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US 8,044,332 B2Granted
Hybrid architecture active wavefront sensing and control system, and method
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsLee D. Feinberg, Bruce H. Dean, Tristram T. Hyde
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to various embodiments, provided herein is an optical system and method that can be configured to perform image analysis. The optical system can comprise a telescope assembly and one or more hybrid instruments. The one or more hybrid instruments can be configured to receive image data from the telescope assembly and perform a fine guidance operation and a wavefront sensing operation, simultaneously, on the image data received from the telescope assembly.
Claims20
An optical system comprising:
- a telescope assembly;
- and
- a hybrid instrument in electrical communication with the telescope assembly, the hybrid instrument being configured to perform a fine guidance operation while simultaneously being configured to perform wavefront sensing operation on image data received by the telescope assembly, the hybrid instrument comprising
- a pickoff mirror configured to receive image data from the telescope assembly and direct the image data along a first radiation beam path,
- a first beam splitter disposed along a first radiation beam path and configured to (i) receive a first radiation beam, (ii) allow a portion of the first radiation beam to pass through as a first split beam, and (iii) reflect a portion of the first radiation beam as a second split beam along a second split beam path,
- a second beam splitter disposed along the second split beam path and configured to allow a portion of the second split beam to pass through as a third split beam along a third split beam path, and configured to reflect a portion of the second split beam as a fourth split beam along a fourth split beam path, and
- one or more detectors disposed along the first split beam path, the fourth split beam path, and the third split beam path.
4 more elements
An optical system comprising:
- a telescope assembly comprising a primary minor and a secondary minor;
- and
- a plurality of hybrid instruments each in electrical communication with the telescope assembly, each hybrid instrument being configured to perform fine guidance while simultaneously being configured to perform wavefront sensing on image data received by the telescope assembly, each hybrid instrument comprising
- a pickoff mirror configured to receive image data from the telescope assembly and direct the image data along a first radiation beam path,
- a first beam splitter disposed along a first radiation beam path and configured to (i) receive a first radiation beam, (ii) allow a portion of the first radiation beam to pass through as a first split beam, and (iii) reflect a portion of the first radiation beam as a second split beam along a second split beam path, and
- one or more detectors disposed along the first split beam path, and a wavefront sensor disposed along the second split beam path,
- wherein one hybrid instrument is in electrical communication with the primary minor and is configured to simultaneously perform a wavefront sensing operation and fine guidance sensing operation for the primary minor, and at least one hybrid instrument is in electrical communication with the secondary minor and is configured to simultaneously perform wavefront sensing operation and fine guidance sensing operation for the secondary minor.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving a beam of radiation with a telescope assembly;
- splitting the beam of radiation with a first beam splitter disposed along a first radiation beam path, such that a portion of the first radiation beam passes through the first beam splitter as a first split beam, and a portion of the first radiation beam is reflected as a second split beam along a second split beam path;
- splitting the second split beam with a second beam splitter such that a portion of the second split beam passes through the second beam splitter as a third split beam along a third split beam path, and a portion of the second split beam is reflected by the second beam splitter as a fourth split beam along a fourth split beam path;
- detecting the first split beam, the fourth split beam, and the third split beam, with one or more detectors;
- generating image data based on the first split beam, the fourth split beam, and the third split beam;
- and
- performing a fine guidance sensing operation and a wavefront sensing operation using the generated image data.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.