High contrast-resolution camera

Claim 2

An image registration device, including: (a) means for generating a time-independent, spatially continuous, object beam of coherent radiation representing an image of an object, and a time-independent, spatially continuous reference beam of coherent radiation; (b) spatial homodyne means for generating a homodyne equivalent of the image from the object beam and the reference beam; (c) a registering medium for registering the homodyne equivalent; and (d) means for illuminating the registering medium with a time-independent, coherent printing beam to generate from the registered homodyne equivalent an image beam representing a reconstructed version of the image, and means for focusing the image beam for printing said reconstructed version of the image.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, wherein element (a) includes: a laser flash means for generating the coherent radiation comprising the object beam and the reference beam; and wherein element (b) includes a means for implementing a spatial-spatial transform of the object beam prior to generating the homodyne equivalent.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2, wherein said means for implementing a spatial-spatial transform includes a transforming spherical lens.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3, wherein element (a) includes an objective lens system having a first back focal plane and a second back focal plane, and including: means for mounting the registering medium in the second back focal plane of the objective lens system.

Claim 6

The device of claim 1, wherein the coherent radiation has a wavelength outside the visual radiation wavelength band.

Claim 7

The device of claim 5, wherein the registering medium is sensitive both to the coherent radiation wavelength outside the visual radiation wavelength band, and to noncoherent visual radiation reflected from the object.

Claim 8

The device of claim 1, wherein the registering medium has a dynamic range, and wherein said reconstructed version of the image has on the order of ten thousand separately distinguishable intensity gradations within the dynamic range of the registering medium.

Claim 9

The device of claim 1, wherein the means for focusing the image beam includes: an additional transforming spherical lens in the path of the image beam for generating from the image beam a transformed image beam representing a reproduction of the image.

Claim 10

The device of claim 1, wherein the registering medium is photographic film.

Claim 11

The device of claim 1, also including: (e) a means for orienting the homodyne equivalent into a desired orientation, so that said homodyne equivalent may be registered on the registering medium in said desired orientation.

Claim 12

The device of claim 1, wherein the registering medium has a contrast resolution level equal to H, and wherein the reconstructed version of the image has on the order of (H) 2 intensity gradations.

Claim 13

An image registration device, including: a means for generating an image of an object using coherent radiation, including an objective lens system having a first back focal plane and a second back focal plane, a laser flash means for generating the coherent radiation, and a means for generating a coherent reference wave from the coherent radiation; spatial homodyne means for generating component signals which comprise a homodyne equivalent of the image, including a transforming spherical lens for implementing a spatial-spatial transform of the image; a registering medium for registering the component signals of the homodyne equivalent; means for mounting the registering medium in the second back focal plane of the objective lens system; means for mounting the registering medium in the first back focal plane of the objective lens system; and means for removably mounting the transforming spherical lens in a first position between the registering medium and objective lens system, so that the device is operable in a first mode with the transforming spherical lens in said first position and the registering medium in the second back focal plane of the objective lens system, and in a second mode with the transforming spherical lens removed from said first position and the registering medium in the first back focal plane of the objective lens system.

Claim 14

An image registration device, including: a means for generating an image of an object using coherent radiation, including an objective lens system having a first back focal plane and a second back focal plane, a laser flash means for generating the coherent radiation, and a means for generating a coherent reference wave from the coherent radiation; spatial homodyne means for generating component signals which comprise a homodyne equivalent of the image, including a transforming spherical lens for implementing a spatial-spatial transform of the image; a registering medium for registering the component signals of the homodyne equivalent; means for mounting the registering medium in the second back focal plane of the objective lens system; means for mounting the registering medium in the first back focal plane of the objective lens system; and means for removably mounting the transforming spherical lens in a first position between the registering medium and objective lens system, so that the device is operable in a first mode with the transforming spherical lens in said first position and the registering medium in the second back focal plane of the objective lens system, and in a second mode with the transforming spherical lens removed from said first position and the registering medium in the first back focal plane of the objective lens system.

Claim 15

An image registration device, including: (a) means for generating an image of an object using coherent radiation; (b) spatial homodyne means for generating component signals which comprise a homodyne equivalent of the image; (c) a registering medium for registering the component signals of the homodyne equivalent; and a set of diaphragms positioned between elements (b) and (c), for implementing image compression on the component signals so that a compressed image is registered at the registering medium.

Claim 16

An image registration device, including: (a) means for generating an image of an object using coherent radiation; (b) spatial homodyne means for generating component signals which comprise a homodyne equivalent of the image; (c) a registering medium for registering the component signals of the homodyne equivalent; and a set of diaphragms positioned between elements (b) and (c), for implementing image compression on the component signals so that a compressed image is registered at the registering medium.

Claim 17

The device of claim 13, wherein the diaphragms are axial nontransparent diaphragms.

Claim 18

An image registration device, including: means for generating an image of an object using coherent radiation; spatial homodyne means for generating component signals which comprise a homodyne equivalent of the image; a registering medium for registering the component signals of the homodyne equivalent; means for reproducing the image from the registered component signals; means for projecting coherent radiation onto the registering medium; an additional transforming spherical lens, for receiving a transmitted portion of the coherent radiation, which has propagated through the registering medium, to generate transformed radiation representing a reproduction of the image; means for registering the transformed radiation; and a set of diaphragms positioned between the additional transforming spherical lens and the means for registering the transformed radiation, for implementing image compression on the transformed radiation, so that a compressed image is registered at the means for registering the transformed radiation.

Claim 19

An image registration device, including: means for generating an image of an object using coherent radiation; spatial homodyne means for generating component signals which comprise a homodyne equivalent of the image; a registering medium for registering the component signals of the homodyne equivalent; means for reproducing the image from the registered component signals; means for projecting coherent radiation onto the registering medium; an additional transforming spherical lens, for receiving a transmitted portion of the coherent radiation, which has propagated through the registering medium, to generate transformed radiation representing a reproduction of the image; means for registering the transformed radiation; and a set of diaphragms positioned between the additional transforming spherical lens and the means for registering the transformed radiation, for implementing image compression on the transformed radiation, so that a compressed image is registered at the means for registering the transformed radiation.

Claim 20

The device of claim 15, wherein the diaphragms are axial nontransparent diaphragms.

Claim 21

An image registration device, including: means for generating an image of an object using coherent radiation; spatial homodyne means for generating component signals which comprise a homodyne equivalent of the image; a registering medium for registering the component signals of the homodyne equivalent; and a means for orienting the component signals of the homodyne equivalent into a desired orientation, so that said component signals may be registered on the registering medium in said desired orientation, including means for rotating the component signals.

Claim 22

An image registration device, including: means for generating an image of an object using coherent radiation; spatial homodyne means for generating component signals which comprise a homodyne equivalent of the image; a registering medium for registering the component signals of the homodyne equivalent; and a means for orienting the component signals of the homodyne equivalent into a desired orientation, so that said component signals may be registered on the registering medium in said desired orientation, including means for rotating the component signals.

Claim 23

An image registration device, including: means for generating an image of an object using coherent radiation; spatial homodyne means for generating component signals which comprise a homodyne equivalent of the image; a registering medium for registering the component signals of the homodyne equivalent; and a means for orienting the component signals of the homodyne equivalent into a desired orientation, so that said component signals may be registered on the registering medium in said desired orientation, including means for laterally displacing the component signals.

Claim 24

An image registration device, including: means for generating an image of an object using coherent radiation; spatial homodyne means for generating component signals which comprise a homodyne equivalent of the image; a registering medium for registering the component signals of the homodyne equivalent; and a means for orienting the component signals of the homodyne equivalent into a desired orientation, so that said component signals may be registered on the registering medium in said desired orientation, including means for laterally displacing the component signals.

Claim 27

The method of claim 19, also including the steps of: generating the coherent radiation by operating a laser flash means; and wherein step (b) includes the step of implementing a spatial-spatial transform of the object beam prior to generation of the spatial homodyne equivalent.

Claim 28

The method of claim 20, wherein the spatial-spatial transform is implemented by means of a transforming spherical lens.

Claim 29

The method of claim 19, wherein the coherent radiation has a wavelength outside the visible radiation wavelength band.

Claim 30

The method of claim 19, wherein the registering medium has a dynamic range, and wherein the image is reconstructed from the registered spatial homodyne equivalent with on the order of ten thousand separately distinguishable intensity gradations within the dynamic range of the registering medium.

Claim 31

The method of claim 19, wherein step (d) includes the step of: positioning an additional transforming spherical lens in the path of a portion of the printing beam which has propagated through the registering medium, to generate transformed radiation representing a reproduction of the image; and registering the transformed radiation.

Claim 32

The method of claim 19, also including the step of: (e) orienting the spatial homodyne equivalent into a desired orientation, and registering the spatial homodyne equivalent the registering medium in said desired orientation.