US3794409A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus forming plural focused images with a common lens system
Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corp
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Filing: 1971-12-17
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Granted: 1974-02-26
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Expires: 1991-12-17
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for focusing a selected portion of an object at a conjugate plane different from the conjugate plane of focus of other portions of the object. A focus change member made of a material having a refractive index different from that of air is placed adjacent the object, which may be a film negative or transparency. The portion of the object which is covered by the focus change member appears to lie closer to the focusing lens than does the uncovered portion of the object, so that the lens projects the focused image of the portion covered by the focus change member to a greater distance than the focused image of the uncovered portion of the object. A technique is also described for photographically enlarging an object to obtain discrete areas of dissimilar magnification on an image plane, and to obtain a magnification which is variable along a dimension of the image plane.
Inventors
- 👤 W Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 10:29
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B21/00; G03B21/10; G03B21/11; G02; G02B; G02B13/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
Apparatus for establishing plural focused image portions of an object at focally displaced conjugate planes, comprising: lens means positioned to receive illumination reflected from the object; a focus change member interposed between the object and said lens means to cover only a portion of the object, said focus change member being substantially transparent and having a refractive index unequal to the refractive index of the medium through which the illumination from the object to said lens means otherwise travels, so that the optical distance from the covered portion of the object to said lens means is unequal to the optical distance from the uncovered portion of the object to said lens means; said lens means being positioned to cause the illumination from the covered portion of the object to pass entirely through a medium having a certain refractive index to be in focus at a conjugate plane, and also to cause the illumination from the uncovered portion of the object to pass entirely through a medium having said certain refractive index to be in focus at a second conjugate plane dissimilar from the first conjugate plane, said second conjugate plane focally displaced from said first conjugate plane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
197 words
Apparatus for establishing plural focused image portions of an object at focally displaced conjugate planes, comprising: lens means positioned to receive illumination reflected from the object; a focus change member interposed between the object and said lens means to cover only a portion of the object, said focus change member being substantially transparent and having a refractive index unequal to the refractive index of the medium through which the illumination from the object to said lens means otherwise travels, so that the optical distance from the covered portion of the object to said lens means is unequal to the optical distance from the uncovered portion of the object to said lens means; said lens means being positioned to cause the illumination from the covered portion of the object to pass entirely through a medium having a certain refractive index to be in focus at a conjugate plane, and also to cause the illumination from the uncovered portion of the object to pass entirely through a medium having said certain refractive index to be in focus at a second conjugate plane dissimilar from the first conjugate plane, said second conjugate plane focally displaced from said first conjugate plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising: first utilization means positioned substantially proximate said first conjugate plane to intercept a usably focused image from one of said portions of the object and to permit the image of the other of said portions of the object to pass onward to said second conjugate plane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as in claim 2, further comprising: second utilization means positioned substantially proximate said second conjugate plane to intercept a usably focused image of said other portion of the object.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said focus change member is positioned closely proximate said covered portion of the object.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
118 words
Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein: said lens means has a first predetermined depth of field defining a first range of distance from the lens means wherein the image of the uncovered object is substantially in focus; and said focus change member is dimensioned to cause said lens means to substantially focus the image of said covered portion in a predetermined depth of field having a second range of distance from the lens means which is at least partially coextensive with said first range of distance so that a common image plane exists whereat both the image of said uncovered portion of the object and the image of said covered portion of the object are substantially in focus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said focus change member comprises a transparent member the thickness of which, as measured in a dimension parallel to the optical axis of said lens means, varies as a function of a certain dimension of said covered portion of the object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said variation in the thickness of said transparent member is a linear function of said certain dimension.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said focus change member comprises a transparent member having a pair of substantially planar parallel sides disposed substantially perpendicularly to thE optical axis of said lens means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
210 words
The method of projection imaging an object wherein the projection image of one portion of the object is magnified by an amount which is different from the magnification of the projection image of another portion of the object, comprising the steps of: passing illumination from one portion of the object to a lens means through a focus change member having an index of refraction unequal to 1.0 relative to the medium through which the illumination travels; passing illumination from another portion of the object to said lens means without passing through said focus change member so that the optical distance from the one portion of the object to the lens means is unequal to the optical distance from the other portion of the object to the lens means; and passing said first and second illumination portions from the lens means through medium having the same index of refraction for each illumination portion to focus a projection image of said one portion at a first distance spaced from the lens means and at a first amount of magnification and to focus a projection image of said other portion at a second distance spaced from the lens means which is dissimilar from said first distance and at a second amount of magnification.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
210 words
The method of projection imaging an object wherein the projection image of one portion of the object is magnified by an amount which is different from the magnification of the projection image of another portion of the object, comprising the steps of: passing illumination from one portion of the object to a lens means through a focus change member having an index of refraction unequal to 1.0 relative to the medium through which the illumination travels; passing illumination from another portion of the object to said lens means without passing through said focus change member so that the optical distance from the one portion of the object to the lens means is unequal to the optical distance from the other portion of the object to the lens means; and passing said first and second illumination portions from the lens means through medium having the same index of refraction for each illumination portion to focus a projection image of said one portion at a first distance spaced from the lens means and at a first amount of magnification and to focus a projection image of said other portion at a second distance spaced from the lens means which is dissimilar from said first distance and at a second amount of magnification.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising: substantially focusing the projection image of said one portion of the object within a first depth of field; and substantially focusing the projection image of said other portion of the object within a second depth of field at least a portion of which is coextensive with a portion of said first depth of field so that in the coextensive region both of said projection images are substantially focused and have dissimilar magnification.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising: producing the projection image of said one portion of the object to be substantially focused within a first depth of field; and producing the projection image of said other portion of the object to be substantially focused within a second depth of field which is substantially exclusive of said first depth of field.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising: varying the thickness of the focus change member along a selected dimension to produce a focused projection image of said one portion having a magnification the amount of which varies along a corresponding dimension of said image.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-25 | 1977-08-27 | 1978-02-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-25 | 1981-08-27 | 1982-02-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-25 | 1985-08-27 | 1986-02-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |