Patent US5751492A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5751492A
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US
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Diffractive/Refractive lenslet array incorporating a second aspheric surface
Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 83 LLC
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Filing: 1996-06-14
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Granted: 1998-05-12
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Expires: 2016-06-14
Abstract
Abstract A short focal length image sensor comprising: a color photosensor array comprised of sets of three photosensors with red, green, and blue, filters positioned over respective photosensors in each set; a lenslet array corresponding in the number of lenslets to the number of sets of photosensors in said color photosensor array, wherein each lenslet is formed with a first convex, spherical surface having diffractive means incorporated thereon and a second surface which is aspheric, substantially opposite said first surface with the size of said lenslet array being greater than the size of said photosensor array by an amount that allows the local optical axis of each lenslet at the largest field angle to image incident light onto the set of photosensors associated with the image sensors largest field angle; and an array of aperture stops combined with an array of field stops wherein the number of field and aperture stops corresponds to the number of lenslets and wherein each field and aperture stop is aligned to the center of the local optical axis for an associated set of photosensors.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark Marshall Meyers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 05:17
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/18; G02B5/1876; G02B3/00; G02B3/0006; G02B3/0037; G02B3/0043; G02B3/0056; G02B3/02; G02B3/04; G02B5/188; G02B5/1885; G02B5/189; G02B5/1895
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
An image sensor comprising: a color photosensor array comprised of a number of sets of three photosensors with red, green, and blue, filters positioned over respective photosensors in each set; a lenslet array having a number of lenslets equal to the number of three sets of photosensors in said color photosensor array, wherein each lenslet is formed with a first convex, spherical surface having diffractive means incorporated thereon and a second surface which is aspheric and opposite said first surface with the size of said lenslet array being greater than the size of said color photosensor array by an amount that allows the mechanical optical axis of each lenslet, at the largest field angle, to image incident light onto a set of three photosensors; and an array of aperture stops combined with an array of field stops wherein the number of field stops and the number of aperture stops are equal to the number of lenslets and wherein each field and aperture stop is aligned to the center of the mechanical optical axis of a lenslet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
176 words
An image sensor comprising: a color photosensor array comprised of a number of sets of three photosensors with red, green, and blue, filters positioned over respective photosensors in each set; a lenslet array having a number of lenslets equal to the number of three sets of photosensors in said color photosensor array, wherein each lenslet is formed with a first convex, spherical surface having diffractive means incorporated thereon and a second surface which is aspheric and opposite said first surface with the size of said lenslet array being greater than the size of said color photosensor array by an amount that allows the mechanical optical axis of each lenslet, at the largest field angle, to image incident light onto a set of three photosensors; and an array of aperture stops combined with an array of field stops wherein the number of field stops and the number of aperture stops are equal to the number of lenslets and wherein each field and aperture stop is aligned to the center of the mechanical optical axis of a lenslet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The image sensor according to claim 1 wherein the second surface of each lenslet is an aspheric surface that is convex at the lenses physical center and transitions to a concave surface towards the edge of the lens.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The image sensor according to claim 1 wherein said array of aperture stops is positioned in front of said lenslet array.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The image sensor according to claim 1 wherein said array of aperture stops is positioned between said lenslet array and said color photosensor array.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The image sensor according to claim 1 wherein the lenslets of said array of lenslets are abutting.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The image sensor according to claim 1 wherein each lenslet is positioned in said array so as to view a different fraction of the total field of view of the image sensor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The image sensor according to claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of baffles extending between each lenslet and a set of three photosensors for preventing stray light from an adjacent lenslet impinging on a neighboring set of three photosensors.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-05-11 | 2001-11-10 | 2002-05-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-11 | 2005-11-10 | 2006-05-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-11 | 2009-11-10 | 2010-05-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |