Patent ID: 8254030

Claim:
A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising: (a) an array of image icons with a substantially regular array spacing between a substantial number of image icons within the image icon array, the array spacing measured on, or in the direction of, a chosen axis of the image icon array; and (b) an array of image icon focusing elements with an array spacing between focusing elements within at least a portion of the focusing element array, the array spacing measured on, or in the direction of, an axis of the focusing element array that corresponds to the chosen axis of the image icon array, wherein the array of image icon focusing elements is disposed a substantially uniform distance from the array of image icons and forms at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, wherein the ratio of (i) the array spacing between image icons for forming one synthetically magnified image within at least a portion of the array of image icons to (ii) the array spacing between focusing elements within at least a portion of the array of image icon focusing elements, is less than 1, the at least one synthetically magnified image thereby appearing to lie below a given plane, wherein the system has a thickness of less than 50 microns, or image icon focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns, or both.