Method for rearranging the elemental images of an integral photograph using holography

Abstract

A method for rearranging the elemental images of an integral photograph into a new arrangement where the newly arranged elemental images may be of the same or different shapes and dimensions. The method involves producing a hologram using a reference beam emanating from a first mask characteristic of the integral photograph and an object beam emanating from a second mask characteristic of the new arrangement. The hologram may be produced by incremental exposure either by moving the reference and object beams between successive exposures or by moving apertures between successive exposures.

1 . A method for rearranging the elemental images of an integral photograph comprised of a number of elemental images each having an initial shape and initial dimensions and in an initial arrangement into a new arrangement of the same number of elemental images having the same or different shapes or dimensions, said method comprising: 
 a) creating a first mask comprising apertures being of the same number, shape, and dimensions and having the same initial arrangement as the elemental images of the integral photograph;    b) creating a second mask comprising apertures having the same number, shape and dimensions and arrangement as required by the new arrangement;    c) incrementally exposing a photographic or other medium to produce a hologram using a reference beam of light from a coherent light source emanating from an aperture of the first mask and an object beam of light from the same coherent light source emanating from a corresponding aperture of the second mask, each aperture of the first mask and corresponding aperture of the second mask forming an aperture pair, until all aperture pairs have been used to expose the holographic medium;    d) processing the hologram so that it may be used for wavefront reconstruction; and,    e) illuminating the hologram with a reference beam of light emanating from the integral photograph, whereby an image of the new arrangement of elemental images will be reconstructed.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein incremental exposure is accomplished by positioning the reference and object beams so as to illuminate a single aperture pair during a single exposure period, and repeating this step until the entire photographic or other medium is fully exposed.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein 
 the first mask comprises a single aperture having the same shape and dimensions as an elemental image of the integral photograph;    the second mask comprises a single aperture having the same shape and dimensions as the corresponding aperture of the aperture pair; and,    the apertures of the first mask and second mask are moved so as to correspond to the positions of successive aperture pairs for successive exposure periods until the entire photographic or other medium is fully exposed.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hologram is a surface hologram.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hologram is a volume hologram.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hologram is a transmission hologram.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hologram is a reflection hologram.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein short bursts of high intensity coherent light are used for each successive exposure of an aperture pair.