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US 11,268,860 B2Granted
Radiometric calibration of detector
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorLacy G. Cook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for sensor calibration of a system having an aperture, primary mirror, secondary mirror, and a sensor, such as an FPA IR sensor. A calibration system includes calibration energy sources with a movable first mirror configured to be selectively inserted into the optical path and select one of the calibration energy sources and a second mirror configured to image the selected calibration energy source.
Claims18
A system, comprising:
- an aperture to collect energy for detection by a sensor;
- a primary optical element to reflect the collected energy;
- a secondary optical element to reflect energy from the primary optical element to the sensor, wherein an optical path extends from the primary optical element to the sensor;
- and
- a calibration system, comprising:
- first and second calibration energy sources;
- a movable first mirror configured to be selectively inserted into the optical path between the secondary optical element and an intermediate image during calibration, wherein the first mirror is closer to the intermediate image than the secondary optical element;
- and
- a second mirror configured to image a first-one of the first and second calibration energy sources,
- wherein the first mirror is configured to have a stowed position not in the optical path during non-calibration of the system, a first position to select the first calibration energy source and a second position to select the second calibration energy source.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- calibrating a sensor system that comprises:
- an aperture to collect energy for detection by a sensor;
- a primary optical element to reflect the collected energy;
- a secondary optical element to reflect energy from the primary optical element to the sensor, wherein an optical path extends from the primary optical element to the sensor;
- and
- wherein calibrating the sensor system comprises:
- employing first and second calibration energy sources during calibration;
- inserting a movable first mirror into the optical path between the secondary optical element and an intermediate image during calibration of the sensor to select a first one of the first and second calibration energy sources, wherein the first mirror is closer to the intermediate image than the secondary optical element;
- and
- imaging, using a second mirror, the first one of the first and second calibration energy sources,
- wherein the first mirror is configured to have a stowed position not in the optical path during non-calibration of the system, a first position to select the first calibration energy source and a second position to select the second calibration energy source.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.