# US 10,484,631 B2 · Device for non-uniformity correction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,484,631 B2 - Document ID: US10484631B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/588,899 - Filed: 2017-05-08 - Published: 2017-11-23 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-20 - Assignees: Wavefront Research, Inc. - Applicants: Wavefront Research, Inc. - Inventors: Thomas A. Mitchell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10484631B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/671: for non-uniformity detection or correction - H04N 17/002: {for television cameras} - H04N 23/23: from thermal infrared radiation - H04N 25/673: by using reference sources - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Optical systems that provide non-uniformity correction devices that are capable of providing low radiance level sources. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical imaging system comprising: a first source of electromagnetic radiation; an optical subassembly having at least one optical element; said optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said first source; a detector; an environmental device configured to provide an operating environment suitable for said detector; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said optical subassembly; said detector being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by said environmental device; a second source of electromagnetic radiation; said second source being disposed within the operating environment of said environmental device; said second source being configurable such that in a first configuration said second source is not optically disposed in front of said detector and in a second configuration said second source is optically disposed in front of said detector; and said detector being configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from the second source when said second source is in said second configuration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical imaging system of claim 1 wherein said first source and said second source are at different temperatures. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical imaging system of claim 1 wherein said at least one optical element is refractive. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical imaging system of claim 1 wherein said at least one optical element is reflective. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical imaging system of claim 1 wherein said second source is emissive. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical imaging system of claim 1 wherein said second source is reflective. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical imaging system of claim 6 wherein said second source is configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation from said detector. ### Claim 8 An optical imaging system comprising: a detector; an environmental device capable of providing an operating environment suitable for said detector; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said detector; an optical subassembly having at least one optical element; said optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said environmental device; a source of electromagnetic radiation; a reflecting element; said reflecting element being optically disposed between said source and said optical subassembly; said reflecting element being configurable such that, in a first configuration, said reflecting element being configured to reflect a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said optical subassembly, and, in a second configuration said reflecting element is configured to transmit a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said source; said optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation reflected by said reflecting element in said first configuration; said optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by said reflecting element in said second configuration; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said optical subassembly; and said detector being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by said environmental device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The optical imaging system of claim 8 wherein said at least one optical element is refractive. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The optical imaging system of claim 8 wherein said at least one optical element is reflective. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The optical imaging system of claim 8 wherein said reflecting element has no optical power. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The optical imaging system of claim 8 wherein said reflecting element has optical power. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The optical imaging system of claim 8 wherein said reflecting element is configured to have a plurality of configurations, such that, in a third configuration in said plurality of configurations, said reflecting element is partially reflective or partially transmissive to electromagnetic radiation. ### Claim 14 An optical imaging system comprising: a detector; an environmental device configured to provide an operating environment suitable for said detector; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said detector; an optical subassembly having at least one optical element; said optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said environmental device; a source of electromagnetic radiation; a configurable aperture; said configurable aperture being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said source; said optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic transmitted by transmitted by said configurable aperture in a first configuration; said configurable aperture having at least one reflective surface; said configurable aperture being configured to reflect a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said optical subassembly in a second configuration; said optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation reflected by said configurable aperture; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said optical subassembly; and said detector being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by said environmental device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The optical imaging system of claim 14 wherein said at least one optical element is refractive. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The optical imaging system of claim 14 wherein said at least one optical element is reflective. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The optical imaging system of claim 14 wherein said at least one reflective surface of said configurable aperture has no optical power. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The optical imaging system of claim 14 wherein said at least one reflective surface of said configurable aperture has optical power. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The optical imaging system of claim 14 wherein said configurable aperture is configurable by means of translation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The optical imaging system of claim 19 wherein said configurable aperture has a plurality of configurations, wherein at least one configuration in said plurality of configurations has a different aperture size than another configuration in said plurality of configurations. ### Claim 21 An optical imaging system comprising: a detector; an environmental device configured to provide an operating environment suitable for said detector; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said detector; a first optical subassembly having at least one optical element; said first optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said environmental device; said first optical subassembly having an entrance pupil; a second optical subassembly having at least one optical element; a source of electromagnetic radiation; said second optical subassembly being configured to reimage said entrance pupil to a location proximate to said source of electromagnetic radiation; a configurable optical element optically disposed between said second optical subassembly and said source; said configurable optical element being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said source; said second optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic transmitted by said configurable optical element when said configurable optical element is in a first configuration; said configurable optical element being configured to reflect a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said second optical subassembly when said configurable optical element is in a second configuration; said second optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic transmitted by said configurable optical element when said configurable optical element is in said first configuration and said second optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic reflected by said configurable optical element when said configurable optical element is in said second configuration; said second optical subassembly being configured to reimage electromagnetic radiation from said configurable optical element to said entrance pupil; said first optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation reimaged by said second optical subassembly; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said first optical subassembly; and said detector being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by said environmental device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The optical imaging system of claim 21 wherein said at least one optical element of said first optical assembly is refractive. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The optical imaging system of claim 21 wherein said at least one optical element of said first optical assembly is reflective. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The optical imaging system of claim 21 wherein said at least one optical element of said second optical assembly is refractive. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The optical imaging system of claim 21 wherein said at least one optical element of said second optical assembly is reflective. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The optical imaging system of claim 21 wherein said configurable optical element has a plurality of configurations, wherein each configuration in said plurality of configurations has a different reflective and transmissive property. ### Claim 27 An optical imaging system comprising: a detector; an environmental device configured to provide an operating environment suitable for said detector; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said detector; a first optical subassembly having at least one optical element; said first optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said environmental device; said first optical subassembly having an entrance pupil; a second optical subassembly having at least one optical element; a source of electromagnetic radiation; said second optical subassembly being configured to reimage said entrance pupil to a location proximate to said source of electromagnetic radiation; a configurable optical element optically disposed between said second optical subassembly and said source; said configurable optical element being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said source; said second optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic transmitted by said configurable optical element; said configurable optical element being configured to reflect a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said second optical subassembly; said second optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic reflected by said configurable optical element; said second optical subassembly being configured to reimage electromagnetic radiation from said configurable optical element to said entrance pupil; said first optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation reimaged by said second optical subassembly; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said first optical subassembly; said detector being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by said environmental device; a redirecting element; said redirecting element being optically disposed between said first optical subassembly and said second optical subassembly; said redirecting element being configured to being positioned to redirect electromagnetic radiation from said second optical subassembly to said first optical subassembly; said redirecting element being configured to also being positioned to block electromagnetic radiation from said second optical subassembly to said first optical subassembly. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The optical imaging system of claim 27 wherein said redirecting element is reflective. ### Claim 29 An optical imaging system comprising: a detector; an environmental device configured to provide an operating environment suitable for said detector; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said detector; an optical subassembly having at least one optical element; said optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said environmental device; a configurable redirecting element; said configurable redirecting element being configured to being configurable to redirect a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said optical subassembly to said optical subassembly when said configurable redirecting element is in a first configuration; a source of electromagnetic radiation; said configurable redirecting element also being configured to being configurable to redirect a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said source to said optical subassembly when said configurable redirecting element is in a second configuration; said optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic redirected by said configurable redirecting element; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said optical subassembly; and said detector being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by said environmental device. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The optical imaging system of claim 29 wherein said at least one optical element is refractive. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The optical imaging system of claim 29 wherein said at least one optical element is reflective. ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) The optical imaging system of claim 29 wherein said configurable redirecting element is reflective. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The optical imaging system of claim 32 wherein said configurable redirecting element is a scanning mirror. ### Claim 34 (depends on 29) The optical imaging system of claim 29 wherein said second source is configurable by means of translation. ### Claim 35 (depends on 29) The optical imaging system of claim 29 wherein said second source is configurable by means of rotation. ### Claim 36 (depends on 29) The optical imaging system of claim 29 wherein said second source is configurable by means of a flip mechanism. ### Claim 37 An optical imaging system comprising: a first source of electromagnetic radiation; an optical subassembly having at least one optical element; said optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said first source; a detector; an environmental device configured to provide an operating environment suitable for said detector; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said optical subassembly; said detector being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by said environmental device; a second source of electromagnetic radiation; said second source being disposed within the operating environment of said environmental device; said second source being configurable such that in a first configuration said second source is transmitting and in a second configuration said second source is opaque; and said detector being capable of receiving electromagnetic radiation from the second source. ### Claim 38 An optical imaging system comprising: a first source of electromagnetic radiation; an optical subassembly having at least one optical element; said optical subassembly being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said first source; a detector; an environmental device configured to provide an operating environment suitable for said detector; said environmental device being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation from said optical subassembly; said detector being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation transmitted by said environmental device; a second source of electromagnetic radiation; said second source being disposed within the operating environment of said environmental device; said second source being configurable such that in a first configuration said second source is transmitting and in a second configuration said second source is reflective; and said detector being configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from the second source. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The optical imaging system of claim 38 wherein said second source is configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation from said detector.