Patent ID: 6229562
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: G02B,G03H

Abstract:
A system for the production of a second three-dimensional image magnified from a first three-dimensional image in substantially the same proportions, said system comprising:a first active optical system for creating from the first three-dimensional image, a first two-dimensional array comprised of a plurality of two-dimensional elemental images, said first active optical system having a first F-number and comprised of a plurality of focusing means wherein the number of focusing means is equal to the number of elemental images and wherein the configuration of the focusing means substantially corresponds to the configuration of the elemental images in the array;means for magnifying the first array equally in all directions to create a second two-dimensional array comprised of a plurality of two-dimensional elemental images; and,a second active optical system for reconstructing a second three-dimensional image that is a magnification of the first three-dimensional image, said second active optical system having a second F-number equal to the first F-number and comprised of a plurality of focusing means wherein the number of focusing means is equal to the number of elemental images and wherein the configuration of the focusing means substantially corresponds to the configuration of the elemental images in the array and wherein all of the component parts of an equation for determining the second F-number are substantially the same multiples of all of the component parts used for determining the first F-number, respectively, said multiple being equal to the selected magnification factor.