All optical extended "depth-of field" imaging system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is an all-optical imaging system with extended depth of field.
The image is acquired in real time without the need for a post processing stage, even in cases that, in prior-art all-optical systems, would result in severe misfocus.
The main advantage of the imaging system of the present invention is its large DOF and the fact that it can also provide focal ranges that consist of separate regions, even non-congruent ones.
This possibility cannot be achieved with any known conventional optical system.
As used herein, the term "discontiguous" means regions that are not contiguous.
As used herein, the term "diffractive optical element" (DOE) means an element deflecting light beams by spatial frequencies according to the phenomenon of diffraction.
As used herein, the term "pixel" refers to an element of a structure, and may itself contain more detailed structure.
According to the present invention there is provided an imaging system for focusing images on a detector, the imaging system including: (a) an optical axis; and (b) a diffractive optical element (DOE) such as a plurality of mutually exclusive portions distributed transversely relative to the optical axis of the imaging system, each portion including a respective focusing mechanism that has a respective focal range that is different from the focal range of the respective focusing mechanism of any other the portion, the focusing mechanisms operative to produce on the detector respective substantially focused images of the objects within the focal ranges.
According to the present invention there is provided a method for focusing images of an object on a detector including the steps of: (a) providing an imaging system including: (i) an optical axis; and (ii) a diffractive optical element such as a plurality of mutually exclusive portions arranged transversely relative to the optical axis of the imaging system, each portion including a respective focusing mechanism that has a respective focal range that is different from the focal range of the respective focusing mechanism of any other the portion, the focusing mechanisms operative to produce on the detector substantially focused images of objects within the focal ranges, and (b) having the object within the focal range of at least one of the focusing mechanisms