Patent attributes
A solid catadioptric lens with a single viewpoint has a spherical refractive surface with a center C on an optical axis of the lens. An ellipsoidal reflective surface of the lens faces the spherical refractive surface such that a first focus F1 of the ellipsoidal reflective surface is coincident with the center C of the spherical refractive surface. Furthermore, the lens has a shaping surface facing the ellipsoidal reflective surface for shaping a light that passes the single viewpoint. The shaping surface can be refractive, reflective or semi-transparent and its shape can be ellipsoidal with its first focus F1′ coincident with the second focus F2 of the ellipsoidal reflective surface. The single viewpoint of the lens is at the center C of the spherical reflective surface and is enforced with an aperture that can be positioned at various points inside, on a surface or even outside the lens, depending on the type of shaping surface chosen.