Fully articulated periscope camera system
The camera or periscope system may include a taking lens, a beam steering device, a relay device, and an image rotation device. The camera or periscope system can be used to image in situations where the camera is not easily redirected to view a desired object of interest. The camera or periscope system is designed to be fixed to a mounting platform where the taking lens can be configured to point to the desired object of interest.
1. A fully articulated periscope system comprising:
a lens configured to produce an image;
a beam steering device configured to receive a ray of light from the lens and configured to redirect the ray of light at least three times and each time at a substantially right angle, wherein the beam steering device rotates with the lens;
a relay lens configured to receive the ray of light from the beam steering device; and
an image rotation device configured to receive the ray of light from the relay lens and to rotate the image.
2. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the lens is a zoom lens.
3. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the lens comprises a multi-element lens assembly.
4. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the lens is a rotatable lens that can rotate 360 degrees.
5. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises one or more mirrors.
6. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises one or more prisms.
7. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device is selected from a group consisting of 2 prisms, 3 prisms, and 4 prisms.
8. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises a field lens to direct the ray of light to the relay lens.
9. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises coherent fiber optic bundles.
10. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises 3 right angle prisms and a field lens.
11. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the relay lens comprises a multi-element lens assembly.
12. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the relay lens is positioned within a folded housing.
13. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the relay lens changes the intermediate image size to match a desired image format.
14. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the relay lens comprises a plurality of different relay lenses having different magnifications.
15. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the image rotation device comprises a Pechan prism.
16. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the image rotation device comprises a Compact prism.
17. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises 3 right angle prisms and a field lens, the relay lens is a straight multi-element lens assembly, and the image rotation device is a Pechan prism.
18. The periscope system of claim 1 , wherein the relay lens comprises a zoom lens.
19. A fully articulated periscope system comprising:
a housing;
a taking lens configured to receive light that produces an image;
a first right angle prism positioned adjacent to the taking lens, configured to receive the light from the taking lens, and configured to redirect the light at a first substantially right angle;
a field lens positioned adjacent to the first right angle prism and configured to receive the light from the first right angle prism;
a second right angle prism positioned adjacent to the field lens, configured to receive the light from the field lens, and configured to redirect the light at a second substantially right angle;
a third right angle prism positioned adjacent to the second right angle prism, configured to receive the light from the second right angle prism, and configured to redirect the light at a third substantially right angle;
a relay lens positioned within the housing and configured to receive the light from the third right angle prism; and
a Pechan prism configured to receive the light from the relay lens and rotate the image.
20. A fully articulated periscope system comprising:
a lens configured to produce an image, the lens is a rotatable lens that can rotate 360 degrees;
a beam steering device configured to receive a ray of light from the lens and configured to redirect the ray of light at least three times and each time at a substantially right angle;
a relay lens configured to receive the ray of light from the beam steering device; and
an image rotation device configured to receive the ray of light from the relay lens and to rotate the image.
21. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the lens is a zoom lens.
22. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the lens comprises a multi-element lens assembly.
23. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises one or more mirrors.
24. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises one or more prisms.
25. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device is selected from a group consisting of 2 prisms, 3 prisms, and 4 prisms.
26. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises a field lens to direct the ray of light to the relay lens.
27. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises coherent fiber optic bundles.
28. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises 3 right angle prisms and a field lens.
29. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device rotates with the lens.
30. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the relay lens comprises a multi-element lens assembly.
31. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the relay lens is positioned within a folded housing.
32. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the relay lens changes the intermediate image size to match a desired image format.
33. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the relay lens comprises a plurality of different relay lenses having different magnifications.
34. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the image rotation device comprises a Pechan prism.
35. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the image rotation device comprises a Compact prism.
36. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises 3 right angle prisms and a field lens, the relay lens is a straight multi-element lens assembly, and the image rotation device is a Pechan prism.
37. The periscope system of claim 20 , wherein the relay lens comprises a zoom lens.