Omnivision Technologies, Inc.

Altera Corporation

Storage Technology Corporation

Omnivision Cdm Optics, Inc.

Storgae Technology Corporation

Paulo E X Silveira

Robert H Cormack

Edward Raymond Dowski, Jr

Kenneth Kubala

Gregory Johnson

Ramkumar Narayanswamy

Michael Lawrence Leonhardt

Mark Anthony Meloni

Lu Gao

Dennis J Gallagher

Satoru Tachihara

Vladislav V Chumachenko

Samuel Paul Weaver

William L Lynch

Gary Lynn Duerksen

Robert T Weverka

Edward J Bortolini

Dirk Barthel

Christophe N Sigel

George C Barnes, Iv

Dennis W Dobbs

Michael Hepp

Christopher J Linnen

Inga Tamayo

Adam Douglas Greengard

Brian Schwartz

Miodrag Scepanovic

Chris Linnen

Jungwon Aldinger

Howard E Rhodes

Hans Brandon Wach

Larry Fabiny

Regis Fan

Goran Matko Rauker

Regis S Fan

Kenneth Ashley Macon

James He

Tony Sarto

John J Mader

Edward R Dowski

Donald Combs

Marko Voitel

Vlad V Chumanchenko

Arrayed imaging systems include an array of detectors formed with a common base and a first array of layered optical elements, each one of the layered optical elements being optically connected with a detector in the array of detectors.

Arrayed imaging systems having improved alignment and associated methods

In one aspect, a method includes providing a lens substrate having an array of lenses. The lens substrate includes an overflow region next to each lens of the array. Each overflow region includes an overflow lens material. The method also includes separating the lens substrate into a plurality of smaller lens substrates. Each of the smaller lens substrates has one of the single lens and the plurality of stacked lenses. Separating the lens substrate into the smaller lens substrates may include removing or substantially removing the overflow regions. In one aspect, the method may be performed as a method of making a miniature camera module. Other methods are also described, as are miniature camera modules.

Miniature wafer-level camera modules

An integrated die-level camera system and method of making the camera system include a first die-level camera formed at least partially in a die. A second die level camera is also formed at least partially in the die. Baffling is formed to block stray light between the first and second die-level cameras.

Integrated die-level cameras and methods of manufacturing the same

A task-based imaging system for obtaining data regarding a scene for use in a task includes an image data capturing arrangement for (a) imaging a wavefront of electromagnetic energy from the scene to an intermediate image over a range of spatial frequencies, (b) modifying phase of the wavefront, (c) detecting the intermediate image, and (d) generating image data over the range of spatial frequencies. The task-based imaging system also includes an image data processing arrangement for processing the image data and performing the task. The image data capturing and image data processing arrangements cooperate so that signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the task-based imaging system is greater than SNR of the task-based imaging system without phase modification of the wavefront over the range of spatial frequencies.

Task-based imaging systems

A system and method for providing an optical device with a variable extended depth-of-field (EDOF). The optical device includes an optically transparent liquid crystal layer, an optically transparent phase mask, optically aligned with the liquid crystal layer and separated therefrom by an optically transparent substrate, an optically transparent index-matching layer, disposed adjacent to one surface of the phase mask, and having a refractive index substantially matching that of the phase mask; and a pair of electrodes for generating an electric field acting on said liquid crystal layer to change the depth of field of the imaging system in proportion to the amplitude of a signal applied to the electrodes.

Optical device with electrically variable extended depth of field

An optical system for capturing three-dimensional images of a three-dimensional object is provided. The optical system includes a projector for structured illumination of the object. The projector includes a light source, a grid mask positioned between the light source and the object for structured illumination of the object, and a first Wavefront Coding (WFC) element having a phase modulating mask positioned between the grid mask and the object to receive patterned light from the light source through the grid mask. The first WFC element is constructed and arranged such that a point spread function of the projector is substantially invariant over a wider range of depth of field of the grid mask than a point spread function of the projector without the first WFC element.

Apparatus and method for three-dimensional image capture with extended depth of field

A multilayer optical device includes an arrangement, on a substrate, of a first layer, a second layer, and a space therebetween. The second layer is a thin-film. The arrangement of the first and second layers and the space therebetween produces transmitted, reflected, or dispersed spectrally modified electromagnetic energy from electromagnetic energy incident upon the arrangement. An optical function of the device is dependent at least in part on interference effects. An optical detector system includes a similar multilayer optical device. The space within the device is in fluid communication with structures for receiving a fluid such that the device operates in a first or second mode depending on absence or presence of the fluid within the space. The system includes a detector for receiving the modified electromagnetic energy, and a controller in fluid communication with the space that establishes the absence or presence of the fluid in the space.

Tunable and switchable multilayer optical devices

In an embodiment, a low height imaging system has: one or more optical channels and a detector array, each of the optical channels (a) associated with at least one detector of the array, (b) having one or more optical components and a restrictive ray corrector, and (c) configured to direct steeper incident angle field rays onto the at least one detector.

Imaging systems having ray corrector, and associated methods

Optical systems for routing light that reduce or eliminate polarization-dependent loss are provided. Such optical systems generally accommodate an optical element that has an intrinsic polarization-dependent loss and which is disposed to be encountered twice by the light being routed. In some instances, the optical element may be a dispersive element such as a diffraction grating or prism, but the invention has more general applicability. The optical system additionally includes both a reflective element and a wave plate assembly disposed to be encountered by the light between encounters with the dispersive element.

Reduction of polarization-dependent loss in double-pass grating configurations

In an embodiment, a method forms a lens with wavefront coding. The method includes positioning a lens in a mold; and curing material onto a surface of the lens to form an aspheric surface of the lens with wavefront coding. In another embodiment, a system for fabricating and evaluating a modified lens includes a collar for holding an initial lens, the initial lens having a front surface and a rear surface, a pin having a surface for molding a moldable material onto the front surface of the initial lens, to form the modified lens, an image forming arrangement; and a test object to be imaged by the modified lens and the image forming arrangement.

Aspheric lens forming methods

A method for designing a first optical filter, exhibiting a first filter performance satisfying a first preset criterion, and a second optical filter, exhibiting a second filter performance satisfying a second preset criterion, includes providing initial first and second filter designs for the first and second optical filters, respectively, as first and second ordered stacks of layers, respectively. A pair of layers, including a first layer, characterized by a first thickness, and a second layer, characterized by a second thickness, is selected from the first and second ordered stacks of layers. The first thickness is constrained to a first constrained thickness that is a positive integer multiple of the second thickness to yield a constrained first filter design. A predicted performance of the constrained first filter design is determined and compared with the first preset criterion for one of accepting and rejecting the constrained first filter design.

Multi-layer optical filter designs and associated systems

A method for generating an output image of a scene is disclosed. A detector of a task-based imaging system includes a plurality of pixels, and the scene includes at least one object located at a given object distance within a range of object distances between the object and the imaging system. The method includes capturing a high resolution image of the scene, converting the high resolution image into an image spectrum of the scene, determining a defocused optical transfer function (OTF) of the imaging system over the range of object distances and determining a pixel modulation transfer function (MTF) over the plurality of pixels. The method also includes multiplying the image spectrum with the OTF and the MTF to generate a modified image spectrum of the scene, converting the modified image spectrum into a modified image of the scene, and generating the output image from the modified image.

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Boulder, CO, United States of America

Paulo E X Silveira