Dual field of view sensor
First Claim
1. A dual path optical sensor system comprising:
- (a) detector means having an input and an output for receiving a light signal at said input and for converting the light signal into an electrical signal for transmission thereof from said output;
(b) a rotatable polygon scanner having a plurality of substantially equal reflective facets thereon;
(c) means for rotating said scanner at a constant speed;
(d) first optical means for receiving a first light beam and for directing the first light beam on said facets;
(e) second optical means for receiving the first light beam as it is reflected from said facets and for directing the first light beam onto said input of said detector means;
(f) third optical means for receiving a second light beam and for directing the second light beam onto said facets, said first and third optical means being mutually positioned so that, when the first light beam is impinging directly on one of said facets, the second light beam is impinging on the mid-point between two adjacent other ones of said facets, and vice-versa;
(g) fourth optical means for receiving the second light beam as it is reflected from said facets and for directing the second light beam onto said input of said detector means;
(h) means for preventing simultaneous receipt of the first and second light beams on said detector means input; and
(i) means connected to said output of said detector means for receiving and processing signals resulting from the first and second light beams.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A dual field of view sensor, particularly adapted for use as a forward-looking infrared night vision detector, includes a single detector (24) for receiving a light signal and developing an output electrical signal therefrom. A rotating polygon scanner (16) having a plurality of reflective facet (14) thereon receives light (12, 34) from two separate optical systems (10, 32) and directs the light onto the facets (14) of the scanner (16) at positions offset by one-half the facet angle such that the light beams alternately strike a facet and the juncture between two facets. The reflected light is then directed through a beam splitter 40 onto the detector in an alternating, interleaved sweeping motion. The beam splitter permits only one at a time of the light (12, 34) from entering the detector. In one embodiment, both optical systems include a steerable dual field of view telescope. In a second embodiment, a transparent display (60) such as an LCD panel, impresses a data image on one light beam (52) and the signals developed from that and another light beam are combined to drive a display. In a third embodiment, the two light beams represent the input to a stereoscopic viewing system, and the separate signals developed therefrom are used to drive a pair of small helmet-mounted displays for individual viewing by the wearer'"'"'s left and right eyes to provide stereoscopic night vision viewing.
47 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A dual path optical sensor system comprising:
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(a) detector means having an input and an output for receiving a light signal at said input and for converting the light signal into an electrical signal for transmission thereof from said output; (b) a rotatable polygon scanner having a plurality of substantially equal reflective facets thereon; (c) means for rotating said scanner at a constant speed; (d) first optical means for receiving a first light beam and for directing the first light beam on said facets; (e) second optical means for receiving the first light beam as it is reflected from said facets and for directing the first light beam onto said input of said detector means; (f) third optical means for receiving a second light beam and for directing the second light beam onto said facets, said first and third optical means being mutually positioned so that, when the first light beam is impinging directly on one of said facets, the second light beam is impinging on the mid-point between two adjacent other ones of said facets, and vice-versa; (g) fourth optical means for receiving the second light beam as it is reflected from said facets and for directing the second light beam onto said input of said detector means; (h) means for preventing simultaneous receipt of the first and second light beams on said detector means input; and (i) means connected to said output of said detector means for receiving and processing signals resulting from the first and second light beams. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. In a forward-looking infrared optical scanning system employing a detector, a signal processor, a rotating polygon scanner having reflective facets on its periphery, and a first optical assembly in which light entering from a first line of sight is directed against the rotating polygon scanner so that it is reflected from the facets sequentially across the detector in a sweeping scan pattern to produce a signal therefrom, the improvement comprising:
a second optical assembly having means for directing light entering from a second line of sight at a rotational angle against the reflective surface of the scanner at an angle which is out of phase by a one-half facet angle of rotation from that reflecting the light entering from the first line of sight to interleavedly sweep the light across the detector and thereby to enable the detector and signal process to be time-shared. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A dual path optical sensor system comprising:
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(a) an electro-optical sensor having an input surface for receiving impinging light and an output at which an electrical signal is produced as a function of light impinging on said input surface; (b) a first optical system disposed to receive light from a first line of sight and to direct it along a first path; (c) a second optical system disposed to receive light from a second line of sight and direct it along a second path; (d) a rotating polygon scanner disposed to intercept and reflect the light in said first and second paths at a one-half facet angle offset between said first and second paths and to interleavedly sweep the light from said first and second paths towards said input surface; and (e) means positioned between said sensor and said scanner for permitting only seriatim reception of the light from said first and second optical systems. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A dual path forward-looking infrared sensor system comprising:
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(a) a cryogenically-cooled electro-optical sensor having an input for receiving impinging light and an output at which an electrical signal is produced as a function of the impinging light; (b) a first optical system disposed to receive light from a first line of sight, direct it along a first path, and focus it on said input; (c) a second optical system disposed to receive light from a second line of sight, direct it along a second path, and focus it on said input; (d) a rotating polygon scanner disposed to intercept and reflect the light in said first and second paths and having means defining a one-half facet angle offset between said first and second paths for sweeping the light from said first and second paths alternatingly across said input; and (e) means positioned between said sensor input and said scanner for enabling only one at a time of the alternatingly swept light to be received by said sensor input. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification