Optical: systems and elements – Diffraction
Reexamination Certificate
2007-05-15
2007-05-15
Chang, Audrey Y. (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Diffraction
C382S254000
Reexamination Certificate
active
09070969
ABSTRACT:
A system for increasing the depth of field and decreasing the wavelength sensitivity of an incoherent optical system incorporates a special purpose optical mask into the incoherent system. The optical mask has been designed to cause the optical transfer function to remain essentially constant within some range from the in-focus position. Signal processing of the resulting intermediate image undoes the optical transfer modifying effects of the mask, resulting in an in-focus image over an increased depth of field. Generally the mask is placed at or near an aperture stop or image of the aperture stop of the optical system. Preferably, the mask modifies only phase and not amplitude of light, though amplitude may be changed by associated filters or the like. The mask may be used to increase the useful range of passive ranging systems.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2959105 (1960-11-01), Sayanagi
patent: 3054898 (1962-09-01), Westover et al.
patent: 3305294 (1967-02-01), Alvarez
patent: 3583790 (1971-06-01), Baker
patent: 3614310 (1971-10-01), Korpel
patent: 3856400 (1974-12-01), Hartmann et al.
patent: 3873958 (1975-03-01), Whitehouse
patent: 4062619 (1977-12-01), Hoffman
patent: 4082431 (1978-04-01), Ward, III
patent: 4174885 (1979-11-01), Joseph et al.
patent: 4178090 (1979-12-01), Marks et al.
patent: 4255014 (1981-03-01), Ellis
patent: 4275454 (1981-06-01), Klooster, Jr.
patent: 4276620 (1981-06-01), Kahn et al.
patent: 4308521 (1981-12-01), Casasent et al.
patent: 4349277 (1982-09-01), Mundy et al.
patent: 4466067 (1984-08-01), Fontana
patent: 4480896 (1984-11-01), Kubo et al.
patent: 4573191 (1986-02-01), Kidode et al.
patent: 4575193 (1986-03-01), Greivenkamp, Jr.
patent: 4580882 (1986-04-01), Nuchman et al.
patent: 4589770 (1986-05-01), Jones et al.
patent: 4642112 (1987-02-01), Freeman
patent: 4650292 (1987-03-01), Baker et al.
patent: 4655565 (1987-04-01), Freeman
patent: 4725881 (1988-02-01), Buchwald
patent: 4734702 (1988-03-01), Kaplan
patent: 4794550 (1988-12-01), Greivenkamp, Jr.
patent: 4804249 (1989-02-01), Reynolds et al.
patent: 4825263 (1989-04-01), Desjardins et al.
patent: 4827125 (1989-05-01), Goldstein
patent: 4843631 (1989-06-01), Steinpichler et al.
patent: 4936661 (1990-06-01), Betensky et al.
patent: 4964707 (1990-10-01), Hayashi
patent: 4989959 (1991-02-01), Plummer
patent: 5003166 (1991-03-01), Girod
patent: 5076687 (1991-12-01), Adelson
patent: 5102223 (1992-04-01), Uesugi et al.
patent: 5128874 (1992-07-01), Bhanu et al.
patent: 5142413 (1992-08-01), Kelly
patent: 5165063 (1992-11-01), Strater et al.
patent: 5166818 (1992-11-01), Chase et al.
patent: 5193124 (1993-03-01), Subbarao
patent: 5218471 (1993-06-01), Swanson et al.
patent: 5243351 (1993-09-01), Rafanelli et al.
patent: 5248876 (1993-09-01), Kerstens et al.
patent: 5260727 (1993-11-01), Eisner et al.
patent: 5270825 (1993-12-01), Takasugi et al.
patent: 5270861 (1993-12-01), Estelle
patent: 5270867 (1993-12-01), Estelle
patent: 5280388 (1994-01-01), Okayama
patent: 5299275 (1994-03-01), Jackson et al.
patent: 5301241 (1994-04-01), Kirk
patent: 5307175 (1994-04-01), Seachman
patent: 5317394 (1994-05-01), Hale et al.
patent: 5337181 (1994-08-01), Kelly
patent: 5426521 (1995-06-01), Chen et al.
patent: 5438366 (1995-08-01), Jackson et al.
patent: 5442394 (1995-08-01), Lee
patent: 5444574 (1995-08-01), Ono et al.
patent: 5465147 (1995-11-01), Swanson
patent: 5473473 (1995-12-01), Estelle et al.
patent: 5476515 (1995-12-01), Kelman et al.
patent: 5521695 (1996-05-01), Cathey, Jr. et al.
patent: 5532742 (1996-07-01), Kusaka et al.
patent: 5555129 (1996-09-01), Konno et al.
patent: 5565668 (1996-10-01), Reddersen et al.
patent: 5568197 (1996-10-01), Hamano
patent: 5572359 (1996-11-01), Otaki et al.
patent: 5610684 (1997-03-01), Shiraishi
patent: 5640206 (1997-06-01), Kinoshita et al.
patent: 5706139 (1998-01-01), Kelly
patent: 5748371 (1998-05-01), Cathey, Jr. et al.
patent: 5751475 (1998-05-01), Ishiwata et al.
patent: 5756981 (1998-05-01), Roustaei et al.
patent: 5969853 (1999-10-01), Takaoka
patent: 5969855 (1999-10-01), Ishiwata et al.
patent: 6021005 (2000-02-01), Cathey, Jr. et al.
patent: 6025873 (2000-02-01), Nishioka et al.
patent: 6034814 (2000-03-01), Otaki
patent: 6037579 (2000-03-01), Chan et al.
patent: 6069738 (2000-05-01), Cathey, Jr. et al.
patent: 6091548 (2000-07-01), Chen
patent: 6097856 (2000-08-01), Hammond, Jr.
patent: 6121603 (2000-09-01), Hang et al.
patent: 6128127 (2000-10-01), Kusaka
patent: 6144493 (2000-11-01), Okuyama et al.
patent: 6172723 (2001-01-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 6172799 (2001-01-01), Raj
patent: 6208451 (2001-03-01), Itoh
patent: 6218679 (2001-04-01), Takahara et al.
patent: 6219113 (2001-04-01), Takahara
patent: 6248988 (2001-06-01), Krantz
patent: 6285345 (2001-09-01), Crossland et al.
patent: 6288382 (2001-09-01), Ishihara
patent: 6337472 (2002-01-01), Garner et al.
patent: 6525302 (2003-02-01), Dowski et al.
patent: 6873733 (2005-03-01), Dowski, Jr.
patent: 6911638 (2005-06-01), Dowski et al.
patent: 6940649 (2005-09-01), Dowski, Jr.
patent: 2003/0173502 (2003-09-01), Dowski et al.
patent: 2004/0145808 (2004-07-01), Cathey et al.
patent: 2005/0264886 (2005-12-01), Dowski, Jr.
patent: 0531926 (1993-03-01), None
patent: 0584769 (1994-03-01), None
patent: 0618473 (1994-10-01), None
patent: 0742466 (1996-11-01), None
patent: 0759573 (1997-02-01), None
patent: 0791846 (1997-02-01), None
patent: 0791846 (1997-08-01), None
patent: 0981245 (2000-02-01), None
patent: 2278750 (1994-12-01), None
“Imaging with Fresnel zone pupil masks:extended depth of field” by Indebetouw et al, Applied Optics, vol. 23 No. 23, p. 4299-4302.
Cathey, Wade T., and Edward Raymond Dowski, “Extended Depth of Field Optical Systems,” International Application published under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, assigned International Application No. PCT/US96/01514 and International Publication No. WO 96/24085.
Published PCT International application No. PCT/US96/01514, publication No. WO 96/24085, entitled, “Extended Depth of Field Optical Systems,” filed Feb. 5, 1996, published Aug. 8, 1996.
Bradburn, Sara, Wade Thomas Cathey, and Edward R. Dowski, Jr. “Realizations of Focus Invariance in Optical-Digital Systems with Wave-Front Coding,” Applied Optics 36(35), Dec. 1997, pp. 9157-9166.
van der Gracht, Joseph, Edward R. Dowski, Jr., W. Thomas Cathey, and john P. Bowen. “Aspheric Optical Elements for Extended Depth of field Imaging,” SPIE, vol. 2537, Aug. 1995, pp. 279-288.
Poon, Ting-Chung, and Masoud Motamedi. “Optical/Digital Incoherent Image Processing for Extended Depth of Field,” Applied Optics 26(21), Nov. 1987, pp. 4612-4615.
Siebert, J. (Officer), International Search Report received in PCT/US01/26126, international filing date Aug. 20, 2001, Completion Date Jun. 24, 2003, 3 pages.S.
Veldkamp, Wilfrid B., and McHugh, Thomas J., “Binary Optics”, Scientific American, May 1, 1992, vol. 266, No. 5, pp. 50-55.
O'Shea, Donald C. and Harrigan, Michael E., “Chapter 33, Aberration Curves in Lens Design”, Handbook of Optics, vol. 1, 1995, pp. 33.1-33.5, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Abstract of JP 60247611 A, published Jul. 12, 1985 (Toshiba KK), Patent Abstracts of Japan, May 6, 1986, vol. 010, No. 119 (p. 435), 1 page.
J. Ojeda-Castaneda, L. R. Berriel-Valdos, and E. Montes, “Spatial filter for increasing the depth of focus”, Optics Letters, vol. 10, No. 11, p. 520-522, Nov. 1985.
J. Ojeda-Castaneda, and A. Diaz, “High focal depth by quasibifocus”, vol. 27, No. 20, p. 4163-4165, Oct. 15, 1988.
W. Chi and N. George, “Electronic imaging using a logarithmic asphere”, Optics Letters, vol. 26, No. 12, p. 875-877, Jun. 15, 2001.
J. Ojeda-Castaneda, E. Tepichin, and A. Pons, “Apodization of annular apertures: Strehl ratio”, Applied Optics, vol. 27, No. 24, p. 5140-5145, Dec. 15, 1988.
D. L. Marks, R. A. Stack, D. J. Brady, and J. van der Gracht, “Three-dimensional tomography using a cubic-phase plate extended depth-of-field system”, Optic
Cathey, Jr. Wade Thomas
Dowski, Jr. Edward Raymond
Chang Audrey Y.
Lathrop & Gage LC
The Regents of the University of Colorado
LandOfFree
Extended depth of field optical systems does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Extended depth of field optical systems, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Extended depth of field optical systems will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3778983