Patent · US Expired

High resolution image formation from a multiple aperture imaging system

US6880943B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by
15References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 4, 2003
Grant dateApr 19, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 17, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B27/58
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In a method for imaging using multiple apertures, the present invention uses a wavefront sensor, a phase sensor, and an image processor to construct a high-resolution image without using complex relay optics. A wavefront sensor collects information that allows the wavefront from each aperture to be reconstructed and a phase sensor collects information regarding the relative phase difference between the apertures. An image processor uses the information collected from the phase sensor to correct the phase differences between the apertures, reconstruct the wavefronts from the wavefront sensor data, then coherently sums the wavefronts from each aperture to form a high-resolution image that corresponds to a synthesized aperture that is larger than any of the individual apertures.

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