Optical observation instrument and a method of controllably adjusting a refractive power in such instrument

US8038296B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss Vision GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Oliver Baumann · Tuttlingen, DE
• Jesús-Miguel Cabeza Guillén · Aalen, DE
• Michael J. Claus · Laguna Beach, US
• Markus Haidl · Aalen, DE
• Gerhard Kelch · Aalen, DE
• Timo Kratzer · Aalen, DE
• Herbert Krug · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Peter Schnitzer · Heidenheim, DE
• Hexin Wang · Los Altos, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 14, 2008
• Grant date: Oct 18, 2011
• Expiry date: Mar 14, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02C7/101
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical observation instrument, in particular a spectacle, a reading aid or a telescope, comprises an optical element, in particular a spectacle lens, adapted to be controllably adjustable in its refractive power, a sensor, and a control unit for adjusting the refractive power as a function of signals from the sensor. The sensor is a brightness sensor. In a method of controllably adjusting a refractive power of an optical element in an optical observation instrument an optical parameter is captured by means of a sensor and the refractive power is adjusted as a function of a signal from the sensor. By means of the sensor the brightness of the light impinging on the optical instrument is captured.