Abstract: Image-sensing devices include odd-symmetry gratings that cast interference patterns over a photodetector array. Grating features offer considerable insensitivity to the wavelength of incident light, and also to the manufactured distance between the grating and the photodetector array. Photographs and other image information can be extracted from interference patterns captured by the photodetector array. Images can be captured without a lens, and cameras can be made smaller than those that are reliant on lenses and ray-optical focusing.

Abstract: An array of diffraction-pattern generators employ phase anti-symmetric gratings to projects near-field spatial modulations onto a closely spaced array of photoelements. Each generator in the array of generators produces point-spread functions with spatial frequencies and orientations of interest. The generators are arranged in an irregular mosaic with little or no short-range repetition. Diverse generators are shaped and placed with some irregularity to reduce or eliminate spatially periodic replication of ambiguities to facilitate imaging of nearby scenes.

Abstract: Multiframe reconstruction combines a set of acquired images into a reconstructed image. Here, which images to acquire are selected based at least in part on the content of previously acquired images. In one approach, a set of at least three images of an object are acquired at different acquisition settings. For at least one of the images in the set, the acquisition setting for the image is determined based at least in part on the content of previously acquired images. Multiframe image reconstruction, preferably via a multi-focal display, is applied to the set of acquired images to synthesize a reconstructed image of the object.

Abstract: An optical phase grating produces an interference pattern rich in intensity and spatial-frequency information from the external scene. The grating includes an odd number of repeated sets of adjacent horizontal portions, separated by steps, that fill an area that radiates outward from a central region. At a given distance from the central region and within the area of the phase grating, each of the first horizontal portions is of a first width that differs from a second width of the adjacent second horizontal portions. The interference patterns produced by the grating can be processed to extract images and other information of interest about an imaged scene.

Abstract: A sensing device with an odd-symmetry grating projects near-field spatial modulations onto a closely spaced photodetector array. Due to physical properties of the grating, the spatial modulations are in focus for a range of wavelengths and spacings. The spatial modulations are captured by the array, and photographs and other image information can be extracted from the resultant data. Used in conjunction with a converging optical element, versions of these gratings provide depth information about objects in an imaged scene. This depth information can be computationally extracted to obtain a depth map of the scene.

Abstract: Described are imaging devices that employ patchworks of diffractive structures as focusing optics. Each diffractive structure best focuses light over a relatively narrow cone of incident angles, and provides suboptimal focusing for incident angles outside that cone. Different diffractive structures best focus different angular ranges, with the patchwork thus providing an overall focusable response for the relatively broad range of angles required to image a scene. Images can be captured without a lens, and cameras can be made smaller than those that are reliant on lenses and ray-optical focusing.

Abstract: An infrared imaging system includes a phase grating overlying a two-dimensional array of thermally sensitive pixels. The phase grating comprises a two-dimensional array of identical subgratings that define a system of Cartesian coordinates. The subgrating and pixel arrays are sized and oriented such that the pixels are evenly distributed with respect to the row and column intersections of the subgratings. The location of each pixel thus maps to a unique location beneath a virtual archetypical subgrating.

Abstract: A sensing device with an odd-symmetry grating projects near-field spatial modulations onto an array of closely spaced pixels. Due to physical properties of the grating, the spatial modulations are in focus for a range of wavelengths and spacings. The spatial modulations are captured by the array, and photographs and other image information can be extracted from the resultant data. Pixels responsive to infrared light can be used to make thermal imaging devices and other types of thermal sensors. Some sensors are well adapted for tracking eye movements, and others for imaging barcodes and like binary images. In the latter case, the known binary property of the expected images can be used to simplify the process of extracting image data.

Abstract: Computational diffractive imagers employ special optical phase gratings integrated with photodetector matrices. Such imagers do not require a lens, and so can be extremely small and inexpensive. Captured interference patterns are unintelligible to a human observer, but the captured data includes sufficient information to allow the image or aspects of the image to be computed. Computational diffractive imagers can be tailored to extract application-specific information or compute decisions (rather than compute an image) based on the optical signal. Both the phase grating and the signal processing can be optimized for the information in the visual field and the task at hand. For example, sequences of interference patterns can be compared to measure changes in angular position, and this information can be used to sense and measure motion. Such interference patterns can also be used for pattern recognition, such as to perform automated face detection and recognition.

Abstract: An array of diffraction-pattern generators employ phase anti-symmetric gratings to projects near-field spatial modulations onto a closely spaced array of photoelements. Each generator in the array of generators produces point-spread functions with spatial frequencies and orientations of interest. The generators are arranged in an irregular mosaic with little or no short-range repetition. Diverse generators are shaped and placed with some irregularity to reduce or eliminate spatially periodic replication of ambiguities to facilitate imaging of nearby scenes.

Abstract: A user interface includes both a touchscreen for tactile input and one or more lensless optical sensors for sensing additional, remote gestures. Users can interact with the user interface in a volume of space near the display, and are thus not constrained to the relatively small area of the touchscreen. Remote hand or face gestures can be used to turn on or otherwise alter the tactile user interface. Shared user interfaces can operate without touch, and thus avoid cross-contamination of e.g. viruses and bacteria.

Abstract: A sensing device with an odd-symmetry grating projects near-field spatial modulations onto a closely spaced photodetector array. Due to physical properties of the grating, the spatial modulations are in focus for a range of wavelengths and spacings. The spatial modulations are captured by the array, and photographs and other image information can be extracted from the resultant data. Used in conjunction with a converging optical element, versions of these gratings provide depth information about objects in an imaged scene. This depth information can be computationally extracted to obtain a depth map of the scene.

Abstract: A sensing device with an odd-symmetry grating projects near-field spatial modulations onto a closely spaced photodetector array. Due to physical properties of the grating, the spatial modulations are in focus for a range of wavelengths and spacings. The spatial modulations are captured by the array, and photographs and other image information can be extracted from the resultant data. Used in conjunction with a converging optical element, versions of these gratings provide depth information about objects in an imaged scene. This depth information can be computationally extracted to obtain a depth map of the scene.

Abstract: Metrics for characterizing the focusing of a plenoptic imaging system. In one aspect, the metric is based on the high frequency content and/or the blurring of the plenoptic image.

Abstract: A sensing device with an odd-symmetry grating projects near-field spatial modulations onto a closely spaced photodetector array. Due to physical properties of the grating, the spatial modulations are in focus for a range of wavelengths and spacings. The spatial modulations are captured by the array, and photographs and other image information can be extracted from the resultant data. Used in conjunction with a converging optical element, versions of these gratings provide depth information about objects in an imaged scene. This depth information can be computationally extracted to obtain a depth map of the scene.

Abstract: Multiframe reconstruction combines a set of acquired images into a reconstructed image. Here, which images to acquire are selected based at least in part on the content of previously acquired images. In one approach, a set of at least three images of an object are acquired at different acquisition settings. For at least one of the images in the set, the acquisition setting for the image is determined based at least in part on the content of previously acquired images. Multiframe image reconstruction is applied to the set of acquired images to synthesize a reconstructed image of the object.

Abstract: Multiframe reconstruction combines a set of acquired images into a reconstructed image. Here, which images to acquire are selected based at least in part on the content of previously acquired images. In one approach, a set of at least three images of an object are acquired at different acquisition settings. For at least one of the images in the set, the acquisition setting for the image is determined based at least in part on the content of previously acquired images. Multiframe image reconstruction, preferably via a multi-focal display, is applied to the set of acquired images to synthesize a reconstructed image of the object.

Abstract: A sensing device with an odd-symmetry grating projects near-field spatial modulations onto a closely spaced photodetector array. Due to physical properties of the grating, the spatial modulations are in focus for a range of wavelengths and spacings. The spatial modulations are captured by the array, and photographs and other image information can be extracted from the resultant data. Used in conjunction with a converging optical element, versions of these gratings provide depth information about objects in an imaged scene. This depth information can be computationally extracted to obtain a depth map of the scene.

Abstract: An infrared imaging system combines a low-resolution infrared camera with a high-resolution visible-light camera. Information extracted from images taken using the visible-light camera is combined with the low-resolution infrared images to produce an infrared image with enhanced spatial details. The process of extracting the information from the visible image adjusts the quantization level of the visible-light image to scale visible objects to match objects identified in the infrared image.

Abstract: A sensing device with an odd-symmetry grating projects near-field spatial modulations onto a closely spaced photodetector array. The grating includes upper and lower features that define boundaries of odd symmetry. The features include upper and lower segments of various widths on opposite sides of each boundary, the upper segments at a height sufficient to induce one half wavelength of retardation in the band of interest relative to the lower segments. The resultant interference produces the spatial modulations for capture by the array. Photographs and other image information can be extracted from the captured data.