Patent ID: 6731845
Filing Date: 2004-05-04
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A system for providing a panoramic scan of a scene comprisinga plurality of lenses for providing optical images of adjacent fields of view of said scene, said optical images of said adjacent fields of view providing a continuous optical panoramic view of said scene, a plurality of coherent optical image guides, having respective entrance surfaces, said entrance surfaces respectively coupled to said plurality of lenses for coherently conveying said optical images from said entrance surfaces to exit surfaces respectively corresponding to said entrance surfaces, said exit surfaces arranged to establish thereon a continuous coherent optical replica of said panoramic view of said scene, said exit surfaces being arranged to form an opening having a continuous interior inwardly facing surface comprised of said exit surfaces, said continuous coherent optical replica of said panoramic view being disposed on said continuous interior surface of said opening; and scanning means for scanning said continuous coherent optical replica of said panoramic view on said exit surfaces, said scanning means comprising relay lens means, image director means rotatably disposed within said opening for scanning said continuous coherent optical replica of said panoramic view and directing a corresponding scanned optical image to said relay lens means and a television camera disposed to receive said scanned optical image from said relay lens means, thereby providing said panoramic scan of said scene.