Patent ID: 7116370
Filing Date: 2006-10-03
Classification: G02B,H04N

Abstract:
1. An image processing system for processing light conveying visual pattern information and represented by individual light rays, said system comprising: (a) an optical assembly having an input surface and an output surface, said input and output surfaces defining a plurality of input and output positions, respectively, for said light rays to enter and exit, respectively, said assembly; (b) said assembly including a light-shifting apparatus operable so that a respective one of said light rays entering a respective one of said input positions is selectively shiftable by said apparatus in a first direction and, subsequently, in a second direction angled with respect to said first direction from a preceding one to another of said output positions so as to define on an image sensor four output positions for each respective light ray entering said respective one of said input positions, said image sensor having a capture rate; (c) said assembly further being operable so that following each shifting operation, a respective one of said light rays transmitted by said assembly from an arbitrarily selected one of said output positions is solely derived from said light received from a single one of said input positions wherein said optical assembly is operable in a manner such that aliasing components of said light are reduced; and (d) a mode controlling device having a timer operably connected with said light-shifting apparatus, said mode controlling device selectively switchable between a first state and a second state, said first state causing each of said respective one of said light rays to shift between all four of said output positions during each cycle of said capture rate of said image sensor so as to reduce said aliasing components in two directions, and said second state causing each of said respective ones of said light rays to shift from at most one of said output positions during each cycle of said capture rate of said image sensor.