Patent ID: 8228418

Claim:
A spatial filter system for an image capture device including an image sensor, the imaging capture device having a high resolution mode of operation and one or more lower resolution modes of operation; the filter system comprising: an adjustable spatial filter associated with the optical path of the image capture device having an adjustable optical structure which in response to a first signal causes the adjustable spatial filter to be effective in a high resolution mode of operation and in response to a second signal causes the adjustable spatial filter to be effective in a lower resolution mode of operation, wherein the adjustable spatial filter includes a series of adjustable phase spots, in one or more layers, which change refractive index in response to the applied signal thereby causing the adjustable spatial filter to change its effective mode of operation; means for selectively applying the first signal, when the adjustable spatial filter is to be effective in the high resolution mode of operation, and the second signal when the adjustable spatial filter is to be effective in the lower resolution mode of operation; and the adjustable spatial filter includes a liquid crystal device having two or more spaced apart transparent electrodes and one or more liquid crystal layers which have predetermined indices of refraction and one or more of the transparent electrodes are configured with a series of connected dots to locally change the refractive index of the associated series of adjustable phase spots in the one or more liquid crystal layers in response to the applied first or second signal.