Patent ID: 8345144
Filing Date: 2013-01-01
Classification: G02B,G03B,H04N

Abstract:
1. A camera, comprising: a photosensor configured to capture light projected onto the photosensor; an objective lens, wherein the objective lens is configured to refract light from a scene located in front of the camera to form an image of the scene at an image plane of the objective lens; a microlens array positioned between the objective lens and the photosensor, wherein the microlens array comprises a plurality of microlenses, wherein the plurality of microlenses are focused on the image plane and not on the objective lens, wherein each microlens of the microlens array is configured to project a separate microimage of the image of the scene formed at the image plane by the objective lens onto a separate location on the photosensor; and a modulating element array comprising two or more modulating elements, wherein the modulating element array affects a property of light passing through the modulating array, wherein at least one of the modulating elements in the modulating element array affects the property of light differently than at least one other modulating element in the modulating element array to thus modulate the property of light in the separate microimages projected onto the separate locations on the photosensor by the microlens array.