Spatial light modulator seeker calibration
AssigneeSimmonds Precision Products, Inc.
InventorsOwen Daniel Evans, Jason Graham, Robert D. Rutkiewicz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In certain embodiments, an imaging system includes an enclosure with an objective aperture opening into an interior space of the enclosure, an optical assembly optically coupling the objective aperture to an imaging sensor within the enclosure, a spatial light modulator (SLM) mounted to the objective aperture for selectively blocking and admitting illumination through the objective aperture into the interior space, and an illuminator mounted to illuminate the interior space of the enclosure.
Claims15
An imaging system used in a moving platform for guiding the moving platform, the imaging system comprising:
- an enclosure with an objective aperture opening into an interior space of the enclosure;
- an optical assembly optically coupling the objective aperture to an imaging sensor within the enclosure;
- a spatial light modulator (SLM) mounted to the objective aperture for selectively blocking and admitting illumination through the objective aperture into the interior space;
- an illuminator mounted to illuminate the interior space of the enclosure;
- an imaging board, wherein the imaging sensor is operatively connected to the imaging board;
- a SLM controller operatively connected to the imaging board to control the SLM;
- and
- an illuminator controller operatively connected to the imaging board to control the illuminator, wherein the imaging board includes machine readable instructions configured to cause the imaging board to perform an imaging system calibration, the imaging system calibration comprising:
- blocking, with the SLM, illumination outside the enclosure from reaching the interior space;
- illuminating, with the illuminator, the interior space;
- and
- capturing, with the imaging sensor, a calibration image using illumination from the illuminator;
- and wherein the machine readable instructions are further configured to cause the imaging system to provide an imaging mode for guiding the moving platform, wherein in the imaging mode the blocking further includes using the SLM to actively block one or more bright spots from reaching the imaging sensor.
A method used in an imaging system for guiding a moving platform comprising:
- performing a calibration of the imaging system by:
- blocking, with an SLM mounted to an objective aperture, illumination outside an enclosure of the objective aperture from reaching an interior space of the enclosure;
- illuminating, with an illuminator, the interior space;
- and
- capturing, with an imaging sensor optically coupled to the objective aperture, a calibration image using illumination from the illuminator;
- and
- in an imaging mode for guiding the moving platform, using the SLM to actively block one or more bright spots from reaching the imaging sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.