Patent ID: 7817354

Claim:
A panoramic imaging system comprising: a plurality of image capture devices, each having an associated center of perspective; and a pyramidal reflective element having a plurality of reflective side facets facing in different directions wherein each one of the reflective side facets folds an optical axis associated with at least one of the image capture devices; wherein each one of the centers of perspective has associated with it a component image wherein the component images associated with adjacent side facets partially overlap; such that said component images may be combined into a composite panoramic image and one or more immersion media into which the reflective side facets of the pyramidal reflective element are effectively immersed, said immersion media having a characteristic index of refraction n 1 ; a further medium into which the immersion media are effectively immersed, said further medium having a characteristic index of refraction n 2 , wherein n 1 >n 2 for each immersion medium; wherein said imaging system includes a plurality of optical paths each of which includes: a first refractive interface through which a light ray is bent by a first angular amount followed by; a reflective interface followed by; a second refractive interface through which the light ray is bent by a second angular amount.