Patent ID: 7224392

Claim:
An electronic imaging system for capturing an image of a scene, said imaging system comprising: (a) an optical system for producing an optical image of the scene; (b) an imaging sensor having a surface in optical communication with the optical system; and (c) a plurality of imaging elements distributed on the surface of the imaging sensor, said imaging elements converting the optical image into a corresponding output image, said imaging elements being located according to a distribution representable by a nonlinear function in which relative density of the distributed imaging elements is greater toward the center of the sensor, wherein the distribution provides physical coordinates for each of the imaging elements corresponding to a projection of the scene onto a non-Planar surface, wherein said output image has a plurality of pixels, each said pixel corresponding to a respective one of said imaging elements; wherein said optical system provides a perspective projection of said optical image onto said surface of said imaging sensor, wherein said optical image has a perspective distortion relative to said surface of said imaging sensor, said perspective distortion being inherent in geometry of said perspective projection onto said surface of said imaging sensor, and said distribution of said imaging elements on said surface of said imaging sensor compensates said output image for said perspective distortion, such that said output image is free of said perspective distortion and has said pixels in a uniform rectilinear array.