AN OMNIDIRECTIONAL IMAGING APPARATUS

摘要

The invention disclosed herein is an omnidirectional imaging apparatus for sensing an image of a scene (130) from a single viewpoint. The omnidirectional imaging apparatus includes a truncated, substantially paraboloid-shaped reflector (135) positioned to orthographically reflect principal rays of electromagnetic radiation radiating from said scene, said paraboloid-shaped reflector having a focus coincident with said single viewpoint of said omnidirectional imaging apparatus, including said paraboloid-shaped reflector. The omnidirectional imaging apparatus also includes telecentric means (112, 113), optically coupled to said paraboloid-shaped reflector, for substantially filtering out principal rays of electromagnetic radiation which are not orthographically reflected by said paraboloid-shaped reflector. The omnidirectional imaging apparatus also includes one or more image sensors (111) positioned to receive said orthographically reflected principal rays of electromagnetic radiation from said paraboloid-shaped reflector, thereby sensing said image of said scene.