted along a terminal linear light path;
• and
• one or more light bending components operatively disposed to form an optical path between said light gathering lens and said image sensor, each of said one or more light bending components configured to receive light transmitted along a first linear light path and to transmit said light along a second linear light path having a longitudinal axis that is different than the longitudinal axis of said first linear light path of the same light bending component;
• wherein each of said one or more light bending components forms a respective light bending point within said optical path between said light gathering lens and said image sensor, said one or more light bending components being configured together in operative relationship with said light gathering lens and said image sensor to receive light transmitted from said light gathering lens along said initial linear light path, and to transmit said light along one or more successive linear light paths, said one or more successive linear light paths including said terminal linear light path to said image sensor;
• and
• rotating said optical block assembly about at least one rotational axis, said at least one rotational axis intersecting a space having an outermost periphery defined between said one or more light bending points, the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of said initial linear light paths with said front end of said assembly and the point of intersection of the longitudinal axis of said terminal linear light path with said back end of said assembly.