Optical position encoder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016103000-A1
Application number	US-201414510180-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 9, 2014
Priority date	Oct 9, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Optical position encoding mechanisms and methods for use in reimaged optical imaging systems. In one example, a reimaged optical imaging system includes an imaging detector, an optical component, and at least one light source coupled to the optical component and configured to be reimaged onto the imaging detector, wherein a position of an image of the at least one light source at the imaging detector encodes a position of the optical component relative to the imaging detector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A reimaged optical imaging system comprising:
an imaging detector; an optical component; and at least one light source associated with the optical component and that is reimaged onto the imaging detector, wherein a position of an image of the at least one light source at the imaging detector encodes a position of the optical component relative to the imaging detector.

2 . The reimaged optical imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the optical component is located approximately at an intermediate image plane of the reimaged optical imaging system.

3 . The reimaged optical imaging system of claim 2 , wherein the optical component is a movable component configured to be selectively moved into and out of an optical path between the intermediate image plane and the imaging detector.

4 . The reimaged optical imaging system of claim 3 , wherein the optical component is a filter.

5 . The reimaged optical imaging system of claim 3 , wherein the imaging detector is a visible waveband sensor, and wherein the at least one light source includes a light emitting diode having a wavelength in the visible spectrum.

6 . The reimaged optical imaging system of claim 3 , wherein the imaging detector is a thermal imaging detector, and wherein the at least one light source includes a reflector configured to reimage the thermal imaging detector onto itself.

7 . The reimaged optical imaging system of claim 6 , wherein the thermal imaging detector is a microbolometer or solid-state photovoltaic detector array.

8 . The reimaged optical imaging system of claim 6 , further comprising a cold chamber, and wherein the thermal imaging detector is located within the cold chamber.

9 . The reimaged optical imaging system of claim 6 , wherein the reflector is one of a V-groove, a corner cube, a spheric reflector, an aspheric reflector, and an alignment mask.

10 . A thermal reimaged optical imaging system comprising:
a cold chamber; a thermal imaging detector disposed within the cold chamber; a first optical sub-system configured to receive and focus infrared electromagnetic radiation from a scene onto an intermediate image plane; a second optical sub-system configured to reimage the infrared electromagnetic radiation from the intermediate image plane onto the thermal imaging detector; a movable optical component configured to be movable into an out of an optical path of the thermal imaging detector, the movable optical component being located approximately at the intermediate image plane when in the optical path; and a reflector located on the movable optical component and configured to reimage the thermal imaging detector onto itself to thereby encode a position of the optical component relative to the thermal imaging detector.

11 . The thermal reimaged optical imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the cold chamber is configured to cool or temperature stabilize the thermal imaging detector.

12 . The thermal reimaged optical imaging system of claim 10 , wherein the reflector is one of a V-groove, a corner cube, a spheric reflector, an aspheric reflector, and an alignment mask.

13 . A method of determining a position of an optical component in a reimaged optical imaging system, the method comprising:
receiving and focusing electromagnetic radiation from a scene onto an intermediate image plane; reimaging the electromagnetic radiation from the intermediate image plane onto an imaging detector configured to produce an image of the scene from the electromagnetic radiation; moving an optical component into an optical path of the imaging detector and proximate the intermediate image plane, the optical component having a light source attached thereto; and reimaging the light source onto the imaging detector, wherein a position of an image of the light source at the imaging detector encodes the position of the optical component relative to the imaging detector.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the light source is a reflector and the imaging detector is a thermal imaging detector, and wherein reimaging the light source onto the imaging detector includes reimaging a reflection of the thermal imaging detector, reflected by the reflector, onto the thermal imaging detector.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the imaging detector is a visible waveband sensor, wherein the light source includes a light emitting diode, and wherein reimaging the light source onto the imaging detector includes:
emitting at least one wavelength in the visible spectrum from the light emitting diode; and producing an image of the at least one wavelength at the imaging detector.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Fest Eric C
• King Page E
• Forsyth Justan V

Classifications

• H04N23/23

  from thermal infrared radiation · CPC title

• G01D5/30 Primary

  the beams of light being detected by photocells · CPC title

• H04N5/33

  Transforming infrared radiation (cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20) · CPC title

• G01D5/341 Primary

  controlling the movement of a following part · CPC title