Multi-target optical designator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9766041-B2
Application number	US-201414562957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2014
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A device and method for selectively illuminating and designating multiple targets in the air or on the ground simultaneously. The device comprises a light source, a switching array and a ball lens. Light from the light source is routed through the switching array, which can addressably output multiple light beams simultaneously. The light beams from the switching array illuminate the backside of a low F-number ball lens. The ball lens creates highly collimated output beams independently (and simultaneously) from any of the output source points of the switching array. These output beams can be used to simultaneously designate multiple targets. When the target illuminating device includes an optional detector array, light scattered from targets can be refracted by the balls lens to impinge on the detector array. Signals from the detector array representing the received light beams can be used for target imaging.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for optically designating multiple targets simultaneously and independently, the device comprising:
a. a light source;
b. a switching array configured to output at least a first addressable light beam and a second addressable light beam, the first and the second addressable light beams generated from light received from the light source, the light source and the switching array comprising a source array structure; and
c. a ball lens having a surface positioned adjacent to the source array structure and configured to receive the first addressable light beam and output a first output light beam to a first direction and to receive the second addressable light beam and output a second output light beam to a second direction; and
d. a detector array, positioned adjacent to the source array structure, adapted to generate a signal representative of light beams scattered from one or more of the multiple targets and refracted by the ball lens;
wherein the source array structure, the detector array, or a combination of the source array structure and the detector array is configured to be moveable with respect to the ball lens such that the first output light beam in the first direction designates a first target of the multiple targets and the second output light beam in the second direction designates a second target of the multiple targets independently of, and simultaneously with, the first output light beam.

2. The device according to claim 1 , where the ball lens is a spherical lens.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is an array of lasers.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the laser array comprises vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is an array of light emitting diodes.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is modulated.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the switching array is a micro-optic, a micro-opto-electro-mechanical system, a microelectromechanical system, a piezoelectric, an electro-optic, a liquid crystal array, or combinations thereof.

8. The device according to claim 1 , further including:
e. a mirror configured to direct the scattered and refracted light beams to impinge on the detector array.

9. The device according to claim 1 , wherein optical fibers are used to transmit light from the light source to the ball lens and the optical fibers form the switching array.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source and the switching array, that form the source array structure, are separate structures.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the light source and the switching array, that form the source array structure, comprise a single structure.

12. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
e. a translation stage configured to move the source array structure with respect to the ball lens.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the translation stage is configured to move the detector array and the source array structure with respect to the ball lens.

14. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
e. a translation stage configured to move the detector array with respect to the source array structure.

15. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the source array structure and the detector array are curved to conform to the surface of the ball lens.

16. A method for optically designating multiple targets simultaneously and independently, the method comprising:
a. providing a designation device including:
i. a light source;
ii. a switching array, configured to output at least a first addressable light beam and a second addressable light beam, the first and the second addressable light beams generated from light received from the light source, the light source and the switching array comprising a source array structure;
iii. a ball lens having a surface positioned adjacent to the source array structure and configured to receive the first addressable light beam and output a first output light beam to a first direction and to receive the second addressable light beam and output a second addressable light beam to a second direction; and
iv. a detector array, positioned adjacent to the source array structure, adapted to generate a signal representative of light beams scattered from one or more of the multiple targets and refracted by the ball lens; and

b. designating a first target of the multiple targets with the first output light beam and designating a second target of the multiple targets with the second output light beam independently of, and simultaneously with, the designating of the first target.

17. The method according to claim 16 , where the ball lens is a spherical lens.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the light source is an array of lasers.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the laser array comprises vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers.

20. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the light source is an array of light emitting diodes.

21. A method for generating an image of one or more targets on a surface:
a. providing an illumination device including:
i. a light source;
ii. a switching array, configured to output at least a first addressable light beam and a second addressable light beam, the first and the second addressable light beams generated from light received from the light source, the light source and the switching array comprising a source array structure;
iii. a ball lens having a surface positioned adjacent to the source array structure and configured to receive the first addressable light beam and output a first output light beam to a first direction and to receive the second addressable light beam and output a second output light beam to a second direction; and
iv. a detector array, positioned adjacent to the source array structure, adapted to generate a signal representative of light beams scattered from one or more of the multiple targets and refracted by the ball lens;

b. designating a first target of the multiple targets with the first output light beam and designating a second target of the multiple targets with the second output light beam independently of, and simultaneously with, the designating of the first target
c. illuminating an area of the surface using the illumination device, the area corresponding to the first target, the second target, or both;
d. capturing light scattered by the illuminated area of the surface using the detector array;
e. generating an array of pixels from the captured light; and
f. generating the image of the one or more targets by operating on the pixel array.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein operating on the pixel array includes performing a convolution on the pixel array.

Assignees

• Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc

Inventors

• Laine Juha-Pekka
• Blasche Gregory
• Dawson Robin
• Mcclain Sean
• Smith Stephen P
• Larsen Robert
• Arant Charles
• Ostrowski William

Classifications

• F41G3/145 Primary

  using a target illuminator · CPC title

• G01S17/66

  Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves · CPC title

• G01S7/4815

  using multiple transmitters · CPC title

• G01S17/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title