Patent ID: 7710658
Filing Date: 2010-05-04
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A zoom lens system for imaging incoming rays from an object over a range of ray angles, the incoming rays being characterized by at least a phase, the zoom lens system including an optical axis and being characterized by a plurality of modulation transfer functions (MTFs) corresponding at least to the range of ray angles, the zoom lens system comprising: a first optical group disposed along the optical axis, including a variable optical element exhibiting a variable focal length selectable between at least two distinct focal length values; a wavefront coding compensator that alters at least the phase of the incoming rays such that the plurality of MTFs corresponding to the range of ray angles, for each one of the at least two distinct focal length values, are less sensitive to misfocus than MTFs of a corresponding system without the wavefront coding compensator; a detector for generating image data that corresponds to an optical image formed by the system; wherein said first optical group and said wavefront coding compensator have fixed positions along the optical axis relative to said detector and said object; and a post processor for electronically processing the image data to render an in-focus electronic image of said object at the at least two distinct focal lengths.