Small and fast zoom system lc 3N i<3v
U[? f@.&
Abstract p, T4BO
There is a need for a small and fast optical zoom device that can change magnification. Conventional zoom devices require coupled mechanical motions to adjust the axial separations between individual or groups of elements in order to change the optical magnification. The mechanical motions decrease the speed of zooming, increase space and weight for zoom system, may induce unwanted jitter, and require large power consumption. In addition, the mechanical zoom system is restricted to magnifying the area on-axis. To solve problems of conventional zoom system, the zoom system utilizing one or more variable focal length micromirror array lenses without macroscopic mechanical motion of lenses is invented. ^T#jBqe
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :uJHFF xg
Inventors: Cho, Gyoung Il; (Seoul, KR) ; Gim, Dong Woo; (Gyoungnam, KR) ; Seo, Cheong Soo; (Seoul, KR) ; Boyd, James Greenup; (Brenham, TX) ; Baek, Sang Hyune; (Suwon, KR) *07?U")
Correspondence Name and Address: PARK & SUTTON LLP +z[+kir
3255 WILSHIRE BLVD UhJ{MUH`
SUITE 1110 9 p,O>I
LOS ANGELES ;b(ww{&
CA Xr:s-L
90010 .SLpgYFL{
US l3*GQ~m7
artn _
P,xIDj4d
Serial No.: 806299 sH>`eqY
Series Code: 10 XjdHH.) S
Filed: March 22, 2004 7l ,f
)dFPfu&HL
U.S. Current Class: 359/676 4*L*"vKa
U.S. Class at Publication: 359/676 UCXRF
Intern'l Class: G02B 015/14; G02B 015/15 SME9hS$4
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4l{$dtKbI
Mna
yiJl
Claims <W>A }}q
g*(z.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- &2U%/JqY
1. A zoom system for forming an image with varying magnification comprising one or more variable focal length lenses, wherein the variable focal length lens is made of a micromirror array lens, wherein the micromirror array lens comprises a plurality of micromirrors, wherein each micromirror is controlled to change the focal length of the micromirror array lens, wherein the micromirror array lens further comprises a plurality of mechanical structures upholding the micromirrors and actuating components actuating the micromirrors. a#{"3Z2|
2-3. (canceled) :|$cG~'J
4. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the translation of each micromirror of the micromirror array lens is controlled. xticC>
(w{T[~6
5. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the rotation of each micromirror of the micromirror array lens is controlled. }6BXa
tGgDS)
6. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the translation and rotation of each micromirror of the micromirror array lens are controlled. {%CW!Rc
I`*5z;Q!%@
7. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the micromirrors of the micromirror array lens are arranged to form one or more concentric circles. wP*3Hx;S
^EKRbPA9:<
8. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein each micromirror of the micromirror array lens has a fan shape. x.Egl4b3
J
<;xkT1x
9. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the reflective surface of each micromirror of the micromirror array lens is substantially flat. 2m]4
c|JQ0] K
10. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the reflective surface of each micromirror of the micromirror array lens has a curvature. &A*E)T#>#
%#rtNDi
11. The zoom system of claim 10, wherein the curvature is controlled. vBOY[>=
/8Y8-&K0
12. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein each micromirror of the micromirror array lens is actuated by electrostatic force.
?ueL'4Mm
]hS<"=oj
13. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein each micromirror of the micromirror array lens is actuated by electromagnetic force *;9H \%
[5p 3:D
14. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein each micromirror of the micromirror array lens is actuated by electrostatic force and electromagnetic force. Gp
\-AwE
#*/nUbsg
15. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical structure and the actuating components are located under the micromirrors. 05k'TqT{c
z,$uIv}'@
16. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the micromirror array lens is a reflective Fresnel lens. f|M^UHt8*
2I}+AW!!=
17. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the micromirrors are arranged in a flat plane. Za1mI^ L1
g_IcF><F
18. The zoom system of claim 1, and wherein each micromirror is controlled to change the focal length of the micromirror array lens. ?8{Os;!je
wW p7N
19. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the micromirror array lens is an adaptive optical component, wherein the micromirror array lens compensates for phase errors of light introduced by the medium between an object and its image. K<:%ofB"S
(J %4}Dm
20. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the micromirror array lens is an adaptive optical component, wherein the micromirror array lens corrects aberrations. XVt;hO
]T'8O`
21. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the micromirror array lens is an adaptive optical component, wherein the micromiror array lens corrects the defects of the zoom system that cause the image to deviate from the rules of paraxial imagery. AC(qx:/6
gJX"4]Ol#}
22. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the micromirror array lens is an adaptive optical component, wherein an object which does not lie on the optical axis can be imaged by the micromirror array lens without macroscopic mechanical movement of zoom system. o]4BST(A
s7sd(f]=
23. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the micromirror array lens is controlled to satisfy the same phase condition for each wavelength of Red, Green, and Blue (RGB), respectively, to get a color image. 3'kKbrk [
T@.+bD
24. The zoom system of claim 23, further comprising a plurality of bandpass filters. X!LiekU!D
M j[+h|e
25. The zoom system of claim 23, further comprising a photoelectric sensor, wherein the photoelectric sensor comprises Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) sensors, wherein a color image is obtained by treatment of electrical signals from the Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) sensors. SQ> Yf\
Z(tJd,
26. The zoom system of claim 25, wherein the treatment of electrical signals from the Red, Green and Blue (RGB) sensors is synchronized and/or matched with the control of the micromirror array lens to satisfy the same phase condition for each wavelength of Red, Green and Blue (RGB), respectively. #*qV kPX
>*gf1"
27. The zoom system of claim 1, wherein the variable focal length lenses comprise a first variable focal length lens and a second variable focal length lens, wherein the focal length of the first variable focal length lens and the focal length of the second variable focal length lens are changed to form the image in-focus at a given magnification. }v2p]D5n.
>^`# %$+
28. The zoom system of claim 27, wherein the first variable focal length lens is made of a micromirror array lens, wherein the micromirror array lens comprises a plurality of micromirrors. gizY4~
j
qjkWCLOd
29. The zoom system of claim 27, wherein the second variable focal length lens is made of a micromirror array lens, wherein the micromirror array lens comprises a plurality of micromirrors. 5]]QW3
SaF0JPm4z
30. The zoom system of claim 27, wherein the first variable focal length lens and the second variable focal length lens are made of micromirror array lenses, wherein each of the micromirror array lenses comprises a plurality of micromirrors. Lf^
7|
Z{B [r;
31. The zoom system of claim 27, further comprising a beam splitter is positioned between the first variable focal length lens and the second variable focal length lens. "?6*W"N9
y'8T=PqY[t
32. The zoom system of claim 27, wherein the first variable focal length lens and the second variable focal length lens are positioned so that the path of the light reflected by the first variable focal length lens and the second variable focal length lens is not blocked. > `eo 0
sq#C|v/
33. The zoom system of claim 27, further comprising a focus lens group, an elector lens group and a relay lens group, wherein the first variable focal length lens forms a variator lens group, and the second variable focal length lens forms a compensator lens group. U&B(uk(2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- hl**G4z9q
.aa7*e
Description 0K.$C~C
2BO H8Mp9
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >BO!jv!a
1@~%LV
lmoYQFkYP
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION `O3#/1+
t"%~r3{
[0001] The present invention relates to an optical zoom device and operational methods for the device. u SZfim@Z7
?UflK
[0002] Conventional zoom devices require coupled mechanical motions to adjust the axial separations between individual or groups of elements in order to change the optical magnification. Z%.Ld2Q{
|Zn,|-iW
[0003] FIG. 1 illustrates conventional mechanical zoom system. At the very basic level, a zoom system includes at least one moving lens for zooming. One lens to change the image size is called the variator 1 and another lens to maintain focus through the zoom range is called the compensator 2. The variator 1 is moved to change the image size of object. However, the image is defocused because the imaging position is also changed. Therefore, the variator 1 must move in unison with the compensator lens 2 to zoom and keep the image 3 in focus. These movements are usually mechanically controlled by a zoom ring on the lens barrel. Iu~(SKr=|$
nSo.,72
[0004] The mechanical motions decrease the speed of zooming, increase space and weight for zoom system, may induce unwanted jitter, and require large power consumption. In addition, the mechanical zoom system is restricted to magnifying the area on-axis. Therefore, there has been a need for a small and fast zoom device that can change magnification. ^v;8 (eF
f~=e
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION <MhODC")
iuEe#B;!
[0005] The present invention contrives to solve the disadvantages of the conventional zoom system. E(S$Q^
<Vyl*a{%
[0006] An objective of the invention is to provide a zoom system that is compact and does not have macroscopic mechanical motions of lenses. }F V_jJ
t2.]v><