Optical Spectroscopy with Overlapping Images
First Claim
1. An optical spectrometer comprising:
- a spatial filter configured to spatially filter incident light;
a detector system comprising a two-dimensional detector array operatively connected to a processor;
a dispersion system disposed optically between the spatial filter and the detector system, the dispersion system configured to disperse images of the spatial filter in a wavelength dependent fashion onto the detector system;
wherein a first set of images corresponding to a first spectral subset of wavelengths are dispersed in a first direction, wherein a second set of images corresponding to a second spectral subset of wavelengths are dispersed in the first direction, and wherein at least one of the images in the first set at least partially overlap, at the detector system, at least one of the images in the second set in a second direction different from the first direction; and
wherein the detector system is configured to process detected images to distinguish signals associated with an image in the first set from signals associated with an overlapping image in the second set.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical spectrometer distinguishes ambiguity between different wavelength constituent components present in incident light. A spatial filter in the spectrometer spatially filters the incident light. A dispersion system receives the spatially filtered light and disperses images of the spatial filter in a wavelength dependent fashion such that two or more wavelength-specific images at least partially overlap at a detector system. The detector system comprises a detector array and processor that detects and processes the dispersed light to remove ambiguity between one or more of the overlapping images. The detector array may detect coded aperture images associated with a coded aperture spatial filter defined by a coded aperture function, and the processor may process the detector array output signals using an analysis function that complements the coded aperture function. The detector system may filter the spatial filter images and electronically process the resulting detector array output signals.
39 Citations
56 Claims
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1. An optical spectrometer comprising:
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a spatial filter configured to spatially filter incident light;
a detector system comprising a two-dimensional detector array operatively connected to a processor;
a dispersion system disposed optically between the spatial filter and the detector system, the dispersion system configured to disperse images of the spatial filter in a wavelength dependent fashion onto the detector system;
wherein a first set of images corresponding to a first spectral subset of wavelengths are dispersed in a first direction, wherein a second set of images corresponding to a second spectral subset of wavelengths are dispersed in the first direction, and wherein at least one of the images in the first set at least partially overlap, at the detector system, at least one of the images in the second set in a second direction different from the first direction; and
wherein the detector system is configured to process detected images to distinguish signals associated with an image in the first set from signals associated with an overlapping image in the second set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of processing light comprising:
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spatially filtering incident light radiated from a source with a spatial filter;
dispersing the filtered light to shift images of the spatial filter in a wavelength dependent fashion onto a detector system such that a first set of images corresponding to a first spectral subset of wavelengths are dispersed in a first direction, such that a second set of images corresponding to a second spectral subset of wavelengths are dispersed in the first direction, and such that at least one of the images in the first set at least partially overlap at least one of the images in the second set in a second direction different from the first direction; and
processing output signals corresponding to two or more detected images to distinguish signals associated with an image in the first set from signals associated with an overlapping image in the second set. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An optical spectrometer comprising:
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a coded aperture configured to spatially filter incident light according to a coded aperture function;
a two-dimensional detector array;
a dispersion system disposed optically between the coded aperture and the detector array, said dispersion system configured to two-dimensionally shift images of the coded aperture in a wavelength dependent fashion onto the detector array;
wherein a first image of the coded aperture associated with a first wavelength overlaps a second image of the coded aperture associated with a second wavelength at the detector array; and
a processor configured to estimate at least one property of the incident light by applying an analysis function to one or more detector array output signals corresponding to one or more detected images, wherein the analysis function complements the coded aperture function. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method of processing light comprising:
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spatially filtering incident light radiated from a source with a coded aperture defined by a coded aperture function;
dispersing the filtered light in two dimensions to shift images of the coded aperture in a wavelength dependent fashion onto a two-dimensional detector array such that a first image of the coded aperture associated with a first wavelength overlaps a second image of the coded aperture associated with a second wavelength at the detector array; and
processing one or more output signals corresponding to one or more detected images to remove ambiguity between one or more overlapping images. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification