Long focal length monocular 3D imager

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10178372-B2
Application number	US-201313776008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2013
Priority date	May 25, 2012
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

An optical assembly for three-dimensional image capture includes first and second optical channels that are fixed with respect to one another. Each channel is configured to direct light onto at least a portion of an image sensor. The first and second optical channels each include an aperture for receiving the light, an objective lens for focusing the light into an intermediate image on an intermediate image plane, and an eyepiece lens for collimating the intermediate image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical assembly for three-dimensional image capture, the assembly comprising:
an enclosure having disposed therein first and second optical channels fixed with respect to one another and configured to direct light onto at least a portion of an image sensor disposed in a host device separate from the assembly to produce a stereoscopic image, each channel comprising:
an aperture for receiving the light;
an objective lens for focusing the light into an intermediate image on an intermediate image plane;
a primary reflector angled to direct the light passed through the aperture to the objective lens;
a secondary mirror angled to direct the light that has been focused by the objective lens onto at least a portion of the image sensor disposed in the host device; and
an eyepiece lens for collimating the intermediate image, the eyepiece lens being disposed between the objective lens and the secondary mirror,

wherein the assembly is configured for coupling to the host device to dispose the apertures of the first and second optical channels about a surface of the host device, the coupling causing a light exit aperture formed in the enclosure of the assembly to become aligned over the image sensor disposed in the host device.

2. The optical assembly of claim 1 , wherein the primary reflector directs the light toward a half of the objective lens.

3. The optical assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first surface of the secondary mirror in the first optical channel directs the light toward a first half of the image sensor, and wherein a second surface of the secondary mirror in the second optical channel directs the light toward a second, different half of the image sensor.

4. The optical assembly of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate image plane is disposed between the objective lens and the eyepiece lens.

5. The optical assembly of claim 1 , wherein the apertures of the first and second optical channels are coplanar.

6. The optical assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first and second optical channels share the eyepiece lens, and wherein the eyepiece lens and the apertures of the first and second optical channels are disposed on parallel planes.

7. The optical assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assembly is configured to dispose the aperture of the first optical channel at a first corner of the host device and dispose the aperture of the second optical channel at a second corner of the host device, the first corner diagonal with respect to the second corner.

8. The optical assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure is dimensioned to form a substantially maximum baseline between the apertures of the first and second optical channels when the assembly is coupled to the host device.

9. The optical assembly of claim 1 , wherein the objective lens is a plano-convex lens.

10. The optical assembly of claim 1 , wherein a reflective surface of the primary reflector is disposed at an angle relative to a reflective surface of the secondary mirror.

11. The optical assembly of claim 1 , wherein reflective surfaces of the secondary mirror are flat.

12. The optical assembly of claim 1 , wherein light paths of the first and second optical channels intersect at the secondary mirror.

13. A method for capturing three-dimensional images with an optical assembly, the assembly comprising an enclosure having disposed therein first and second optical channels fixed with respect to one another and configured to direct light onto an image sensor disposed in a host device separate from the assembly to produce a stereoscopic image, the method comprising:
coupling the assembly to the host device to dispose apertures of the first and second optical channels about a surface of the host device and cause a light exit aperture formed in the enclosure of the assembly to become aligned over the image sensor disposed in the host device; and
for each optical channel:
receiving light into the optical channel through an aperture disposed on the assembly;
directing the light after being received into the optical channel to an objective lens with a primary reflector;
focusing the light into an intermediate image on an intermediate image plane using the objective lens;
directing the light after being focused by the objective lens onto at least a portion of the image sensor disposed in the host device with a secondary mirror; and
collimating the intermediate image using an eyepiece lens disposed one of between the objective lens and the secondary mirror or between the secondary mirror and the image sensor.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the primary reflector directs the light toward a half of the objective lens.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein a first surface of the secondary mirror in the first optical channel directs the light toward a first half of the image sensor, and wherein a second surface of the secondary mirror in the second optical channel directs the light toward a second, different half of the image sensor.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the intermediate image plane is disposed between the objective lens and the eyepiece lens.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the intermediate image plane is disposed between the secondary mirror and the eyepiece lens.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the apertures of the first and second optical channels are coplanar.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first and second optical channels share the eyepiece lens, and wherein the eyepiece lens and the apertures of the first and second optical channels are disposed on parallel planes.

20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising disposing the aperture of the first optical channel at a first corner of the host device and disposing the aperture of the second optical channel at a second corner of the host device, the first corner diagonal with respect to the second corner.

21. The method of claim 13 , further comprising disposing the apertures of the first and second optical channels about a surface of the host device to form a substantially maximum baseline between the apertures.

22. An optical assembly for three-dimensional image capture, the assembly comprising:
an enclosure having disposed therein first and second optical channels fixed with respect to one another and configured to direct light onto at least a portion of an image sensor disposed in a host device separate from the assembly to produce a stereoscopic image, each channel comprising:
an aperture for receiving the light;
an objective lens for focusing the light into an intermediate image on an intermediate image plane;
a primary reflector angled to direct the light passed through the aperture to the objective lens;
a secondary mirror angled to direct the light that has been focused by the objective lens onto at least a portion of the image sensor disposed in the host device; and
an eyepiece lens for collimating the intermediate image, the eyepiece lens being disposed between the secondary mirror and the image sensor,

wherein the assembly is configured for coupling to the host device to dispose the apertures of the first and second optical channels about a surface of the host device, the coupling causing a light exit aperture formed in the enclosure of the assembly to become aligned over the image sensor disposed in the host device.

23. The optical assembly of claim 22 , wherein the intermediate image plane is disposed between the secondary mirror and the eyepiece lens.

Assignees

• Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc

Inventors

• Laine Juha-Pekka J
• Rasmussen Scott A
• Rogomentich Francis J
• Larsen Robert A

Classifications

• G02B23/18 Primary

  for binocular arrangements {(focusing binocular pairs G02B7/06; adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs G02B7/12)} · CPC title

• H04N13/218 Primary

  using spatial multiplexing · CPC title