阅读说明：本技术 成像系统及其双峰变焦透镜 (Imaging system and double-peak zoom lens thereof ) 是由 郑婷予 邓兆展 于 2019-12-30 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种双峰变焦透镜包括三个同轴对准的透镜,包括第一透镜、第三透镜和其间的第二透镜。第一透镜是负透镜,第二透镜和第三透镜中的每一个是正透镜。三个同轴对准的透镜(i)当第二透镜和第一透镜被轴向距离L<Sub>11</Sub>分开时,形成第一配置和(ii)当第二透镜和第一透镜被轴向距离L<Sub>12</Sub>分开时,形成第二配置,其中轴向距离L<Sub>12</Sub>超过轴向距离L<Sub>11</Sub>。第二配置具有第二有效焦距,第二有效焦距超过第一配置的第一有效焦距。(A bimodal zoom lens includes three coaxially aligned lenses, including a first lens, a third lens, and a second lens therebetween, the first lens being a negative lens, each of the second and third lenses being a positive lens, the three coaxially aligned lenses (i) being axially separated by a distance L between the second lens and the first lens 11 When separated, a first configuration is formed and (ii) when the second lens and the first lens are separated by an axial distance L 12 When separated, a second configuration is formed wherein axial distance L is 12 Over axial distance L 11 . The second configuration has a second effective focal length that exceeds the first effective focal length of the first configuration.)

1. A bimodal zoom lens comprising:

three coaxially aligned lenses including a first lens, a third lens and a second lens therebetween;

the first lens is a negative lens, each of the second lens and the third lens is a positive lens,

the three coaxially aligned lenses are configurable (i) when the second lens and the first lens are axially separated by a distance L₁₁When separated, a first configuration is formed and (ii) when the second lens and the first lens are separated by an axial distance L₁₂When separated, a second configuration is formed wherein axial distance L is₁₂Over axial distance L₁₁，

The second configuration has a second effective focal length that exceeds the first effective focal length of the first configuration.

2. The bimodal zoom lens of claim 1,

in the first configuration, the second and third lenses are beyond the axial distance L between the second and first lenses₁₁Axial distance L₃₁Separating;

in the second configuration, the second and third lenses are less than an axial distance L between the second and first lenses₁₂Axial distance L₃₂And (4) separating.

3. The bimodal zoom lens of claim 1, the first configuration having a total track length T₁The second configuration having a total track length T₂Wherein 0.9925<T₁/T₂<1.0075。

4. The bimodal zoom lens of claim 1, the second configuration having a second field of view that exceeds the first field of view of the first configuration.

5. The bimodal zoom lens of claim 1, a ratio of the first effective focal length to the second effective focal length exceeding 1.99.

6. The bimodal zoom lens of claim 1, a ratio of the first focal length to the first effective focal length of the first lens being between-1.02 and zero.

7. The bimodal zoom lens of claim 1, the second lens comprising an object-side positive lens, and an image-side positive lens located at a fixed axial distance from the object-side positive lens between the third lens and the object-side positive lens.

8. The bimodal zoom lens of claim 7, further comprising a substrate between the object side positive lens and the image side positive lens.

9. The bimodal zoom lens of claim 8, the substrate being formed of a different substrate material than a second lens material forming the second lens and a third lens material forming the third lens.

10. The bimodal zoom lens of claim 7, a ratio of a focal length of the image side positive lens to the first effective focal length being positive and less than 1.54.

11. The bimodal zoom lens of claim 7, an object-side positive lens formed of a material having an abbe number less than thirty-five.

12. The bimodal zoom lens of claim 1, the first lens and the third lens separated by a fixed axial distance, the fixed axial distance being constant between the first configuration and the second configuration.

13. An imaging system, comprising:

an image sensor; and

the bimodal zoom lens of claim 1, configured to form an image on a pixel array of an image sensor.

14. The imaging system of claim 13, wherein the image sensor comprises a pixel array having a width and a height in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis common to the three coaxially aligned lenses, and at least one of the width and the height is less than 1.1 millimeters.

15. The imaging system of claim 13, wherein the imaging system is part of an endoscope.

16. The imaging system of claim 13, the second configuration having a second field of view that exceeds the first field of view of the first configuration.

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of imaging technologies, and in particular, to an imaging system and a dual-peak zoom lens thereof.

Background

A camera with an optical zoom function includes a zoom lens imaging system. In a zoom lens imaging system, the magnification of the system can be changed by adjusting its zoom lens, allowing flexibility in imaging a scene. For example, if a close-up view of a portion of a scene is desired, the magnification may be set to a large value, thereby dedicating the full resolution of the imaging system's image sensor to a small portion of the scene. On the other hand, if an image of the entire scene is desired, the magnification may be set to a small value, allowing the imaging system to capture the entire scene.

A disadvantage of conventional zoom lens imaging systems is that adjusting the zoom lens changes the axial length of the imaging system. This is particularly undesirable when the imaging system is part of a compact camera module, such as those employed in portable devices such as mobile phones and tablet computers.

Disclosure of Invention

Embodiments disclosed herein propose a zoom lens configured to operate in two imaging modes: one with a narrow field of view and the other with a wide field of view without changing the overall rail length of the imaging system.

In a first embodiment, the bimodal zoom lens includes three coaxially aligned lenses, including a first lens, a third lens, and a second lens therebetween₁₁When separated, a first configuration is formed and (ii) when the second lens and the first lens are separated by an axial distance L₁₂When separated, a second configuration is formed wherein axial distance L is₁₂Over axial distance L₁₁. The second configuration has a second effective focal length that exceeds the first effective focal length of the first configuration.

In a second embodiment, an imaging system includes an image sensor and the bimodal zoom lens of the first embodiment, the bimodal zoom lens configured to form an image on a pixel array of the image sensor.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a camera including a bimodal zoom lens in an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a bimodal zoom lens in a first imaging configuration, the bimodal zoom lens being an embodiment of the bimodal zoom lens of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the bimodal zoom lens of fig. 2 in a second imaging configuration.

Fig. 4 and 5 show a first table and a second table, respectively, of exemplary parameters of the bimodal zoom lens of fig. 2 and 3.

FIG. 6 is a table showing lens performance metrics for an embodiment of the bimodal zoom lens characterized by the parameters of FIGS. 4 and 5.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a user 197 directing a camera 110 to image a scene 190. The camera 110 includes a bimodal zoom lens 100 aligned with a pixel array 112 of an image sensor 114. The bimodal zoom lens 100 and the pixel array 112 form an imaging system 120, where the pixel array 112 may be located at an image plane of the bimodal zoom lens 100. (for clarity, pixel array 112 and doublet zoom lens 110 are shown vertically offset from each other in FIG. 1.) doublet zoom lens 100 may be mounted to image sensor 114 by a lens housing 122, which lens housing 122 may also support and position the various lens elements that make up doublet zoom lens 100. The image sensor 114 may be communicatively coupled to a display 119, and the display 119 may be part of the camera 110.

Pixel array 112 has a width 115 and a height 116, at least one of width 115 and height 116 may be less than or equal to 1.1 millimeters. The width 115 may be between 770 μm and 870 μm, while the height 116 may be between 575 μm and 675 μm. In an embodiment, the width 115 and height 116 are 820 ± 10 μm and 625 ± 10 μm, respectively. An image sensor having such a small pixel array is useful for imaging applications where compactness of the camera 110 is important. For example, either of the imaging system 120 and the camera 110 may be part of a medical device, a mobile device, or a motor vehicle. The medical devices include endoscopes, examples of which include cystoscopes, nephroscopes, bronchoscopes, arthroscopes, colonoscopes, esophagogastroduodenoscopes, and laparoscopes.

The bimodal zoom lens 100 has first and second imaging configurations (or imaging modes), each imaging configuration causing an imaging of a scene 190 onto a pixel array 112. In the first imaging configuration, the imaging system 120 has a first field of view corresponding to a first region 191 of the scene 190. In the second imaging configuration, the imaging system 120 has a second field of view corresponding to a second region 192 of the scene 190. The second region 192 is larger than the first region 191.

Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a bimodal zoom lens 200 in a first imaging configuration. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the bimodal zoom lens 200 in a second imaging configuration. The bimodal zoom lens 200 is an example of the bimodal zoom lens 100. The first and second imaging configurations of bimodal zoom lens 200 are examples of a first imaging configuration that images scene region 191 and a second imaging configuration that images scene region 192, respectively, of bimodal zoom lens 100 of fig. 1. In the following description, fig. 2 and 3 are best viewed together.

Bimodal zoom lens 200 includes lenses 210, 220, 230, and 240. Lenses 210, 220, 230, and 240 have a common optical axis 207 such that they are coaxially aligned. The bimodal zoom lens 200 may further include at least one of substrates 250, 260, 270 and 280. The aperture stop of the bimodal zoom lens 200 may be either between substrates 250 and 260 or between substrates 270 and 280. Substrate 280 may be a cover glass that covers pixel array 112 and may be part of image sensor 114.

The lenses 210 and 240 have respective object side surfaces 211, 221, 231, and 241 and respective image side surfaces 212, 222, 232, and 242. The shape of the surface 241 may be configured to reduce the field curvature of an image formed by the bimodal zoom lens 200. Substrate 250-280 has respective planar object side surfaces 251, 261, 271, and 281. The substrate 280 has an image side surface 282. Fig. 2 and 3 show the image plane 284 of the bimodal zoom lens 200 in its first and second configurations on which images are formed. When the bimodal zoom lens 200 is implemented in the imaging system 120 of fig. 1, the pixel array 112 may be located at the image plane 284.

Lens 210 is a negative lens. Lenses 220, 230, and 240 are each positive lenses. Lenses 220 and 230 are spaced apart along optical axis 209 by a fixed axial distance 255. In an embodiment of the bimodal zoom lens 200 comprising substrates 250 and 260, the fixed axial distance 255 is, for example, the sum of the axial thicknesses of the substrates 250 and 260. The lens 210 has a diameter 217, which may be less than two millimeters to achieve sufficient compactness of the bimodal zoom lens 200 and thus the camera 110.

Although fig. 2 and 3 illustrate lenses 220 and 230 as distinct lenses, lenses 220 and 230 may form a double convex lens 225, which may be a unitary lens or a compound lens. The lenticular lens 225 may include at least one of the substrates 250 and 260. The substrates 250 and 260 may be a single unitary substrate having an axial thickness equal to the fixed axial distance 255.

In the lens configuration of fig. 2, lens 210 and lens 220 are separated by axial distance 215A, while lens 230 and lens 240 are separated by axial distance 235A. In the lens configuration of fig. 3, lens 210 and lens 220 are separated by axial distance 215B, while lens 230 and lens 240 are separated by axial distance 235B. Axial distance 215B exceeds axial distance 215A; axial distance 235A exceeds axial distance 235B. The bimodal zoom lens 200 is in its first configuration, or "narrow configuration", when the lenses 210 and 220 are separated by an axial distance 215A, and in its second configuration, or "wide configuration", when the lenses 210 and 220 are separated by an axial distance 215B.

The first configuration of fig. 2 has a total track length 201, a field of view 203, and an effective focal length 205. The second configuration of fig. 3 has a total track length 202, a field of view 204, and an effective focal length 206. The total track lengths 201 and 202 may be approximately equal, which enables the bimodal zoom lens 200 to change between its two configurations with minimal or no effect on the position of the lens 200 relative to nearby hardware components (such as the image sensor 114 and the lens housing 122). For example, the ratio of total track length 201 to total track length 202 is between 0.9925 and 1.0075.

In one embodiment of bimodal zoom lens 200, the positions of lenses 210 and 240 are fixed relative to each other, while the positions of lenses 220 and 230 may be axially adjusted without affecting fixed axial distance 255. The total track length 201 may be less than three millimeters to achieve sufficient compactness of the imaging system 220 and thus also the camera 110.

Bimodal zoom lens 200 may be configured such that lenses 220 and 230 move together along optical axis 207 between the narrow configuration of fig. 2 and the wide configuration of fig. 3. For example, camera 110 may include a linear actuator configured to move lenses 220 and 230 between narrow and wide configurations, e.g., as a double convex lens 225.

In the lens configuration of fig. 2 and 3, lenses 210 and 240 are separated by respective axial distances 208A and 208B, respectively. Axial distances 208A and 208B are between surfaces 212 and 241 and may be equal. Lens housing 122 may constrain each of axial distances 208A and 208B to a fixed distance such that distances 208A and 208B are equal.

Although the lens 210 partially determines the fields of view 203 and 204, the axial distances 215A and 215B also work so that the field of view 204 may exceed the field of view 203 provided there is a constant maximum image height 285 at the image plane 284. The image height 285 is, for example, between 0.49 mm and 0.52 mm. The effective focal length 206 may exceed the effective focal length 205. For example, the ratio of the effective focal length 206 to the effective focal length 205 may exceed 1.99.

Lenses 210 and 230 have focal lengths 213 and 233, respectively. The ratio of the focal length 213 to the effective focal length 205 may be between-1.02 and zero. The ratio of the focal length 233 to the effective focal length 205 can be between zero and 1.54. Each of these constraints helps to maintain a desired magnification between a narrow configuration and a wide configuration. For example, when an 1/18 inch VGA image sensor determines the image height 285 at the image plane 284, both of the above-mentioned ratios of the focal lengths 213 and 233 to the effective focal length 205 are satisfied to ensure that the magnification of the narrow configuration is twice that of the wide configuration, so that the binary zoom lens 200 functions as a 2-fold optical zoom lens.

Lens 210 and lens 240 may comprise at least one material selected from the group of materials including, but not limited to, Schott K10 glass and Arton D4532. Lens 220 may be made of a material having an Abbe number V_D< 35, which promotes sufficient achromatization of the bimodal zoom lens 200 for example, the lens 220 may comprise at least one material selected from the group of materials including, but not limited to, polycarbonate, such as Teijin L approvedOptical polyesters such as OKP-4 from Gas Chemicals Co, Osaka; and optical glasses such as S-F from Ohara CorporationTM 16。

The substrate 250 and 280 may be formed of the same material, which may be different from the material including at least one of the lenses 220, 230, and 240. At least one of the substrates 250-280 may be formed of a photoresist, such as an epoxy, with SU-8 being an example of an epoxy. Such substrate materials facilitate wafer-level fabrication of lens assemblies (e.g., lenses 220, 230, and 240) and substrates thereof.

Fig. 4 depicts a table 400 of exemplary parameters of the surfaces and substrates of the first embodiment of the bimodal zoom lens 200. Table 400 includes columns 404, 406, 408, 410, 412, and 421 and 427. Column 421 represents the surface of the bimodal zoom lens 200.

Column 423 comprises thickness values between adjacent surfaces of the double-hump zoom lens 200 on the optical axis 207. For example, the axial distance between surfaces 212 and 221 is 0.2003 millimeters, which in this example is the axial thickness of lens 210. Column 426 indicates the minimum diameter of each surface sufficient for a ray to be incident on surface 211 and pass through the aperture stop of lens 200' so as to also pass through that surface.

The non-planar surface of table 400 is depressed by the surface z shown in equation 1_sagTo be defined.

In equation 1, z_sagIs a function of a radial coordinate R, where directions z and R are parallel and perpendicular, respectively, to the optical axis 207, the number i is a positive integer and N is 6 in equation 1, the parameter R is the radius of curvature of the surface listed in column 422 of table 400, the parameter k represents the conic constant shown in column 427, columns 404, 406, 408, 410, and 412 contain aspheric coefficients α, respectively₄、α₆、α₈、α₁₀And α₁₂The value of (c). The units of the numbers in Table 400 and z in equation 1_sagExpressed in millimeters.

Column 424 lists the wavelength λ in free space_dThe value of the refractive index of the material at 587.6 nm. Column 425 lists the Abbe number V of the material_dThe value of (c). Refractive index and Abbe number table corresponding to surfaceCharacterizing material between the surface and the surface in the row below. For example, the index of refraction associated with surface 211 is 1.51, which is the index of refraction of lens 210 in this embodiment. Similarly, the abbe number associated with surface 221 is 57.0, which is the abbe number of lens 220 in this embodiment.

Table 400 indicates two thicknesses in the table rows corresponding to surfaces 212 and 232, thicknesses 0.1648mm and 0.5715mm are examples of axial distances 215A and 235A, respectively, of fig. 2, hereinafter referred to as "narrow configuration 400A", thicknesses 0.6904mm and 0.0450mm are examples of axial distances 215B and 235B, respectively, of fig. 3, hereinafter referred to as "wide-field-of-view configuration 400B", when the bimodal zoom lens 200 has a narrow configuration 400A, its field of view FOV, working f-number N, effective focal length and total track length TT L are respectively, FOV 58 °, N3.42,and TT L_A2.624mm when the bimodal zoom lens 200 has a wide field of view configuration 400B, its field of view FOV, working f-number N, effective focal length and total track length TT L are, respectively, FOV-100, N-2.38,and TT L_B2.623 mm.Andthe ratio of (a) to (b) is 2.02.

In the embodiment of the bimodal zoom lens 200 corresponding to table 400, the focal lengths of the lens 210 and the lens 230, respectively, are f according to the lens manufacturer's equation₂₁₀0.833mm and f₂₃₀＝1.212mm。f₂₁₀Andis equal to-0.992. f. of₂₃₀Andis equal to 1.443.

In the wide field-of-view configuration 400B, the bimodal zoom lens 200 maintains a through-focus modulation transfer function of more than 0.25 over a 0.04mm length on the optical axis 207. Total track Length TT L_AAnd TT L_BIs 0.9996 and is therefore between 0.9925 and 1.0075, which ensures that the 0.04mm long range mentioned above includes the image plane 284.

Fig. 5 depicts a table 500 of exemplary parameters of the surfaces and substrates of the second embodiment of the bimodal zoom lens 200. Table 500 includes columns 504, 506, 508, 510, 512, and 521-. Column 521 represents the surface of the bimodal zoom lens 200.

Column 523 comprises the thickness values between adjacent surfaces of the bimodal zoom lens 200 on the optical axis 207. For example, the axial distance between surfaces 212 and 221 is 0.2003 millimeters, which is the axial thickness of lens 210 in this example. Column 526 indicates the minimum diameter of each surface sufficient for light rays incident on surface 211 to pass through the aperture stop of lens 200' to also pass through that surface.

The non-planar surface of Table 500 is depressed by the surface z shown in equation 1_sagColumns 522 and 523 list the values of radius of curvature R and conic constant k, respectively columns 504, 506, 508, 510, and 512 contain aspheric coefficients α, respectively₄、α₆、α₈、α₁₀And α₁₂The value of (c). The units of the numbers in Table 500 and z in equation 1_sagExpressed in millimeters.

Column 524 lists the wavelength λ in free space_dThe value of the refractive index of the material at 587.6 nm. Column 525 lists the Abbe number V of the material_dThe value of (c). As shown in table 400, the refractive index and abbe number corresponding to a surface characterize the material between that surface and the surface in the row below. The abbe number associated with surface 221 is 57.0, which is the abbe number of lens 220 in this embodiment.

Table 500 indicates two thicknesses in the table row corresponding to surfaces 212 and 232. Thicknesses 0.1689mm and 0.5761mm are examples of axial distances 215A and 235A, respectively, of fig. 2, and are hereinafter referred to as "narrow configuration 500A". The thicknesses 0.6934mm and 0.0450mm are the axial distances of FIG. 3, respectivelyAn example of the distance 215B and 235B, hereinafter referred to as "wide field of view configuration 500B", when the binary zoom lens 200 has a narrow configuration 500A, its field of view FOV, working f-number N, effective focal length and total track length TT L are, respectively, FOV 56, N3.42,and TT L-2.624 mm when the bimodal zoom lens 200 has a wide field of view configuration 500B, its field of view FOV, working f-number N, effective focal length and total track length TT L are respectively, FOV-99, N-2.38,and TT L-2.620 mm.Andthe ratio of (a) to (b) was 2.007.

In the embodiment of the bimodal zoom lens 200 corresponding to table 500, the focal lengths of lens 210 and lens 230, respectively, are f according to the lens manufacturer's equation₂₁₀0.887mm and f₂₃₀＝1.290mm。f₂₁₀Andis equal to-1.01. f. of₂₃₀Andis equal to 1.471.

Fig. 6 is a table 600 illustrating lens performance metrics for an embodiment of the bimodal zoom lens 200 corresponding to tables 400 and 500. Tables 400 and 500 include configurations 400A and 500A, which are examples of the narrow configurations shown in FIG. 2. Tables 400 and 500 include configurations 400B and 500B, which are examples of the wide configurations shown in fig. 3. The performance metrics of fig. 6 include longitudinal aberrations, lateral chromatic aberrations, distortion, and field curvature calculated for free space wavelengths in the range of 425nm to 640 nm. The longitudinal aberration is calculated for entrance pupil radius values between zero and the maximum values listed in row 602 of table 600. The lateral chromatic aberration is calculated at a field height between 0 and 0.4950 mm. The distortion and field curvature are calculated at field angles between zero and the maximum field angle, which is 29.4 degrees for configurations 400A and 500A and 50.1 degrees for configurations 400B and 500B.

Combinations of features

The features described above as well as those claimed below may be combined in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention. The following list of examples illustrates some possible non-limiting combinations:

(A1) a bimodal zoom lens includes three coaxially aligned lenses, including a first lens, a third lens, and a second lens therebetween, the first lens being a negative lens, each of the second and third lenses being a positive lens, the three coaxially aligned lenses (i) being axially separated by a distance L between the second lens and the first lens₁₁When separated, a first configuration is formed and (ii) when the second lens and the first lens are separated by an axial distance L₁₂When separated, a second configuration is formed wherein axial distance L is₁₂Over axial distance L₁₁. The second configuration has a second effective focal length that exceeds the first effective focal length of the first configuration.

(A2) In a bimodal zoom lens (a1), in a first configuration, the second lens and the third lens may be beyond an axial distance L between the second lens and the first lens₁₁Axial distance L₃₁Also in the bimodal zoom lens (a1), in the second configuration, the second lens and the third lens may be less than an axial distance L between the second lens and the first lens₁₂Axial distance L₃₂And (4) separating.

(A3) In any one of the bimodal zoom lenses (a1) - (a2), the first configuration may have a total track length T₁And the second configuration may have a total track length T₂Wherein 0.9925<T₁/T₂<1.0075。

(A4) In any of the bimodal zoom lenses (a1) - (A3), the second configuration may have a second field of view that exceeds the first field of view of the first configuration.

(A5) In any of the doublet zoom lenses (a1) - (a4), a ratio of the first effective focal length to the second effective focal length may exceed 1.99.

(A6) In any of the bimodal zoom lenses (a1) - (a5), a ratio of the first focal length of the first lens to the first effective focal length is between-1.02 and zero.

(A7) In any one of the doublet zoom lenses (a1) - (a6), the second lens may include an object-side positive lens, and an image-side positive lens located between the third lens and the object-side positive lens at a fixed axial distance therefrom.

(A8) Any of the bimodal zoom lenses (a7) may further include a substrate between the object side positive lens and the image side positive lens.

(A9) In the double-hump zoom lens (A8), the substrate may be formed of a substrate material different from a second lens material forming the second lens and a third lens material forming the third lens.

(A10) In any of the doublet zoom lenses (a7) - (a9), a ratio of the focal length of the image side positive lens to the first effective focal length may be positive and less than 1.54.

(A11) In any of the two-peak zoom lenses (a7) - (a10), the object-side positive lens may be formed of a material having an abbe number less than thirty-five.

(A12) In any of the bimodal zoom lenses (a1) - (a11), the first lens and the third lens may be separated by a fixed axial distance that is constant between the first configuration and the second configuration.

(B1) An imaging system includes an image sensor and one of a bimodal zoom lens (a1) - (a12) configured to form an image on a pixel array of the image sensor.

(B2) In any imaging system (B1), wherein the image sensor includes a pixel array having a width and a height in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis common to the three coaxially aligned lenses, and at least one of the width and the height may be less than 1.1 millimeters.

(B3) Either of the imaging systems (B1) and (B2) may be part of an endoscope.

(B4) In any of the imaging systems (B1) to (B3), the second configuration may have a second field of view that exceeds the first field of view of the first configuration.

Changes may be made in the above methods and systems without departing from the scope of the invention. It is intended, therefore, that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Unless otherwise indicated, the adjective "exemplary" means serving as an example, instance, or illustration. The following claims are intended to cover all generic and specific features described herein, as well as all statements of the scope of the present method and system, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.