LIGHT PIPE SENSOR SYSTEM

• US 20170102264A1
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Photon Applications, LLC, Elbit Systems of America LLC (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Elbit Systems of America LLC (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Sprague, Michaelene Williams, Harder, James Anton
• Granted Patent: US 9,891,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/226 Semi-active homing systems, i.e. comprising a receiver and involving auxiliary illuminating means, e.g. using auxiliary guiding missiles
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2293 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0266 Field-of-view determination; Aiming or pointing of a photometer; Adjusting alignment; Encoding angular position; Size of the measurement area; Position tracking; Photodetection involving different fields of view for a single detector
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0411 using focussing or collimating elements, i.e. lenses or mirrors; Aberration correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0422 using light concentrators, collectors or condensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation

Abstract

There is provided in a first form, a system including a detector and a reflector disposed about and proximal to the detector, at least of portion of the reflector being disposed in front of the detector. The reflector is configured to reflect at least a portion of the radiation directed to the system at an angle greater than a first predetermined value onto the detector, and the system is configured so that at least a portion of the radiation directed to the system at an angle less than the first predetermined value directly impinges on the detector.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a detector;

a reflector disposed about and proximal to the detector, at least of portion of the reflector being disposed in front of the detector; and

wherein

the reflector is configured to reflect at least a portion of the radiation directed to the system at an angle greater than a first predetermined value onto the detector, and

wherein the system is configured so that at least a portion of the radiation directed to the system at an angle less than the first predetermined value directly impinges on the detector.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein substantially no radiation directed to the system at an angle greater than a second predetermined angle impinges on the in the detector and wherein a first portion of the radiation directed to the system at an angle between the first and second predetermined angles impinges directly on the detector and a second portion of the radiation directed to the system at an angle between the first and second predetermined angles impinges on the detector by reflection from the reflector.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the second predetermined angle comprises the field of regard (FOR) of the system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the detector comprises a multi-segment detector.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a lens system disposed in front of the detector and the reflector, the lens system configured to refract radiation directed to the system at an angle less than the first predetermined angle onto the detector.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the lens system is configured to refract the portion of the radiation directed to the system at an angle greater than the first predetermined angle onto the reflector.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the lens system comprises a converging lens.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the lens system is configured to image on the detector an object disposed at an angle from an axis of the system less than the first predetermined angle.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the first predetermined angle is determined from a size of the detector and a distance between the detector and a lens system configured to refract light impinging on the system onto the detector.

10. The system of claim 2 wherein the second predetermined angle is determined from a size of the reflector and a distance between the detector and a lens system configured to refract light impinging on the system onto the detector.

11. A detector comprising:

a photosensitive detector element; and

a reflecting surface disposed about and proximal to the photosensitive detector, wherein the reflecting surface is configured to reflect radiation impinging on the reflecting surface onto the photosensitive detector.

12. The detector of claim 11 wherein the photosensitive detector element comprises a plurality of segments.

13. The detector of claim 12 wherein the plurality of segments partitions the photosensitive detector element into quadrants.

14. The detector of claim 11 wherein the reflecting surface comprises a plurality of reflecting segments, wherein abutting edges of adjacent segments of the plurality of segments are configured to form a contiguous transition between adjacent segments.

15. The detector of claim 14 wherein each reflecting segment of the plurality of reflecting segments comprises a concave surface.

16. The detector of claim 11 wherein the reflecting surface comprises a surface having, in section, a continuous curvilinear form.

17. The detector of claim 16 wherein the continuous curvilinear form comprises a cubic spline.

18. The detector of claim 11 wherein the reflecting surface comprises a surface material selected from the group consisting of:

a metal;

a glass; and

a coated plastic.

19. The detector of claim 18 wherein the metal comprises aluminum.