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US 9,818,009 B2Granted
Multi-spectral enhancements for scan cameras
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorDouglas Jungwirth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-spectral scan camera and methods are presented. Light beams are emitted from a plurality of light sources comprising a plurality of spectral wavelengths respectively. The light beams from the light sources are scanned across a field of view at a plurality of respective angles using a scan mirror, and each of the spectral wavelengths are received at respective detectors.
Claims20
A multi-spectral scan camera comprising:
- at least four light sources configured to emit at least four light beams having at least four respective spectral wavelengths;
- a single scan mirror configured to simultaneously scan all of the at least four light beams from the at least four light sources across a field of view at a plurality of scan angles in a raster scan pattern, wherein the at least four light beams are simultaneously spread by one planar surface of the single scan mirror in a fan-like pattern perpendicular to a scan direction at multiple locations on the field of view at the plurality of scan angles based on the at least four respective spectral wavelengths of the at least four light beams and independent of the field of view, wherein each light beam of the at least four light beams has a specific scan angle of the plurality of scan angles, and wherein each scan angle of the plurality of scan angles differs;
- and
- at least four detectors configured to receive light having the at least four respective spectral wavelengths simultaneously from the field of view.
1 more element
A method for multi-spectral scanning, the method comprising:
- emitting at least four light beams from at least four light sources, wherein the at least four light beams having at least four respective spectral wavelengths;
- scanning all of the at least four light beams from the at least four light sources simultaneously across a field of view in a raster scan pattern at a plurality of scan angles in a fan-like pattern perpendicular to a scan direction independent of the field of view using one planar surface of a single scan mirror, wherein each light beam of the at least four light beams has a specific scan angle of the plurality of scan angles, and wherein each scan angle of the plurality of scan angles differs;
- receiving the at least four light beams having the at least four respective spectral wavelengths from the field of view at at least four detectors simultaneously;
- and
- increasing a vertical scan rate by a factor of a number of the light beams.
2 more elements
A method for providing a multi-spectral scan camera, the method comprising:
- providing at least four light sources configured to emit at least four light beams having at least four respective spectral wavelengths;
- providing a single scan mirror configured to simultaneously scan all of the at least four light beams from the at least four light sources across a field of view in a raster scan pattern, wherein the at least four light beams are simultaneously spread by one planar surface of the single scan mirror at a plurality of scan angles in a fan-like pattern perpendicular to a scan direction independent of the field of view, wherein each light beam of the at least four light beams has a specific scan angle of the plurality of scan angles, and wherein each scan angle of the plurality of scan angles differs;
- and
- providing at least four detectors configured to receive light having the at least four respective spectral wavelengths simultaneously from the field of view.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.