Patent Document ID: 9325884
Application ID: 13855501
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A modular imaging apparatus for a portable wireless device having a built-in camera, the apparatus comprising: a modular base member configured to be removably coupled to the portable wireless device having the built-in camera and an illumination source; and a releasable optical assembly, the releasable optical assembly comprising: a housing; the housing comprising an attachment surface for releasably coupling the releasable optical assembly to the modular base member, and an optical tube having a central aperture, wherein the optical tube is attached to the housing such that the central aperture is aligned with the optical path when the releasable optical assembly is attached to the portable wireless device, the optical tube having a free end extending away from the housing and built-in-camera; and an optical transmission element; wherein the optical transmission element is configured to modify the image taken by the built-in camera of the portable wireless device; wherein the optical transmission element comprises a first optical transmission element that comprises a lens configured to magnify the image and a second optical transmission element that comprises a bundle of optical fiber that is configured to alter an illumination path of the image to enhance illumination of the image, the bundle of optical fibers extending from a location at or near the illumination source to the optical tube and axially along the optical tube toward the free end of the tube to form a coaxial layer at least partially surrounding the optical tube, wherein the optical fibers are configured to propagate light from the illumination source in the direction of the free end of the optical tube; and wherein the housing is configured to house the lens in an alignment within an optical path of the built-in camera through an imaging port in the modular base, and to house the optical fiber in an alignment within the illumination path of the illumination source through an optical port in the modular base.