Importance

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Abstract

This invention provides a vision system that increases the field of view of an electronic binocular system without degrading image quality or requiring extremely large format sensors or displays. The vision system comprises an imaging device coupled with a viewing device. The imaging device comprises a compression lens and an image sensor. The viewing device comprises an image display and a decompression lens. The compression lens matches the optical distortion to the human visual acuity curve for field positions greater than an angle .theta.. Below angle .theta. there is substantially no distortion. The optimum angle .theta. depends on the application. For an average individual viewing a landscape the angle .theta. is about 10.degree.. For different viewing objects, the optimum angle .theta. varies from about 5.degree. to about 15.degree.. The image sensor can be infrared sensitive for infrared viewing. For low-light level viewing an image intensifier can be positioned between the compression lens and the image sensor. The imaging device can be connected to the viewing device in a unitary structure or the imaging device can be remote from the viewing device. The compression lens and the decompression lens are compound lenses, each comprising a plurality of component lenses. One or more surface of one or more component lens can be aspheric.

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First Claim