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US006324009B1
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,324,009 Bi
Conley (45) Date of Patent: Nov. 27,2001
(54) OPTICALLY ANISOTROPIC MICRO LENS WINDOW FOR SPECIAL IMAGE EFFECTS FEATURING PERIODIC HOLES
(76) Inventor: Kenneth E. Conley, 3308 Mikelynn La., Matthews, NC (US) 28105
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/615,500
(22) Filed: Jul. 13, 2000
(51) Int. CI.7 G02B 27/10; G03B 21/60
(52) U.S. CI 359/619; 359/620; 359/454
(58) Field of Search 359/619, 620,
359/622, 623, 454, 455, 459
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,414,316 11/1983 Conley 430/496
4,420,502 12/1983 Conley 427/54.1
4,420,527 12/1983 Conley 428/172
4,541,727 9/1985 Rosenthal 365/232
5,362,351 11/1994 Karszes 156/243
5,642,226 6/1997 Rosenthal 359/619
5,644,431 7/1997 Magee 359/619
5,926,319 * 7/1999 Philips et al 359/620
6,144,496 * 11/2000 Goto 359/619
6,226,907 * 5/2001 Conley et al 40/454
6,237,264 * 5/2001 Gulick, Ir 40/454
6,256,150 * 3/2001 Rosenthal 359/619
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—Georgia Epps
Assistant Examiner—Saeed H Seyrafi
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Dougherty & Clements
LLP
(57) ABSTRACT
An optical device that modifies a conventional anisotropic lens array to enable the viewer to perceive a repertoire of preselected images over a first range of angles of regard or to see through the device to a scene beyond the device without distortion. The preselected images in one orientation gives the illusion of a repertoire of images at differing depths. The preselected images at a second orientation can produce a set of optical effects wherein one image gradually transforms to another, or the repertoire of images are unrelated and change suddenly one to another or the repertoire of images are frames of a motion scene or finally, the repertoire of images represent a scene at differing magnifications. The optical device provides distortion-free windowing and a reasonably rich repertoire of images. The device may also be applied to applications requiring optical anisotropy such as privacy filtering.
22 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets
