Multi-focus optical system

1. An imager system for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one imager configured to capture a multi-focus image having depth data, the imager comprising:

at least one image sensor comprising an array of pixels; and

an optics assembly comprising:

a main lens assembly configured to capture light rays from a scene of a vehicle environment and substantially focus the light rays on to a plane; and

at least one micro lens assembly in optical communication with the main lens assembly and the at least one image sensor, wherein at least a portion of the light rays outputted from the main lens assembly pass through the at least one micro lens assembly and is received by the at least one image sensor;

a controller in communication with the at least one imager, wherein the controller is configured to output a signal to a vehicle control system based upon the depth data of the multi-focus image;

an interface disposed between the at least one image sensor and the at least one micro lens assembly, the interface comprising an index of refraction changing material configured to alternate between a first refractive index and a second refractive index.

2. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein the first refractive index is a refractive index of the at least one micro lens assembly and the second refractive index is a refractive index of air.

3. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein the first refractive index is a refractive index of the at least one micro lens assembly and the second refractive index has a value between the first refractive index and a refractive index of air.

4. The imager system of claim 1 , further comprising an excitation source for alternating the interface between the first refractive index and the second refractive index.

5. The imager system of claim 4 , wherein the excitation source comprises a laser system configured to project a diffraction pattern onto the interface, and wherein the interface exhibits the first refractive index when the laser system is activated and exhibits the second refractive index when the laser system is deactivated, thereby causing light incident upon the interface to undergo a focusing effect.

6. The imager system of claim 4 , wherein the excitation source comprises an electrical switching signal.

7. The imager system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of imagers, each configured for object detection at one of a near distance range, a mid distance range, and a far distance range.

8. The imager system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one micro lens assembly comprises a plurality of micro lenses, each disposed relative to the image sensor to focus out to infinity.

9. The imager system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one beam splitter configured to split the light rays outputted from the main lens assembly and a plurality of micro lens assemblies, each configured to receive light rays from the at least one beam splitter and to output the light rays towards an associated image sensor.

10. The imager system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one beam splitter is configured to split light rays into a red, a green, and a blue component, wherein the red component is received by a first image sensor, the green component is received by a second image sensor, and the blue component is received by a third image sensor.

11. The imager system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one beam splitter comprises a first beam splitter and a second beam splitter, the first beam splitter configured to split light rays captured by the main lens assembly towards a first image sensor and the second beam splitter, the second beam splitter configured to split light rays received from the first beam splitter towards the plurality of micro lens assemblies.

12. The imager system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of image sensors are each one of a back thinned CCD sensor and a CMOS sensor.