ASPECT RATIO MODIFYING IMAGING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• Main Authors: OVRUTSKY, David, KATHMAN, Alan D, WALTERS, Michael D
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 09.03.2022
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USINGWAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FORPROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; BLASTING; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROGRAPHY; FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMSTHEREOF; HEATING; HOLOGRAPHY; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHYSICS; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHERARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; WEAPONS

Aspect ratio modifying imaging systems and methods are provided. In one example, an infrared imaging device includes at least one lens element configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation associated with a portion of a scene. The portion has a first aspect ratio. The electromagnetic radiation includes mid-wave and/or long-wave infrared light. The at least one lens element has a freeform surface having no translational symmetry and no rotational symmetry. The infrared imaging device further includes a detector array configured to receive image data associated with the electromagnetic radiation from the at least one lens element and generate, based on the image data, an image. The image data has a second aspect ratio different from the first aspect ratio. Each of the first and second aspect ratios is a ratio of a size along a first direction and a size along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.