Patent US6940649B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6940649B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wavefront coded imaging systems
Assignee: University of Colorado Boulder
•
Filing: 2003-04-04
•
Granted: 2005-09-06
•
Expires: 2023-04-04
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides improved Wavefront Coding imaging apparatus and methods composed of optics, a detector, and processing of the detected image. The optics are constructed and arranged to have the characteristic that the transverse ray intercept curves form substantially straight, sloped lines. The wavefront coding corrects for known or unknown amounts of “misfocus-like” aberrations by altering the optical transfer function of the imaging apparatus in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially insensitive to aberrations. Post processing then removes the effect of the coding, except for the invariance with regard to aberrations, thereby producing clear images.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 03:24
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/0025; G02B27/0012; G02B27/42; G02B27/46; G02B5/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
Imaging apparatus for imaging an object onto a detector, comprising: a lens structure constructed and arranged between the object and the detector to produce transverse ray intercept curves which are sloped substantially straight lines; a wavefront coding element constructed and arranged between the object and the detector to affect a phase of light transmitted by the wavefront coding element such that a modulation transfer function of the lens structure and wavefront coding element has reduced variation, over a range of spatial frequencies and caused by aberrations of the lens structure, as compared to a modulation transfer function of the lens structure without the wavefront coding element; and means for post-processing data from the detector to generate an image with an improved modulation transfer function, over the range of spatial frequencies, as compared to the modulation transfer function of the lens structure and the wavefront coding element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
Imaging apparatus for imaging an object onto a detector, comprising: a lens structure constructed and arranged between the object and the detector to produce transverse ray intercept curves which are sloped substantially straight lines; a wavefront coding element constructed and arranged between the object and the detector to affect a phase of light transmitted by the wavefront coding element such that a modulation transfer function of the lens structure and wavefront coding element has reduced variation, over a range of spatial frequencies and caused by aberrations of the lens structure, as compared to a modulation transfer function of the lens structure without the wavefront coding element; and means for post-processing data from the detector to generate an image with an improved modulation transfer function, over the range of spatial frequencies, as compared to the modulation transfer function of the lens structure and the wavefront coding element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the aberrations include one or more of the following: spherical aberration; petzval curvature; astigmatism; field curvature; temperature induced misfocus aberration; pressure induced misfocus aberration; and mechanical induced misfocus aberrations.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 2 , the mechanical induced misfocus aberrations comprising one or more of a fabrication error, an assembly error, drift, and wear.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wavefront coding element is formed substantially at an aperture stop of the imaging apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lens structure comprises a single lens, a lens length from a front surface of the single lens to the detector being less than 10 mm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the wavefront coding element is formed on the single lens.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detector is an analog detector.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detector is a digital detector.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
114 words
Imaging apparatus for imaging an object onto a detector, comprising: a lens structure constructed and arranged between the object and the detector, and at an aperture stop or conjugate of the aperture stop of the apparatus, to produce transverse ray intercept curves which are sloped substantially straight lines; and at least one surface of the lens structure forming a wavefront coding element to affect a phase of light transmitted by the wavefront coding element so as to alter an optical transfer function of the imaging apparatus such that the altered optical transfer function is substantially insensitive to focus-related aberrations over a greater range of aberrations than was provided by the unaltered optical transfer function.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
114 words
Imaging apparatus for imaging an object onto a detector, comprising: a lens structure constructed and arranged between the object and the detector, and at an aperture stop or conjugate of the aperture stop of the apparatus, to produce transverse ray intercept curves which are sloped substantially straight lines; and at least one surface of the lens structure forming a wavefront coding element to affect a phase of light transmitted by the wavefront coding element so as to alter an optical transfer function of the imaging apparatus such that the altered optical transfer function is substantially insensitive to focus-related aberrations over a greater range of aberrations than was provided by the unaltered optical transfer function.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the lens structure comprises a single lens, a lens length from a front surface of the single lens to the detector being less than 5 mm.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2959105A
Cited
US3054898A
Cited
US3305294A
Cited
US3583790A
Cited
US3614310A
Cited
US3856400A
Cited
US3873958A
Cited
US4178090A
Cited
US4062619A
Cited
US4082431A
Cited
US4255014A
Cited
US4174885A
Cited
US4276620A
Cited
US4275454A
Cited
US4308521A
Cited
US4349277A
Cited
US4480896A
Cited
US4466067A
Cited
US4642112A
Cited
US4589770A
Cited
US4573191A
Cited
US4580882A
Cited
US4650292A
Cited
US4655565A
Cited
US4575193A
Cited
US4725881A
Cited
US4843631A
Cited
US4734702A
Cited
US4794550A
Cited
US4804249A
Cited
US4827125A
Cited
US4825263A
Cited
US5165063A
Cited
US4936661A
Cited
US5218471A
Cited
US5102223A
Cited
US4964707A
Cited
US4989959A
Cited
US5193124A
Cited
US5270825A
Cited
US5003166A
Cited
US5128874A
Cited
US5301241A
Cited
US5280388A
Cited
US5076687A
Cited
US5260727A
Cited
US5142413A
Cited
US5442394A
Cited
US5166818A
Cited
US5568197A
Cited
US5465147A
Cited
US5476515A
Cited
EP0531926B1
Cited
US5444574A
Cited
US5565668A
Cited
US5270861A
Cited
US5270867A
Cited
US5426521A
Cited
US5756981A
Cited
US5307175A
Cited
US5248876A
Cited
US5317394A
Cited
US5243351A
Cited
US5532742A
Cited
US5337181A
Cited
EP0584769B1
Cited
US5299275A
Cited
US5438366A
Cited
EP0618473A2
Cited
US5555129A
Cited
GB2278750A
Cited
US5521695A
Cited
US5572359A
Cited
US6218679B1
Cited
US5751475A
Cited
US5473473A
Cited
US5610684A
Cited
US6025873A
Cited
US5640206A
Cited
EP0759573A2
Cited
US5969855A
Cited
US5706139A
Cited
EP0791846A2
Cited
US6144493A
Cited
US6133986A
Cited
US6285345B1
Cited
US5969853A
Cited
US6128127A
Cited
US6219113B1
Cited
US6091548A
Cited
US6172723B1
Cited
US6037579A
Cited
US6121603A
Cited
US6021005A
Cited
US6034814A
Cited
WO1999057599A1
Cited
US6248988B1
Cited
US6069738A
Cited
US6097856A
Cited
EP0981245A2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-09-05 | 2009-03-07 | 2009-09-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-09-05 | 2013-03-07 | 2013-09-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-09-05 | 2017-03-07 | 2017-09-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |