US 12,446,345 B2
Single sensor, single path multiview or multi-band sensing
Ryan B. Balili, Holland, MI (US); and Adam R. Heintzelman, Grand Rapids, MI (US)
Assigned to GENTEX CORPORATION, Zeeland, MI (US)
Filed by GENTEX CORPORATION, Zeeland, MI (US)
Filed on Nov. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/523,971.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/114,191, filed on Nov. 16, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0157872 A1, May 19, 2022
Int. Cl. H10F 39/00 (2025.01); G02B 5/30 (2006.01); G02F 1/137 (2006.01); H04N 23/20 (2023.01); H10F 39/18 (2025.01)
CPC H10F 39/8063 (2025.01) [G02B 5/3016 (2013.01); G02B 5/3025 (2013.01); G02F 1/13718 (2013.01); H04N 23/20 (2023.01); H10F 39/184 (2025.01)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An imaging system, comprising:
first and second cholesteric liquid crystal pairs;
a lens stack including at least first and second lenses aligned in a single optical path and having different first and second fields of view, respectively;
an image sensor in optical communication with the lens stack;
a first light source configured to selectively illuminate the first field of view, the first light source configured to emit light having a first particular wavelength;
a second light source configured to selectively illuminate the second field of view, the second light source configured to emit light having a second particular wavelength different from the first particular wavelength;
wherein each of the cholesteric liquid crystals of each of the first and second cholesteric liquid crystal pairs has a first state and a second state;
wherein the first state of each of the cholesteric liquid crystals is configured to allow light having wavelengths within a particular wavelength band to pass through; and
wherein the second state of each of the cholesteric liquid crystals is configured to reflect light having wavelengths within the particular wavelength band, wherein the first cholesteric liquid crystal pair is tuned to the first particular wavelength and the second cholesteric liquid crystal pair is tuned to the second particular wavelength.