Abstract: A wide angle imaging system for providing a wide angle field of view of an area exteriorly of a vehicle includes an image capture device having a field of view directed exteriorly of the vehicle, an outer wide angle lens, a focusing lens and a display. The image capture device may comprise an array of pixels and may have a coarse distribution of pixels and a fine distribution of pixels. The display may be operable to display a substantially undistorted image to the driver or occupant of the vehicle in response to a signal output of the image capture device.

Abstract: A liquid-crystal lens includes a hologram liquid-crystal element having a liquid crystal which provides a light beam transmitting therethrough with a phase change so as to have a wavefront of a blaze-hologram shape; and a segment liquid-crystal element including a first electrode divided correspondingly to the blaze-hologram shape, a second electrode opposed to the first electrode and a liquid crystal for providing the transmitting light beam with a phase change by voltage application to the first and second electrodes, the segment liquid-crystal element being arranged coaxial to the hologram liquid-crystal element.

Abstract: If after manufacture it is found that the thickness of a solid immersion lens is less than a target thickness value, an adjustment portion is adhered thereto by vapor deposition so as to reduce the amount of thickness deficiency. If the solid immersion lens is made of quartz glass, SiO2 is used as the material which is vapor deposited. If the thickness of the solid immersion lens is greater than the target value, then it is reduced by etching.

Abstract: An optical element having a substrate formed by an optical material and able to improve mechanical strength, wherein the substrate has a convex part functioning as a convex lens, a flat part positioned around the convex part, and an outer circumference part positioned around the flat part. The thickness of the substrate at the outer circumference part is greater than that of the substrate at the flat part.

Abstract: Visual display systems that can accommodate off-angle viewing. In one embodiment, a visual display system includes a visual display device, such as a video display device, having a display screen configured to display visual images. The display screen can at least generally face a first direction that is angled relative to a viewing direction. The visual display system can further include an optical tilting device at least generally overlaying the display screen. The optical tilting device can include a refracting lens, such as a Fresnel lens or other device, configured to optically tilt the displayed images toward the viewing direction to facilitate viewing of the displayed images. In another embodiment, the visual display device can be carried by a seatback portion of a passenger seat.

Abstract: A single element objective lens for an optical disc drive converges a laser beam, which is emitted by a laser source, on a data recording surface of an optical disc through a protective layer of the optical disc. One surface of the objective lens is divided into a central area including an optical axis thereof and a peripheral area surrounding the central area. The peripheral area is provided with a diffraction lens structure formed by a plurality of concentric annular zones including minute steps. The central area is a continuous surface having no stepped portions. The diffraction lens structure compensates for variation of converging characteristic of the objective lens due to a change of a temperature.

Abstract: In an image pickup lens including a lens body, at least one of faces of the lens body is formed into an aspherical shape, and at least one of a first face of the lens body adjacent an object and a second face of said lens body adjacent an image pickup surface is a Fresnel face. Thus, the image pickup lens can be reduced in size, and the optical characteristics of the image pickup lens can be enhanced remarkably in a simple structure.

Abstract: An objective lens is provided with plural optical functional regions including an inside optical functional region, an outside optical functional region and an intermediate optical functional region provided between the inside and outside optical functional regions. The absolute value of an amount of a spherical aberration of a light flux coming to the second optical information recording medium after having passed through the intermediate optical functional region is made larger than that of an amount of a spherical aberration of a light flux coming to the second optical information recording medium after having passed through the inside optical functional region when recording and/or reproducing information is conducted for the second optical information recording medium.

Abstract: A lens optical system is provided with a cemented lens element formed by cementing two constituent lens elements made of different optical materials together, with a diffractive optical surface formed at the cementing interface between the two constituent lens elements. The two constituent lens elements have at their respective interfaces with air a radius of curvature different from the radius of curvature that they have at the cementing interface.

Abstract: A tail/stop lamp assembly is disclosed that uses as a light source light emitting diodes, specifically SnapLEDs™. The tail/stop lamp assembly is composed of housing, a lens, and a SnapLED™ array. The lens is composed of six different optical units surrounded by Fresnel rings. The housing is of a very slim design. The combination of optics and housing is a stylish, sturdy and efficient tail/stop lamp assembly that complies with Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards.

Abstract: An optical system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit of positive optical power, and a second lens unit of negative refractive power, wherein focusing from an infinitely distant object to a closest object is effected by moving the second lens unit toward the image side along an optical axis, and the second lens unit consists of one negative lens. Further, it is desirable that the following conditions are satisfied: d2L1(&lgr;)/d&lgr;2>0 d2T1(&lgr;)/d&lgr;2<0 &ngr;2>30 where L1(&lgr;) is an aberration coefficient of longitudinal chromatic aberration of the first lens unit, T1(&lgr;) is an aberration coefficient of lateral chromatic aberration of the first lens unit, &lgr; is a wavelength of light, and &ngr;2 is an Abbe number of material of the negative lens of the second lens unit.

Abstract: An objective lens comprises an inner optically functional region an inner optically functional region allowing a light flux to pass through for conducting recording and/or reproducing information for a first and second optical information recording mediums, an outer optically functional region allowing a light flux to pass through for conducting recording and/or reproducing information for the first optical information recording medium; and a diffractive structure provided on the outer optically functional region. The objective lens satisfies the following formulas: &lgr;>700 nm, NA1>0.65 and t1<t2 wherein &lgr; is a wavelength, NA1 is a numerical aperture, t1 and t2 are a thickness of a transparent base board of the first information recording medium and the second information recording medium.

Abstract: A reflective projection screen has in a first aspect a plurality of reflective elements. The upper surface of the reflective elements is either coated or textured to interfere with reflection of light from the upper surface to an adjacent reflective element. In a second aspect of the invention, a screen is provided that reflects light in the vertical direction like a plane surface, while reflecting light in the horizontal direction back toward the light source. In a third aspect of the invention, a projection system projects a three-dimensional image.

Abstract: An optical system has an optical functional surface including a common region used for conducting information recording and/or reproducing for both of a first optical information recording medium and a second optical information recording medium. The common region comprises a refractive surface of an imaginary basic aspherical surface and a optical path difference providing structure in which plural ring-shapes zones are separated around the center of an optical axis and neighboring ring-shaped zones are displaced to each other in a direction of an optical axis so as to cause an optical path difference obtained by multiplying a predetermined wavelength &lgr;s (&lgr;1<&lgr;s<&lgr;2) with almost an integer. The refractive surface of the imaginary basic aspherical surface is structured such that a spherical aberration becomes under on the first information recording medium and a spherical aberration becomes over on the second information recording medium.

Abstract: A novel thin infrared lens comprising an infrared lens and a hard and thin substrate that allows infrared lights to penetrate, is disclosed. The infrared lens may be a Fresnel refraction lens, prepared as a thin film by injection or casting. The infrared lens is attached to the thin substrate to form a lens assembly. The infrared lens may be pressed or adhered to the thin substrate or enveloped by the thin substrate to form the assembly.

Abstract: A solar concentrator includes high concentrating reflective or refractive optics concentrating collected solar light along a first axis and includes spectrum splitting reflective or refractive optics splitting collected solar light along a second axis for illuminating photovoltaic solar panels with spectrum split light having a plurality of frequency components respectively illuminating horizontally aligned subarrays of cells of associated bandgaps forming a panel matrix of cells for high concentration spectrum splitting solar power collection for efficient solar power conversion.

Abstract: A shaping optic for diode light sheets. The Fresnel cylinder lens has a plurality of facets that channel multiple light sheet output from a diode stack having arbitrary pitch and diode bar number into a gaussian pump light deposition profile within a laser gain medium. In a specific embodiment, the lens is formed of fused silica or BK7 glass covered with broad angle anti-reflection coating, and the vertical extent of the facets is matched to the pitch spacing of the diode.

Abstract: An image display system provides a viewer with an experience of three dimensional images by presenting a composite image source. The system includes first and second image sources, a beamcombiner, a lens and a reflective element. The reflective elements reflects the image of the second image source to the beamcombiner. The first and second image sources, the beamcombiner, and the single lens present a foreground image and a background image, with the background image presented at a greater distance from the viewer than the foreground image. The viewer perceives the foreground image and the background image as part of a scene having depth.

Abstract: In the lens embodiment, the invention described herein incorporates a first fluid with a first refractive index in a first series of concentric zones and a second fluid with a second refractive index in a second series of concentric zones. The two zones being adjacent to one another alternating between a concentric circle of the first then a concentric circle of the second then the first and etc. Wherein each circular zone in the series of first and second fluid zones are separated by a transparent barrier with elasticity. Additionally, fluid can be added or subtracted to each concentric circle as desired through ports in their otherwise sealed chambers. The structure and process described produces a refractive and/or diffractive optical component which is predictably and reliably variable as to its focal length and transmittance direction.

Abstract: An optical element is provided with a film having a stress effective to sufficiently suppressing unwanted deformation of the optical element. This accomplishes very small aberration of the optical element and assures precise pattern transfer as the same is used in a lithographic process.

Abstract: Provided is a Fresnel lens sheet having the advantage of reducing unnecessary rays of light that may go out around the center area of the concentrically-configured Fresnel lens of the sheet. When it is combined with a lenticular lens sheet to construct a viewing screen, the screen has the advantage of preventing white spots from appearing around its center area. The Fresnel lens sheet is for screens for rear projection image displays, and is characterized in that the lens pitch in the center area of the concentrically-configured Fresnel lens of the sheet differs from that in the peripheral area thereof, and that the lens pitch in the center area is larger than that in the peripheral area.

Abstract: A rear projection system having a display screen and a Fresnel lens wherein each of the incident faces of the viewing segments old the Fresnel lens are angularly positioned so that incoming light rays, which enter each old the viewing segments at different angles, are reflected by each of the segments so that the light rays emerging from each of the viewing segments emerge in a direction parallel to a v viewing axis to thereby limit luminosity differences in images viewable on the display screen.

Abstract: An aberration correcting apparatus and an optical pickup apparatus using this apparatus, in which a spherical aberration based on a thickness error of an optical disc substrate can be preferably eliminated and a thickness error permission range of the optical disc substrate can be widened even if an objective lens of a high numerical aperture is used.

Abstract: Improved optical elements having rises and faces, which may have annular or linear grooves, such as Fresnel spherical or cylindrical lenses, and methods of making them, are disclosed wherein an opaque coating is imparted to the rises by methods including positioning pre-printed opaque elements on a substrate such that when the optical element is pressed, stamped, embossed or molded from the substrate, rises of the completed element comprise said pre-printed opaque elements. A reflective element is made by imparting a reflective coating onto a substrate and then a non-reflective coating to the rises, e.g. by applying non-reflective material to the element and selectively cleaning it to leave a coat of non-reflective material adhering to the rises but not the faces. Photoresist, photographic emulsion, or ink may be used as the coating. Unwanted light may also be minimized by using circularly polarized light.

Abstract: A glass lens for an automotive, high intensity, high temperature lighting device. More specifically, the glass lens combines a sealed-beam lamp lens design with a Fresnel lens shaped portion that is integrally formed on the inner surface of the lens. This combined glass lens configuration removes the current need and practice to provide a second lens or cover to protect an inner, light converting and focusing lens. A single-piece, exterior glass lens construction that comprises a focusing Fresnel lens portion with a smooth peripheral portion is useful to reduce costs and simplify manufacture of lamp components for automotive lighting devices, such as headlamps or fog lamps, to which the present invention is directed.

Abstract: A lens optical system is provided with a cemented lens element formed by cementing two constituent lens elements made of different optical materials together, with a diffractive optical surface formed at the cementing interface between the two constituent lens elements. The two constituent lens elements have at their respective interfaces with air a radius of curvature different from the radius of curvature that they have at the cementing interface.

Abstract: Switchable optical devices are made of transparent optical elements having surfaces separated by small distances, typically less than a few hundred micrometers. The transparent elements contain roughness, kinoforms, Fresnel-lens, or other relief structures with predetermined optical properties that affect the passage of light through the optical elements by refraction and/or diffraction. By introducing a liquid with a refractive index matching that of the transparent elements' material into the space between the surfaces, the effects of the surface structures disappear almost completely, thereby changing the optical characteristics of the device. This effect is used advantageously to change the focal properties, scattering properties, or light directing properties of different kinds of optical devices.

Abstract: A flow cell 2, a composite lens 15, and first to third detectors 16 to 18 are arranged in this sequence in the light pathway of light emitted from a laser light source 1. The composite lens 15 is configured by a convex lens 15a, and lens elements 15b and 15c. These lenses have different focal lengths. When the posture of the composite lens is correct, light impinging on the convex lens forms an image on the first detector. Therefore, the positioning of the composite lens is enabled. When particles in the flow cell are irradiated with laser light, forward scatter is produced. Forward small angle scatter having a small scattering angle impinges on the first lens element 15b to be collected thereby, and is then received by the second detector 17. Forward large angle scatter having a large scattering angle impinges on the second lens element 15c in the outermost periphery to be collected thereby, and is then received by the third detector 18 which is remotest from the composite lens.

Abstract: An objective lens for condensing a light beam, has at least one of annular grooves and ridges producing a phase difference. Each of the annular groove and ridge is formed concentrically on at least one of an incident surface which said light beam is introduced, and an emission surface which said light beam is emitted.

Abstract: A chromatic aberration correcting element that is a simple lens having at least one aspheric surface, the radius of curvature of which increases from the optical axis toward the periphery. At least one of the surfaces is formed as a diffraction lens surface that consists of annular segments that shift discretely in a direction in which the lens thickness increases as a function of the distance from the optical axis. Also disclosed is a chromatic aberration correcting device having annular segments formed in steps on either a light entrance face or a light exit face or both. The annular segments are composed of planes perpendicular to and concentric with the optical axis.

Abstract: A novel, high-efficiency, extremely light-weight, inflatable refractive solar concentrator for space power is described. It consists of a flexible Fresnel lens, flexible sides, and a back surface, together enclosing a volume of space which can be filled with low pressure gas to deploy the concentrator on orbit. The back surface supports the energy receiver/converter located in the focal region of the Fresnel lens. The back surface can also serve as the waste heat radiator. Prior to deployment, the deflated flexible lens and sides are folded against the back surface to form a flat, low-volume package for efficient launch into space. The inflatable concentrator can be configured to provide either a line focus or a point focus of sunlight. The new inflatable concentrator approach will provide significant advantages over the prior art in two different space power areas: photovoltaic concentrator arrays and high-temperature solar thermal conversion systems.

Abstract: The surface and/or interface of a lens or the like is formed with a convex-microgranular surface. For this purpose, a stamper 108 having a concave-micro-granular transfer-molding surface transfer-molded from a convex-microgranular surface comprised of SiO.sub.2 or the like and varying continuously in the index of refraction is used to reproduce the convex-microgranular surface.

Abstract: A free space imaging system utilizing a doublet form of optic. The doublet is configured with two large Fresnel lenses configured such that their echelon groove components are mutually oppositely disposed within the optical path of the system. The method includes an arrangement wherein the output focal plane deliberately is curved and generated with a relatively wide field of view to evoke an emulation of three-dimensionality.

Abstract: A head-coupled display device for use in presenting electronically generated visual images to a viewer. The device includes a headpiece worn by a viewer, and an image display screen mounted in the headpiece for presenting electronically generated images. A fresnel lens is positioned adjacent the screen for focusing images from the screen at a selected position for viewing as a virtual image. The lens has a set of concentric converging rings whose surface curvatures act to minimize rectilinear distortion of the virtual images perceived by the viewer over the entire field of view of the image.

Abstract: The invention provides a compact yet high-zoom-ratio zoom lens system for use with lens shutter cameras, which is well corrected for aberrations albeit being made up of a small number of lenses. The zoom lens comprises a first lens group G1 of positive refracting power, a second lens group G2 of positive refractive power and a third lens group G3 of negative refracting power. The lens groups move for zooming from the wide angle side to the telephoto side, with a separation between the first and second lens groups becoming wide and a separation between the second and third lens groups becoming narrow. At least one lens group has a diffractive surface therein, and satisfies 1.8<.beta..sub.T /.beta..sub.W <4.0 where .beta..sub.T and .beta..sub.W are transverse magnifications of the lens group having a diffractive surface at the wide-angle end and the telephoto end of the lens system.

Abstract: A chromatic aberration correcting element that is a simple lens having at least one aspheric surface, the radius of curvature of which increases from the optical axis toward the periphery. At least one of the surfaces is formed as a diffraction lens surface that consists of annular segments that shift discretely in a direction in which the lens thickness increases as a function of the distance from the optical axis. Also disclosed is a chromatic aberration correcting device having annular segments formed in steps on either a light entrance face or a light exit face or both. The annular segments are composed of planes perpendicular to and concentric with the optical axis.

Abstract: An eyepiece lens has a single lens element having a positive optical power, and the single lens element has a refractive power of an aspherical surface and a diffractive power. The eyepiece lens satisfies the following condition:-0.0006<{1 /(fl.multidot..nu.)}+.phi.DOE/.nu.DOE<0.0002where fl represents the focal length resulting from both refractive effect and diffractive effect of the eyepiece lens, .nu. represents the Abbe number of the eyepiece lens, .phi.DOE represents the power resulting from the diffractive effect of the eyepiece lens, and .nu.DOE represents the Abbe-number-equivalent value resulting from the diffractive effect of the eyepiece lens.

Abstract: An objective lens for a pickup optical system for optically reading out information recorded in a recording medium , includes a first lens body and a second lens body integrally attached to a surface of the first lens body and having a micro Fresnel portion for focusing light to a predetermined position of the recording medium. When the objective lens is used for a pickup optical system, the micro Fresnel portion faces away from an accommodation region for accommodating the recording medium to prevent dust from attaching to the micro Fresnel portion.

Abstract: A chromatic aberration correcting element that is a simple lens having at least one aspheric surface the radius of curvature of which increases from the optical axis toward the periphery, at least either one of the surfaces being formed as a diffraction lens surface that consists of annular segments in steps that are shifted discretely in a direction in which the lens thickness increases as a function of the distance from the optical axis. Also, a chromatic aberration correcting device having annular segments formed in steps on either a light entrance face or a light exit face or both, the annular segments being composed of planes perpendicular to and concentric with the optical axis.

Abstract: A chromatic aberration correcting element that is a simple lens having at least one aspheric surface, the radius of curvature of which increases from the optical axis toward the periphery. At least one of the surfaces is formed as a diffraction lens surface that consists of annular segments that shift discretely in a direction in which the lens thickness increases as a function of the distance from the optical axis. Also disclosed is a chromatic aberration correcting device having annular segments formed in steps on either a light entrance face or a light exit face or both. The annular segments are composed of planes perpendicular to and concentric with the optical axis.

Abstract: A low cost objective lens system that provides complete axial color correction with no substantial residual color dependent aberrations such as spherochromatism or chromatic coma. The objective lens system includes a first lens element having an aspherical lens surface and a second lens element having a diffractive optical surface and an aperture disposed between the first and second lens elements. The axial separation of the aspherical lens surface and the diffractive optical surface may be determined by the condition 0.5<L.sub.A /efl<1.25 where L.sub.A is the axial distance from the lens element with the aspherical surface to the lens element with the diffractive optical surface and efl is the effective focal length of the objective lens system. The diffractive optical surface is optically dispersive and is preferably placed on the refractive lens element in the system having the highest optical power.

Abstract: A chromatic aberration correcting element that is a simple lens having at least one aspheric surface, the radius of curvature of which increases from the optical axis toward the periphery. At least one of the surfaces is formed as a diffraction lens surface that consists of annular segments that shift discretely in a direction in which the lens thickness increases as a function of the distance from the optical axis. Also disclosed is a chromatic aberration correcting device having annular segments formed in steps on either a light entrance face or a light exit face or both. The annular segments are composed of planes perpendicular to and concentric with the optical axis.

Abstract: A compound objective lens is composed of a hologram lens or transmitting a part of incident light without any diffraction to form a beam of transmitted light and diffracting a remaining part of the incident light to form a beam of first-order diffracted light, and an objective lens for converging the transmitted light to form a first converging spot on a front surface of a thin type of first information medium and converging the diffracted light to form a second converging spot on a front surface of a thick type of second information medium. Because the hologram selectively functions as a concave lens for the diffracted light, a curvature of the transmitted light differs from that of the diffracted light.

Abstract: A smooth contoured structure is formed from a planar surface by etching mesas of equal height into the surface and heat treating the structure to mass transport material above the desired contour to fill in voids below the desired contour. In an alternate embodiment, an optical element is formed using a patterned layer of sacrificial material and thermally treating the sacrificial layer to form a precursor contour line. The line is then transformed onto a substrate and smoothed to form the optical element.

Abstract: UV-curable Fresnel lens resin compositions ?1a! comprising a (meth)acrylate containing hydroxyl group and aromatic ring (A1), a urethane group-containing (meth)acrylate (A2) comprising an aromatic diol, an aromatic ring-containing monofunctional (meth)acrylate (A3), and a photopolymerization initiator (B) and ?1b! comprising (A1), a mono- or di(meth)acrylate monomer (A4), and (B), further supplemented with a polyester (C1) comprising an aromatic diol and a phosphate (C2) for the formation of a Fresnel lens on a sheet or plate made of a methyl methacrylate (co)polymer; a Fresnel lens formed by UV cure of composition ?1a! or ?1b!; and a rear projection screen including a sheet or plate carrying said Fresnel lens. The Fresnel lens has high refractive index, antistatic properties and is satisfactory in adhesion to a sheet or plate.

Abstract: An optical element includes a light-transmittable substrate and a light-transmittable dry-light-curing-film layered on the substrate and having an undulant pattern on a surface thereof, characterized by the dry-light-curing-film has a specific range viscosity at room temperature in the unhardened state, a specific range thickness in the unhardened state, the specific range creep and creep recovery characteristics.

Abstract: Diffractive optics using surface relief profiles, also known as blazed gratings having ramps and edges or steps (also referred to as blazed facets with discontinuities at the interfaces between adjacent facets) defining grating lines and phase delays to which light propagating through the grating are subject. Diffractive lenses which are known as phased Fresnel zone plate lenses or kinoforms, also have annular blazed facets with discontinuities, steps at the interface between adjacent facets at the steps which facets define the zones of the lens. These steps are either aligned parallel to the light incident on the grating or coated with an optically opaque material, thereby preventing the transmission of incident light which is not diffracted, but would be scattered or transmitted at the steps. The contrast and quality of an image provided by the diffractive lens at a plane spaced from the grating, which may be the focal plane of the diffractive lens, is therefore enhanced.

Abstract: A chromatic aberration correcting element that is a simple lens having at least one aspheric surface the radius of curvature of which increases from the optical axis toward the periphery, at least either one of the surfaces being formed as a diffraction lens surface that consists of annular segments in steps that are shifted discretely in a direction in which the lens thickness increases as a function of the distance from the optical axis. Also, a chromatic aberration correcting device having annular segments formed in steps on either a light entrance face or a light exit face or both, the annular segments being composed of planes perpendicular to and concentric with the optical axis.

Abstract: An objective lens for an optical disk drive is disclosed. The objective lens comprises four portions each having a aspherical surface for focusing a light beam of a designated wavelength to a designated focal point. The first portion has a first aspherical surface that focuses the light beam to a first focal point. The second portion has a second aspherical surface that focuses the light beam to a second focal point. The third portion has a third aspherical surface featuring the same surface curvature characteristics as that of the first aspherical surface and focuses the light beam to the first focal point. And, the fourth portion has a fourth aspherical surface featuring the same surface curvature characteristics as that of the second aspherical surface and focuses the light beam to the second focal point. The objective lens can be made as a single-piece lens that suffers no energy loss for either focusing.

Abstract: A projection system includes a collection lens that minimizes apparent magnification of the light source, so that the resulting system more nearly conforms to a point source idealization. Attendant benefits include improved collimation, a smaller projection lens, and a greater depth of focus. The collection lens is desirably of a "wrap around" configuration to maximize light collection while contributing to reduced source magnification. The opposite side of the collection lens can be provided with a convex lens of Fresnel form. Use of the Fresnel optic moves the principal plane of the collection lens closer to the light source, further minimizing the source's apparent magnification. The projection system additionally includes condensing optics formed with a deliberate asymmetry so as to provide more uniform illumination of a rectangular image plane. The Fresnel surface of the collection lens can be designed to provide this asymmetry.