Abstract: A digital electronic camera includes a holographic medium, an imaging array disposed at a focal plane for converting optical information to digital information; and an optical system configured to store the digital information onto the holographic medium. An optical system for retrieving images stored in the medium may be provided inside the camera or as a separate appliance.

Abstract: The holographic storage and retrieval system according to the present invention comprises one convex reflector and one concave reflector having the same optical axis. The reflective surfaces of the two reflectors are opposite each other. The concave reflector is normally larger than the convex reflector. The holographic storage medium is positioned at the focal surface of the concave reflector. The spherical reflector system according to the present invention has nearly ideal performance off-axis: high bandwidth, low aberration imaging is permitted at a number of radial and axial locations. Thus, multiple SLM/CCD pairs can be placed off-axis to access the same storage medium and implement multiple interconnects.

Abstract: A holographic data storage apparatus having no readout lens. The apparatus has a spatial light modulator (SLM), a focusing element such as a lens, a holographic data storage material and a spatial light detector such as a CCD. The lens is located between the SLM and CCD such that the SLM is imaged onto the CCD (i.e. the positions of the SLM, lens, and CCD satisfy the lens equation). The holographic storage material is located between the lens and CCD. Preferably, the storage material is located centered upon a Fourier plane of the lens. In this case, the apparatus also has a phase mask located adjacent to the SLM. Alternatively, the storage material is located a distance away from the Fourier plane or is not centered on the Fourier plane. In yet another embodiment, the holographic storage material is located in contact with the CCD.

Abstract: An optical data storage system and method comprising a photopolymer medium having generally a polymerizable monomer, an active binder, a first, hologram recording polymerization initiator, and a second, data writing polymerization initiator. The monomer is preferably a cationic ring-opening monomer. The hologram recording polymerization initiator preferably comprises a sensitizer and photoacid generator which initiate a first polymerization in the medium which defines a format hologram. The format hologram recording is carried out via interference of a signal and reference beam, with the sensitizer being specific for the wavelength(s) of the signal and reference beams. The hologram recording polymerization is only partial and does not consume all of the monomer present in the photopolymer medium.

Abstract: A video image F?k! is identified as a basis image and stored as a basis page S?k! in a holographic storage medium. A subsequent image F?k+n! is stored by recording in the medium a page S?k+n!=F?k+n!-a?k!F?k!, where a?k!.noteq.0 and preferably a?k!=1. The page S?k! is recorded with a reference beam R?k!, while S?k+n! is recorded with a reference beam R?k+n! orthogonal to R?k!. The basis page is reset whenever the average intensity of a page to be stored exceeds a predetermined threshold. An image F'?k! is retrieved by reading basis page S?k! and letting F'?k!=S?k!. Subsequent images F'?k+n! are retrieved as S?k+n!+b?k!S?k!, where b?k!.noteq.0 and preferably b?k!=a?k!=1. The page addition step is performed coherently, i.e. by accessing the medium with a reference wave function R?k+n!+b?k!R?k!.

Abstract: A method for encoding and decoding digital data for storage in a holographic medium (12). Digital data, consisting of binary data (B.sub.i) or grey scale data (A.sub.i), is encoded in bit groups or digit groups (B.sub.k, A.sub.k) containing at least k=1 bits or digits, respectively, by assigning to each bit group (B.sub.k) one reference bit (B.sub.r) and to each digit group (A.sub.k) two reference digits (A.sub.r1, A.sub.r2), assigning the bits of group (B.sub.k) to information bits (B.sub.j), assigning the digits of group (A.sub.k) to information digits (A.sub.j), assigning the reference bit (B.sub.r) and information digits (B.sub.j) to a reference pixel (P.sub.r) and information pixels (P.sub.j) chosen from pixels (24) of a holographic signal modulator (18), and assigning the reference digits (A.sub.r1, A.sub.r2) and information digits (A.sub.j) to reference pixels (P.sub.r1, P.sub.r2) and information pixels (P.sub.j) chosen from pixels (24) of the holographic signal modulator (18).