# US 11,029,392 B2 · Method and apparatus for computational ghost imaging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,392 B2 - Document ID: US11029392B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/564,455 - Filed: 2016-03-29 - Published: 2018-05-24 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-10 - Assignees: BAE SYSTEMS plc - Applicants: BAE Systems plc - Inventors: Nicholas Giacomo Robert Colosimo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029392B2 ## CPC - G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning} - G01S 7/481: Constructional features, e.g. arrangements of optical elements - G01S 17/88: Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications - G02B 3/12: Fluid-filled or evacuated lenses - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A computational ghost imaging apparatus comprising a first electromagnetic radiation source (100) and a control system configured to cause electromagnetic radiation from said first source to be applied to a selected plurality of three-dimensional portions of an atmospheric volume between a second electromagnetic radiation source (110) and object or region of interest (106) so as to heat or ionise the air within said selected portions and create an atmospheric spatial radiation modulator (108) of a specified pattern for causing said object or region of interest to be irradiated with spatially modulated electromagnetic radiation in said specified pattern, the apparatus further comprising a detector for receiving electromagnetic radiation reflected from said object or region of interest (106), and a processing module for reconstructing an image of said object or region of interest using data output by said detector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computational ghost imaging apparatus comprising a first electromagnetic radiation source and a control system configured to cause electromagnetic radiation from said first source to be applied to a selected plurality of three-dimensional portions of an atmospheric volume located between a second electromagnetic radiation source and an object or region of interest so as to heat or ionise the air within said selected portions and create an atmospheric spatial radiation modulator of a specified pattern for causing said object or region of interest to be irradiated with spatially modulated second electromagnetic radiation in said specified pattern, the apparatus further comprising a detector for receiving spatially modulated second electromagnetic radiation reflected from said object or region of interest, and a processor for reconstructing an image of said object or region of interest using data output by said detector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said specified pattern is a pattern of individually ionised and non-ionised portions of said atmospheric volume. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said specified pattern is defined by a pattern of atmospheric diverging lenses, wherein said diverging lenses comprise one or more heated portions of said atmospheric volume. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pattern is random. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first electromagnetic radiation source comprises one or more lasers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control system is configured to periodically alter said specified pattern of said atmospheric spatial radiation modulator by changing the selected portions of said atmospheric volume to which said electromagnetic radiation is applied, and data representative of each specified pattern and a time interval associated therewith is provided to said processor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detector and processor are located remotely from said first electromagnetic radiation source and control system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a beam steering mechanism selectively steering a beam of electromagnetic radiation output from said first electromagnetic radiation source, said control system being communicably coupled to said beam steering mechanism and configured to generate signals for steering said beam of electromagnetic radiation relative to said atmospheric volume so as to sequentially apply electromagnetic radiation to said selected portions of said atmospheric volume. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a beam splitter for splitting a beam output from said first electromagnetic radiation source into a plurality of paths corresponding to respective locations of selected portions of said atmospheric volume. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second electromagnetic radiation source comprises one or more light sources, and said spatial radiation modulator comprises a spatial light modulator for causing said object or region of interest to be irradiated with spatially modulated light in said specified pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A control system for apparatus according to claim 1, configured to cause electromagnetic radiation from said first source to be applied to a selected plurality of three-dimensional portions of an atmospheric volume between a second electromagnetic radiation source and an object or region of interest so as to heat or ionise the air within said selected portions and create an atmospheric spatial radiation modulator of a specified pattern for causing said object or region of interest to be irradiated with spatially modulated second electromagnetic radiation in said specified pattern, periodically alter said specified pattern of said atmospheric spatial radiation modulator by changing the selected portions of said atmospheric volume to which said electromagnetic radiation is applied, and provide data representative of each specified pattern and a time interval associated therewith to said processor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The control system according to claim 11, wherein said second electromagnetic radiation source comprises one or more light sources, and said spatial radiation modulator comprises a spatial light modulator of a specified pattern for causing said object or region of interest to be irradiated with spatially modulated light in said specified pattern.