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US 12,228,724 B2Granted
Modular reconfigurable optical systems for supporting multiple modalities
AssigneeGoodrich Corporation
InventorsJohn Anthony Tejada, William Jeff McKinley
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Abstract
An optical system comprising includes an off-axis folded three mirror anastigmat (TMA) telescope including a primary mirror for receiving energy from a scene. A secondary mirror is aligned to receive reflected energy from the primary mirror. A fold mirror is aligned to receive reflected energy from the secondary mirror. A tertiary mirror is aligned to receive reflected energy from the fold mirror and to direct energy between the secondary mirror and the fold mirror. A beam splitter is aligned to receive energy reflected from the tertiary mirror, to reflect a portion of that energy to a first imaging sensor, and to pass a second portion of that energy to a second imaging sensor.
Claims19
An optical system comprising:
- an off-axis folded three mirror anastigmat (TMA) telescope including a primary mirror configured to receive scene energy, a secondary mirror configured to receive reflected energy from the primary mirror, a fold mirror configured to receive reflected energy from the secondary mirror, and a tertiary mirror configured to receive reflected energy from the fold mirror and to direct energy between the secondary mirror and the fold mirror;
- and
- an interchangeable module configured to be removably connected to the TMA telescope, the interchangeable module comprising:
- a first imaging sensor that is sensitive to a first modality of wavelengths;
- a second imaging sensor that is sensitive to a second modality of wavelengths;
- and
- a removable beam splitter configured to receive energy reflected from the tertiary mirror, to reflect a portion of that energy to the first imaging sensor, and to pass a second portion of that energy to the second imaging sensor, wherein the removable beam splitter includes a coating configured to accommodate wavelength sensitivities of the first imaging sensor and the second imaging sensor;
- wherein the interchangeable module is removable and replaceable with a second interchangeable module comprising:
- a third imaging sensor that is sensitive to a third modality of wavelengths;
- and
- a fourth imaging sensor that is sensitive to a fourth modality of wavelengths.
8 more elements
A method comprising:
- obtaining an off-axis folded three mirror anastigmat (TMA) telescope including a primary mirror configured to receive scene energy, a secondary mirror configured to receive reflected energy from the primary mirror, a fold mirror configured to receive reflected energy from the secondary mirror, and a tertiary mirror configured to receive reflected energy from the fold mirror and to direct energy between the secondary mirror and the fold mirror;
- and
- changing both of a first imaging sensor and a second imaging sensor out of the TMA telescope that forms an image on each of the first and second imaging sensors, wherein an interchangeable module is configured to be removably connected to the TMA telescope, the interchangeable module comprising:
- the first imaging sensor, which is sensitive to a first modality of wavelengths;
- the second imaging sensor, which is sensitive to a second modality of wavelengths;
- and
- a removable beam splitter configured to receive energy reflected from the tertiary mirror, to reflect a portion of that energy to the first imaging sensor, and to pass a second portion of that energy to the second imaging sensor, wherein the removable beam splitter includes a coating configured to accommodate wavelength sensitivities of the first imaging sensor and the second imaging sensor;
- wherein changing both of the first imaging sensor and the second imaging sensor comprises replacing the interchangeable module with a second interchangeable module, the second interchangeable module comprising:
- a third imaging sensor that is sensitive to a third modality of wavelengths;
- and
- a fourth imaging sensor that is sensitive to a fourth modality of wavelengths;
- and
- wherein replacing the interchangeable module with the second interchangeable module includes not changing front end optics including the TMA telescope.
10 more elements
An optical system comprising:
- an off-axis folded three mirror anastigmat (TMA) telescope including a primary mirror configured to receive scene energy, a secondary mirror configured to receive reflected energy from the primary mirror, a fold mirror configured to receive reflected energy from the secondary mirror, and a tertiary mirror configured to receive reflected energy from the fold mirror and to direct energy between the secondary mirror and the fold mirror;
- a first interchangeable module configured to be removably connected to the TMA telescope, the first interchangeable module comprising a first imaging sensor sensitive to at least a first plurality of wavelengths and a second imaging sensor sensitive to at least a second plurality of wavelengths, wherein the first interchangeable module is removable and replaceable with a second interchangeable module comprising a third imaging sensor sensitive to at least a third plurality of wavelengths and a fourth imaging sensor sensitive to at least a fourth plurality of wavelengths;
- a pod configured to house the TMA telescope and the first interchangeable module within the pod;
- and
- a single window configured to allow scene energy into the pod to the TMA telescope.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.