United Technologies Corporation

Theresa L Bruno

Allan Wirth

Lawrence E Schmutz

Andrew J Jankevics

Franklin M Landers

Dante P D'Amato

Lawrence H Gilligan

Bruce W Baran

Carl G Witthoft

John L Duncan

A panoramic imaging system is formed from select configurations of micro-optic multiplets (MOM) comprised of two microlens modules (MLM). The MLMs themselves are formed from arrays of microlenses. The present panoramic imaging system is characterized by the two MLMs configured on concentric approximately spherical surfaces. The optic axis of each of the microlenses is tilted slightly with respect to its neighbor to allow for proper alignment of images to form a single primary image on a substantially spherical global image surface.

Micro-lens panoramic imager

A variety of optical systems can be formed from select configurations of micro-optic multiplets (MOM) comprised of two or more microlens modules (MLM). The MLMs themselves are formed from planar arrays of microlenses. An optical system configured in accordance with the present invention forms a single primary image, together with a set of images transversely displaced from an optic axis and is characterized by the property that the image distance and the object distance move in the same direction, in stark contrast to known lens systems. For example, when an object distance decreases, the corresponding image distance also decreases with the present optical system.

Optical instrument with micro-lenses

An improved two-dimensional optical centroid processor ('OCP') wavefront sensor is described in which a scanning mirror 146 scans the wavefront of input light 130 to provide a scanned beam 148 (i.e. a portion of the wavefront). The scanned beam 148 is focused on an OCP 168 filter comprising four rows of mask cells. The filtered light emanating from the cells impinges on one-dimensional photodetector devices 192, 198, 202, 206 (i.e. photodetector rows). Thus, the scanning of the wavefront by the scanning mirror provides two-dimensional measurement while employing one-dimensional photodetector devices. Each of the photodetector devices provides an output to a ratio calculator 201 which is used to correct the tilt in the wavefront by driving a deformable mirror (not shown).

Two-dimensional OCP wavefront sensor employing one-dimensional optical

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Bedford, MA, United States of America

Theresa L Bruno