US 8,482,652 C1 (12,996th)
Imaging devices with components for reflecting optical data and associated methods of use and manufacture
Douglas Kreysar, Redmond, WA (US); Ronald F. Rykowski, Bellevue, WA (US); and Richard E. Albrecht, Cumming, GA (US)
Filed by Douglas Kreysar, Redmond, WA (US); Ronald F. Rykowski, Bellevue, WA (US); and Richard E. Albrecht, Cumming, GA (US)
Assigned to RADIANT ZEMAX, LLC, Redmond, WA (US)
Reexamination Request No. 90/019,327, Dec. 9, 2023.
Reexamination Certificate for Patent 8,482,652, issued Jul. 9, 2013, Appl. No. 12/748,035, Mar. 26, 2010.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/164,331, filed on Mar. 27, 2009.
Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate issued on Jul. 25, 2025.
Int. Cl. H04N 5/217 (2011.01); G01J 3/02 (2006.01); G01J 3/08 (2006.01); G01J 3/50 (2006.01); G01J 3/51 (2006.01); H04N 5/238 (2006.01)
CPC G01J 3/02 (2013.01) [G01J 3/0202 (2013.01); G01J 3/0208 (2013.01); G01J 3/021 (2013.01); G01J 3/0218 (2013.01); G01J 3/0235 (2013.01); G01J 3/08 (2013.01); G01J 3/50 (2013.01); G01J 3/505 (2013.01); G01J 3/51 (2013.01)]
OG exemplary drawing
AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT:
The patentability of claims 13-17 is confirmed.
Claim 9 is cancelled.
Claims 1-4, 7-8, 10-11 and 18-23 are determined to be patentable as amended.
Claims 5-6 and 12, dependent on an amended claim, are determined to be patentable.
New claims 24-57 are added and determined to be patentable.
1. An imaging device, comprising:
a lens configured to introduce light into the imaging device along an optical path;
an image sensor spaced apart from the lens and configured to receive at least a portion [ part ] of the light along the optical path;
a [ first ] filter assembly [ wheel and a second filter wheel different from the first filter wheel, wherein the first and second filter wheels are ] positioned between the lens and the image sensor, wherein the filter assembly comprises a filter wheel [ and wherein each of the first and second filter wheels is ] configured to rotate about a [ corresponding ] rotational axis that is generally parallel to the optical path; and
a reflector [ mirror ] carried by the [ second ] filter assembly [ wheel] , wherein the [ second ] filter assembly [ wheel ] is configured to move the reflector [ mirror ] between first and second positions, and
wherein, in the first position [ , ] the reflector [ mirror (a) ] is [ positioned between the first filter wheel and the image sensor (b) is ] at least partially aligned with the optical path [ ,] and [ (c) ] reflects at least a portion of the light, and
[ wherein, ] in the second position, the reflector [ mirror ] is positioned outside of the optical path.
2. The imaging device of claim 1 , [ wherein the portion of the light is a first portion of the light, and wherein the imaging device ] further comprising [ comprises ] a filter carried by the [ second ] filter wheel, [ and ] wherein [ :]
the [ second ] filter wheel is configured to move the filter between filtering and non-filtering positions,
wherein [ , ] in the filtering position [ , ] the filter is at least partially aligned with the optical path and filters at least a [ second ] portion of the light, and
[ wherein, ] in the non-filtering position, the filter is positioned out of alignment with the optical path.
3. The imaging device of claim 2 wherein the reflector [ mirror ] is in the second position when the filter is in the filtering position.
4. The imaging device of claim 1 , [ wherein the portion of the light is a first portion of the light, and wherein the imaging device ] further comprising [ comprises ] an optical input configured to collect at least a [ part of the first ] portion of the light reflected by the reflector [ mirror ] when the reflector [ mirror ] is in the first position, [ and further ] wherein the optical input is configured to transmit the [ part of the ] reflected light to a spectrometer.
7. The imaging device of claim 1 wherein the reflector [ mirror ] comprises a continuous surface mirror.
8. The imaging device of claim 1 wherein the reflector [ mirror ] comprises a Fresnel mirror.
10. The imaging device of claim 1 wherein the [ second ] filter assembly [ wheel ] has a thickness, and wherein the reflector [ mirror fully ] fits within a [ the ] thickness of the [ second ] filter assembly [ wheel] .
11. The imaging device of claim 1 wherein the reflector [ mirror ] is a first mirror, and wherein the imaging device further comprises a second mirror positioned outside of the optical path and a third mirror positioned outside of the optical path [ , and further ] wherein [ , ] when the first mirror is in the first position [ , ] the first mirror reflects at least a [ the ] portion of the light to the second mirror, and the second mirror reflects at least a [ the ] portion of the light to the third mirror.
18. A method of acquiring optical data with an imaging device having a [ first ] filter assembly [ wheel and a second filter wheel ] positioned along an optical axis between a lens and an imaging sensor, the method comprising:
selectively moving the [ first ] filter assembly [ wheel ] to align a reflector [ mirror ] with the optical axis extending between the lens and the imaging sensor, wherein selectively moving the [ first ] filter assembly [ wheel ] comprises rotating a [ the first ] filter wheel about a rotational axis that is generally parallel with the optical axis [ such that the mirror is aligned with the optical axis at a location between (i) the image sensor and (ii) the second filter wheel] ;
reflecting at least a portion of light transmitted along the optical axis when the reflector [ mirror ] is aligned with the optical axis; and
collecting at least a portion of the reflected light with an optical input.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting at least a [ the ] portion of the reflected light from the optical input to a spectrometer.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein selectively moving the [ first ] filter assembly [ wheel ] to align the reflector [ mirror ] with the optical axis comprises selectively moving the [ first ] filter assembly [ wheel ] to align a [ continuous surface ] mirror with the optical axis.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein selectively moving the [ first ] filter assembly [ wheel ] to align the mirror with the optical axis comprises selectively moving the [ first ] filter assembly [ wheel ] to align a Fresnel mirror with the optical axis.
22. The method of claim 18 wherein the reflector [ mirror ] is a first mirror, and wherein reflecting at least a portion of the light comprises:
reflecting at least a [ the ] portion of the light from the first mirror to a second mirror, and reflecting at least a [ the ] portion of the light from the second mirror to a third mirror, wherein the second and third mirrors are not aligned with the optical axis.
23. The method of 18, further comprising selectively moving the [ first ] filter assembly [ wheel ] to align a filter with the optical axis, wherein the filter is aligned with the optical axis when the reflector [ mirror ] is not aligned with the optical axis.
[ 24. The method of claim 18, further comprising selectively moving the first filter wheel to align a filter with the optical axis.]
[ 25. The method of claim 18, further comprising selectively moving the second filter wheel to align a filter with the optical axis.]
[ 26. The method of claim 25 wherein selectively moving the second filter wheel comprises rotating the second filter wheel about a corresponding rotational axis that is generally parallel with the optical axis.]
[ 27. The method of claim 18 wherein selectively moving the first filter wheel comprises rotating the first filter wheel along a plane that is generally orthogonal to the rotational axis.]
[ 28. The imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a filter carried by the first filter wheel, wherein the first filter wheel is configured to rotate about its corresponding rotational axis to selectively move the filter into the optical path.]
[ 29. The imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a filter carried by the second filter wheel, wherein the second filter wheel is configured to rotate about its corresponding rotational axis to selectively move the filter into the optical path.]
[ 30. The imaging device of claim 1 wherein the second filter wheel has a thickness, and wherein the mirror is carried by the filter wheel such that a portion of the mirror is positioned outside of the thickness.]
[ 31. The imaging device of claim 30 wherein the portion of the mirror is a first portion, and wherein the mirror is carried by the filter wheel such that a second portion of the mirror is positioned within the thickness.]
[ 32. The imaging device of claim 1 wherein the mirror is carried by the second filter wheel such that an angle of the mirror with respect to the second filter wheel is adjustable.]
[ 33. The imaging device of claim 1 wherein the corresponding rotational axis for the first filter wheel and the corresponding rotational axis for the second filter wheel are generally orthogonal to a plane along which the second filter wheel rotates to move the mirror between the first and second positions.]
[ 34. The digital imaging system of claim 13 wherein the reflector is a mirror and the filter wheel is a first filter wheel, and wherein the digital camera further comprises:
a second filter wheel different from the first filter wheel,
wherein the first filter wheel is configured to selectively position one of the filter and the mirror between the second filter wheel and the image sensor.]
[ 35. The digital imaging system of claim 34 wherein the second filter wheel is configured to rotate about a corresponding rotational axis that is generally parallel with the optical path.]
[ 36. The digital imaging system of claim 13 wherein the reflector is a mirror and the filter wheel is a first filter wheel, and wherein the digital camera further comprises:
a second filter wheel different from the first filter wheel,
wherein the first filter wheel is configured to selectively position one of the filter and the mirror between the lens and the second filter wheel.]
[ 37. The digital imaging system of claim 13 wherein the filter wheel has a thickness, and wherein the reflector, when carried by the filter wheel, fully fits within the thickness.]
[ 38. The digital imaging system of claim 13 wherein the filter wheel has a thickness, and wherein the reflector is carried by the filter wheel such that a portion of the reflector is positioned outside of the thickness.]
[ 39. The digital imaging system of claim 37 wherein the portion of the reflector is a first portion, and wherein the reflector is carried by the filter wheel such that a second portion of the reflector is positioned within the thickness.]
[ 40. The digital imaging system of claim 13 wherein the reflector is carried by the filter wheel such that an angle of the reflector with respect to the filter wheel is adjustable.]
[ 41. An imaging device, comprising:
a lens configured to introduce light into the imaging device along an optical paths;
an image sensor spaced apart from the lens and configured to receive at least part of the light along the optical path;
a first filter wheel and a second filter wheel different from the first filter wheel, wherein each of the first filter wheel and the second filter wheel (a) is positioned between the lens and the image sensor, and (b) is configured to rotate about a corresponding rotational axis that is generally parallel to the optical path; and
a mirror carried by the first filter wheel such that an angle of the mirror with respect to the first filter wheel is adjustable, wherein the first filter wheel is configured to move the mirror between first and second positions, and wherein in the first position, the mirror (a) is positioned between the lens and the second filter wheel, (b) is at least partially aligned with the optical path, and (c) reflects at least a portion of the light, and
in the second position, the mirror is positioned outside of the optical path.]
[ 42. The imaging device of claim 41 wherein the first filter wheel has a thickness, and wherein the mirror, when carried by the first filter wheel, fully fits within the thickness.]
[ 43. The imaging device of claim 41 wherein the first filter wheel has a thickness, and wherein the mirror is carried by the filter wheel such that a portion of the mirror is positioned outside of the thickness.]
[ 44. The imaging device of claim 43 wherein the portion of the mirror is a first portion, and wherein the mirror is carried by the filter wheel such that a second portion of the mirror is positioned within thickness.]
[ 45. The imaging device of claim 41 wherein the corresponding rotational axis for the first filter wheel and the corresponding rotational axis for the second filter wheel are generally orthogonal to a plane along which the first filter wheel rotates to move the mirror between the first and second positions.]
[ 46. An imaging device, comprising:
a lens configured to introduce light into the imaging device;
an image sensor spaced apart from the lens and configured to receive, along an optical axis extending between the lens and the image sensor, at least a part of the light introduced into the imaging device via the lens;
a filter assembly positioned et veer the lens and the image sensor, wherein the filter assembly comprises a filter wheel configured to rotate about rotational axis that is generally parallel to the op al axis; and
a mirror carried by the filter assembly, wherein the filter assembly is configured to move the mirror (i) separate from the filter wheel and (ii) between first and second positions, and wherein
in the first position, the mirror (a) is positioned between the filter wheel and the image sensor, (b) is at least partially aligned with the optical axis, and (c) reflects at least a portion of the light, and
in the second position, the mirror is positioned outside of the optical axis.]
[ 47. The imaging device of claim 46 wherein the filter wheel is a first filter wheel, wherein the filter assembly further comprises a second filter wheel different from the first filter wheel and positioned between the first filter wheel and the image sensor, and wherein the mirror is carried by the second filter wheel.]
[ 48. The imaging device of claim 47 wherein second filter wheel rotates about a corresponding rotational axis this is generally parallel to the optical axis.]
[ 49. The imaging device of claim 46 wherein the filter assembly includes a thickness measured in a direction generally parallel to the optical axis, and wherein the mirror is carried by the filter assembly such that the mirror is fully position within the thickness of the filter assembly.]
[ 50. The imaging device of claim 46 wherein the filter assembly includes a thickness measured in a direction generally parallel to the optical axis, and wherein the mirror is carried by the filter assembly such that a portion of the mirror is positioned outside of the thickness of the filter assembly.]
[ 51. The imaging device of claim 50 wherein the portion is a first portion, and wherein the mirror is carried by the filter assembly such that a second portion of the mirror is positioned within the thickness of the filter assembly.]
[ 52. The imaging device of claim 46 wherein the filter assembly is configured to move the mirror between the first and second positions along a plane that is generally orthogonal to the rotational axis.]
[ 53. The imaging device of claim 46 wherein the mirror is carried by the filter assembly such that an angle of the mirror with respect to the filter assembly is adjustable.]
[ 54. An imaging device comprising:
a lens configured to introduce light into the imaging device;
an image sensor spaced apart from the lens and configured to receive, along an optical axis extending between the lens and the image sensor, at least a part of the light introduced into the imaging device via the lens;
mirror; and
a filter assembly position between the lens and the image sensor, the filter assembly including a filter wheel and a mirror support usable to mount the mirror to the filter wheel,
wherein
the filter wheel and the mirror support collectively define a thickness measured in a direction extending generally parallel to the optical axis,
the mirror is mounted to the filter wheel such that the mirror is fully positioned within the thickness,
the filter assembly is configured to move the mirror between first and second positions and generally along a plane,
the filter wheel is configured to rotate about a rotational axis that is (a) generally parallel to the optical axis and (b) generally orthogonal to the plane,
in the first position, the mirror is at least partially aligned with optical axis and reflects at least a portion of the light introduced into the imaging device via the lens, and
in the second position, the mirror is positioned out of alignment with the optical axis.]
[ 55. The imaging device of claim 54 wherein the filter wheel is a first filter wheel, wherein the filter assembly further comprises a second filter wheel different from the first filter wheel, and wherein, in the first position, the mirror is positioned between the second filter wheel and the image sensor.]
[ 56. The imaging device of claim 54 wherein the filter wheel is a first filter wheel, wherein the filter assembly further comprises a second filter wheel different from the first filter wheel, and wherein, in the first position, the mirror is positioned between the lens and the second filter wheel.]
[ 57. The imaging device of claim 54 wherein the mirror is mounted to the filter wheel such that an angle of the mirror with respect to the filter wheel is adjustable.]