Patent ID: 8553222

Claim:
A method for providing a spectral image of a scene that includes a plurality of object pixels that are arranged in a two-dimensional arrangement, the method comprising: (1) projecting a plurality of first images of the scene onto a first image plane, wherein the plurality of first images are formed by operations comprising: (a) providing a plurality of sub-images, each sub-image being based on light from the scene that comprises a plurality of spectral components, wherein each sub-image corresponds to a different object pixel, and wherein the plurality of sub-images and the plurality of object pixels are spatially correlated; and further wherein the plurality of sub-images is provided by operations comprising; (i) providing a coded aperture that is located at a second image plane, the coded aperture comprising a plurality of fields, each having a plurality of equally spaced regions, wherein greater than 50% of the regions within each field are non-transmissive; and (ii) enabling the coded aperture to transmit the plurality of sub-images such that each of the plurality of sub-images comprises the plurality of spectral components; and (b) projecting the plurality of sub-images onto a first image plane such that the spectral components of each sub-image are spatially dispersed along a first direction; and (2) receiving the plurality of first images at a photodetector array that is located at the first image plane, wherein each photodetector in the photodetector array receives light that is characterized by only one of the plurality of spectral components.