Beam director intermediate alignment target assembly configuration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11902637-B2
Application number	US-202117233279-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2021
Priority date	Apr 16, 2021
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus includes imaging optics having an objective lens configured to focus electromagnetic radiation to an intermediate image plane and one or more optical devices configured to generate an optical beam from the electromagnetic radiation. The apparatus also includes at least one imaging sensor configured to capture an image from the optical beam. The apparatus further includes a beam generator configured to generate and transmit an HEL beam through the imaging optics. In addition, the apparatus includes an intermediate alignment target configured to be moveably positioned at the intermediate image plane. The intermediate alignment target includes a first-wavelength target configured to reflect a first spectral band of the HEL beam to a first of the at least one imaging sensor (the first imaging sensor configured to capture a first-wavelength infrared image of the first spectral band) and transmit remaining spectral portions of the HEL beam towards the objective lens.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
imaging optics comprising (i) an objective lens configured to focus electromagnetic radiation to an intermediate image plane and (ii) one or more optical devices configured to generate an optical beam from the electromagnetic radiation;
at least one imaging sensor configured to capture an image from the optical beam;
a beam generator configured to generate and transmit a laser beam through the imaging optics; and
an intermediate alignment target configured to be moveably positioned at the intermediate image plane of the imaging optics, the intermediate alignment target comprising:
a first-wavelength target configured to:
reflect a first spectral band of the laser beam to a first imaging sensor of the at least one imaging sensor, the first imaging sensor configured to capture a first-wavelength infrared image of the first spectral band; and
transmit remaining spectral portions of the laser beam towards the objective lens; and

a beam block located on a side of the first-wavelength target closer to the objective lens and configured to:
move into and away from the intermediate image plane independent of the first-wavelength target; and
block the remaining spectral portions from the objective lens when moved into the intermediate image plane.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate alignment target is larger than the intermediate image plane.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first spectral band is one of: a short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) band, a very near infrared (VNIR) band, a near infrared (NIR) band, a visible light band, or a near ultraviolet (NUV) band.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first spectral band is a short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) band; and
the first-wavelength target comprises yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) glass.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first-wavelength target comprises surface features configured to reflect the first spectral band differently compared to portions of the first-wavelength target that do not have the surface features.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first imaging sensor is configured to capture the first-wavelength infrared image of the first spectral band overlaid with the optical beam when the beam block is moved out of the intermediate image plane.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one processor configured to align the laser beam using the first-wavelength infrared image.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate alignment target further comprises a second-wavelength target configured to:
reflect a second spectral band of the laser beam to a second imaging sensor of the at least one imaging sensor, the second imaging sensor configured to capture a second-wavelength infrared image of the second spectral band; and
transmit remaining spectral portions towards the objective lens.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
at least one processor configured to align the laser beam using the first-wavelength infrared image and the second-wavelength infrared image.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to align the first imaging sensor and the second imaging sensor based on a comparison of the first-wavelength infrared image and the second-wavelength infrared image.

11. A method comprising:
focusing, using an objective lens of imaging optics, electromagnetic radiation to an intermediate image plane;
generating, using the imaging optics, an optical beam from the electromagnetic radiation;
capturing, using at least one imaging sensor, an image from the optical beam;
generating and transmitting a laser beam through the imaging optics;
reflecting, using a first-wavelength target of an intermediate alignment target moveably positioned at the intermediate image plane, a first spectral band of the laser beam to the at least one imaging sensor;
capturing, using a first imaging sensor of the at least one imaging sensor, a first-wavelength infrared image of the first spectral band;
transmitting, using the first-wavelength target, remaining spectral portions towards the objective lens;
moving a beam block into and away from the intermediate plane independent of the first-wavelength target, wherein the beam block is located on a side of the first-wavelength target closer to the objective lens; and
blocking, using the beam block, the remaining spectral portions from the objective lens when the beam block is moved into the intermediate image plane.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the intermediate alignment target is larger than the intermediate image plane.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first spectral band is one of: a short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) band, a very near infrared (VNIR) band, a near infrared (NIR) band, a visible light band, or a near ultraviolet (NUV) band.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the first spectral band is a short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) band; and
the first-wavelength target comprises yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) glass.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first-wavelength target comprises surface features configured to reflect the first spectral band differently compared to portions of the first-wavelength target that do not have the surface features.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
reflecting, using a second-wavelength target of the intermediate alignment target, a second spectral band of the laser beam;
capturing, using a second imaging sensor of the at least one imaging sensor, a second-wavelength infrared image of the second spectral band; and
transmitting, using the second-wavelength target, remaining spectral portions towards the objective lens.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
aligning the laser beam using at least one of the first-wavelength infrared image and the second-wavelength infrared image.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
aligning the first imaging sensor and the second imaging sensor by comparing the first-wavelength infrared image and the second-wavelength infrared image.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first imaging sensor is configured to capture the first-wavelength infrared image of the first spectral band overlaid with the optical beam when the beam block is moved out of the intermediate image plane.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
aligning the laser beam using the first-wavelength infrared image.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Lavine Jason R
• Skoyles Liam T

Classifications

• G02B27/1013 Primary

  for colour or multispectral image sensors, e.g. splitting an image into monochromatic image components on respective sensors (spectral imaging systems G01J) · CPC title

• H04N23/11 Primary

  for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths · CPC title

• G02B27/14

  operating by reflection only · CPC title

• H04N17/002

  for television cameras · CPC title

• G02B7/04

  with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification · CPC title