Patent · US Expired

Angled optical fiber filter for reducing artifacts in imaging apparatus

US5321251A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
22References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 31, 1993
Grant dateJun 14, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 31, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/08
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical fiber array is used as a blur filter in imaging apparatus to limit high spatial frequencies incident upon an image sensor, and thereby to reduce undersampling artifacts. The optical fiber array includes optical fibers disposed in the path of incident image light at an angle to the optical axis of the sensor such that the optical fibers composing the array emit an annular pattern of light over adjacent photosites, thereby producing a blurred image. The annular pattern of light has a mean radius that remains substantially the same regardless of changes in the optical aperture of the imaging path, with only the thickness of the annular pattern changing with aperture.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.