Patent ID: 7362516

Claim:
A wide-angle imaging assembly comprising a main lens produced from an aspheric optical block, said aspheric optical block having: a. a vertical axis of symmetry; b. a transparent upper surface, at least part of which is capable of reflecting rays that impinge upon it from the inner side of said optical block; c. a transparent perimeter surface; and d. a transparent lower surface; wherein the fabrication material of said optical block is selected to enable optical transmittance of a specific spectral range; and wherein light rays in the specific spectral range originating in a first scene having a 360 degrees panoramic perimeter are refracted by said transparent perimeter surface, enter said optical block, are then reflected by said upper surface towards said transparent lower surface, are then refracted by said transparent lower surface, and exit through said transparent lower surface; said imaging assembly further comprising a transparent area fabricated as a hole in a part of the upper surface around the vertical axis of symmetry extending along the vertical axis of symmetry from the upper surface to the lower surface enabling light from a second scene, located at least partially above said first scene, to pass through said transparent area and travel through the optical block and exit said block.