Electrooptical sensor technology with actively controllable optics, for imaging

• US 9,304,305 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arete Associates
• Original Assignee: Arete Associates
• Inventors: Paul, Andrew E., Kane, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rubin, Blake
• Application Number:
  US12/387,171
• Time in Patent Office: 2,533 Days
• Field of Search: 348/144
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/1028 using optical means for mapping, surveying or detection, e.g. of intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/12 with variable magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/14 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation G02B13/008, G02B13/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 15/1421 the first group being positive
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1066 for enhancing image performance, like resolution, pixel numbers, dual magnifications or dynamic range, by tiling, slicing or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/644 compensating for large deviations, e.g. maintaining a fixed line of sight while a vehicle on which the system is mounted changes course
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/646 compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0081 having one or more elements with analytic function to create variable power variable magnification in general G02B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length

Abstract

Plural image planes are illuminated through a single image-collecting objective system. The field of view or magnification (or both), is allocated dynamically among the plural planes. Preferably the planes include two detector planes—one corresponding to a wide field of view (FOV) and the other to a steerable narrow one. Allocation is performed by a beam splitter in combination with a steering mirror, or steering-mirror array, that steers both fields together. The splitter isolates radiation corresponding to the narrow FOV from radiation corresponding to the wide FOV. In method forms of the invention, an electrooptical observation system produces simultaneous plural images for a region of interest. The system displays simultaneous images having respective plural resolutions. In operation a first, relatively wider FOV continuously covers a region of interest; while the second is narrower and has finer resolution than the first.

Claims

1. A method for operating an electrooptical observation system that produces simultaneous plural images for a region of interest, at least some of said plural images having respective plural resolutions;

for use when the system also has an inertial-navigation system and a steering mirror and when the steering mirror intercepts and deflects radiation that forms the relatively narrower field of view, said method comprising the steps, by a remote operator, of;

operating the system to display simultaneous images having respective plural resolutions;

controlling the system to cause;

at least a first of the simultaneous plural images and a second of the simultaneous plural images to be formed simultaneously from radiation passing through a single optical aperture, radiation that is physically separated into the first and second of the simultaneous plural images formed on a plurality of physically separated imaging planes, including a lower resolution imaging plane and a higher resolution imaging plane;

the at least first of the simultaneous plural images to have a relatively wider field of view, and to continuingly cover a region of interest, and

the at least second of the simultaneous plural images to have a narrower field of view, with finer resolution than the relatively-wider-field image, continuingly directed toward a particular detail or details within or associated with the region of interest;

using the system to;

identify and follow, in the second of the simultaneous plural images with the wider-field of view, the region of interest to maintain an overall situational awareness, and concurrently observe as a real-time telephoto view, in the first of the simultaneous plural images with the narrower-field of view, relatively higher-resolution data and visible scenes for relatively finer investigation and analysis of one or more specialized details;

operating the steering mirror to point the relatively narrower field toward a particular region of interest within the relatively wider field;

operating the system to employ the inertial-navigation system for measuring spatial coordinates of the relatively narrower view, or of at least one object therein, or both; and

operating the system to incorporate information from the inertial-navigation system to substantially stabilize the steering mirror with respect to inertial space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specialized details comprise at least one detail selected from the group consisting of:

structures;

vehicles;

moving objects;

animals;

marine creatures; and

people.

3. The method of claim 1, for use when the system is capable of at least one resolution corresponding generally to a hemispherical or panoramic field of regard;

and further comprising the steps of;

adjusting said relatively wider view to, very generally, a hemispherical or panoramic field of regard; and

adjusting said relatively narrower field to a magnification in the range, between coarsest and finest magnification ratios, of three to twelve times.

4. The method of claim 1, for use when the system is capable of at least one resolution corresponding generally to a hemispherical or panoramic field of regard;

and further comprising the steps of;

adjusting said relatively wider view to, very generally, a hemispherical or panoramic field of regard; and

adjusting said relatively narrower field to a magnification in the range, between coarsest and finest magnification ratios, of three to twelve times a lower resolution of the lower resolution imaging plane of the plurality of physically separated imaging planes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the information-incorporating operating step also stabilizes the relatively narrower view with respect to the relatively wider view.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

forwarding measured spatial-coordinate information to a remote facility or platform for use in another application.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

using measured spatial-coordinate information to control an action.

8. The method of claim 7, for use when the system is mounted in a vehicle;

and wherein the action-controlling step comprises;

a course correction of the vehicle to avoid a collision or to effect a rendezvous.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the action-controlling step comprises:

a direct call for operating a weapon to impair an object or creature appearing in one or more of the images.

10. The method of claim 1, for use when the steering mirror is a two-axis steering mirror;

and wherein the mirror-operating step comprises;

adjusting the steering mirror in two generally orthogonal directions within the relatively wider field.

11. The method of claim 1, further the controlling the system to cause:

the radiation to be physically separated into the first and second of the simultaneous plural images formed on the plurality of physically separated imaging planes by a beam splitter positioned in the single optical aperture.

12. The method of claim 11, further the controlling the system to cause:

radiation forming the first of the simultaneous plural images to pass from the beam splitter to the steering mirror to the higher resolution imaging plane.