Texas Instruments Corporation

Raytheon Company

Douglas W Anderson

William Hale Wellman

Patrick A Trotta

Joseph F Borchard

D Scott Dewald

Michael Terry Davis

Paul Klocek

Thomas Drew Fisher

Tommy D Wright

Christine R Spiegl

Russell E Mauldin

John A Tejada

Gregory A Hatch

A monolithic body () has a compound optical surface that defines a centrally located lens element (B) that is transmissive to light having wavelengths of interest, such as infrared radiation (IR), and a reflector (B) disposed about the lens element that is reflective to the light. The monolithic body is comprised of a material selected for fabricating a refractive lens element. The compound optical surface has a centrally located portion defining the lens element surrounded by a generally curved surface region having a reflective coating that defines the reflector. The centrally located portion may be coated with an anti-reflection coating. The compound optical surface is preferably formed in one operation, such as one that uses a diamond point turning operation.

Monolithic lens/reflector optical component

A wide-angle IR imaging system (A) has an entrance aperture () for admitting IR from a scene and a dewar (A) that contains a coldshield () that encloses a cooled IR detector () disposed at an image plane (A). The dewar includes a dewar window (), and an optical axis of the IR imaging system passes through the dewar window and the image plane. The IR imaging system further includes a plurality of uncooled optical elements () disposed along the optical axis between the entrance aperture and the dewar window, and a plurality of generally annular reflector segments (A,B) disposed around the optical axis between the dewar window and the entrance aperture. Each of the reflector segments has a reflective surface that faces the dewar window. An opening through an outermost reflector segment furthest from the dewar window defines an effective cooled aperture stop, or warm stop (A) of the IR imaging system, and at least one of the optical elements () is disposed between the effective cooled aperture stop and another one of the reflector segments (A) that is located nearer to the dewar window. In the preferred embodiment the at least one optical element, and the reflector segment that is located nearer to the dewar window, are comprised of a single monolithic body () that has a compound optical surface.

Optical system for a wide field of view staring infrared sensor having improved optical symmetry

An infrared imaging system ( ) includes a catheter ( ). The catheter is inserted into a small passageway, such as a blood vein ( ), in order to collect infrared information from the vein. The information is refracted by at least one lens ( ) in a collecting section ( ) of the catheter, and is imaged onto the ends ( ) of an array of optical fibers ( ). The fibers transmit the information to a relay lens ( ), which images the information onto respective detector elements of an infrared detector ( ). The infrared detector converts the information received from the relay lens into electrical information, which is transmitted to a circuit ( ). The circuit generates electrical data that is transmitted to a display ( ), which displays a visible image based on the infrared radiation emitted by the scene.

Method and apparatus for infrared imaging in small passageways

An optical engine (15) for an SLM-type display system, which may be either a front or rear projection system ( ). The optical engine ( ) provides for a high contrast, telecentric illumination angle to the SLM ( ) without compromising brightness by vignetting due to offset in the pupil. The resulting offset pupil is converted to a telecentric, on-axis image by a relay path ( ) between the SLM ( ) and the projection lens ( ). The relay path ( ) places the image at an intermediate image plane accessible by a the projection lens ( ), which permits the projection lens ( ) to be telecentric without an offset pupil.

Optical engine for front or rear screen SLM display systems

A system that provides a head-up display for an operator of a vehicle includes a collection device that can collect infrared energy and an image source coupled to the collection device. The image source can generate a visual image based on the collected infrared energy. The system also includes a lens through which the visual image passes before presentation to the operator of the vehicle and a reflector that can reflect the visual image before presentation to the operator of the vehicle.

Head-up display

An image display apparatus comprises a main display and an auxiliary display. The main display is used to produce a volumetric image such as graphical image, and the auxiliary display is used to generate two dimensional image such as text image. The auxiliary display is located adjacent the the main display and being able to move relative to the main display along a path extending in a direction substantially circumferential to the main display.

System and method for high resolution volume display using a planar array

A projection lens (,) having a BFD:EFL, ratio in the range of 0.80:1 to 1.60:1, an air equivalent BFD of at least 4.3 inches, a throw ratio in the range of 3:1 to 6:1, and lateral color correction of one-quarter pixel when used with an SXGA modulator having pixels on 0.17 &mgr;m centers, and operating with its chief rays telecentric at the plane of the modulator. The projection lens comprises an objective lens group (,), a telecentric lens group (,), and an aperture stop (,) between the objective lens group and the telecentric lens group.

Telecentric projection lens

An offset reverse telephoto projection zoom lens 300 comprising a moving zoom group 302, a moving compensation group 304, and a fixed rear lens group 306. According to one embodiment of the projection lens, the zoom group 302 has four lenses, the compensation group 304 has four lenses, and the fixed rear group 306 has three lenses. An aperture stop 308 is located in the fixed rear group 306. The fixed rear group 306 has a small diameter which helps alleviate interference with illumination optics. Additionally, a fixed rear group 306 does not require zoom mechanisms at the rear of the lens 300 where space is at a premium.

Offset projection zoom lens with fixed rear group for reflective spatial

An offset reverse telephoto projection lens that is telecentric in modulator space and has an air equivalent back focal distance of at least 3.3 inches and preferably at least 4.0 inches. The lens comprising, from the image side, a first objective lens group 408 having a negative power and a second telecentric lens group having a positive power. The second telecentric lens group 410 is telecentric in object space such that the image of the aperture is focused at infinity and light converges on the object plane perpendicular to the axis of the lens. Embodiments of the lens have a back focal distance to effective focal length ratio of at least 0.86:1, preferably at least 1.2:1, more preferably at least 1.3:1, still more preferably at least 4.08:1, and most preferably 5.0:1. The embodiments described have a field of view between 14 degrees and 73 degrees, have throw ratios of 1.2:1 to 7:1, and an overall length ranging from less than 5 inches to 12.5 inches.

Offset projection lens for use with reflective spatial light modulators

There is disclosed a method and system for controlling the optics of a coherent light source impacting a three dimensional defined volume. The system uses a scanner to time and spatially position the coherent light. The divergent light beam output of the scanner is then placed through positive and negative lenses to narrow the beam waist while also increasing the divergence angle of the beam. Provision is made to abate the divergence angle so that the light, as it impacts the defined volume, will not continue to diverge, creating a skewed image within the volume.

Volume display optical system and method

A head-mounted display (10). A spatial light modulator (12) generates the image to be viewed. A projection lens (14) projects the image to a rear projection screen (16), which diffuses the image to accommodate the spacing and size of the viewer's eyes. The image is reflected by a beam splitter (17) to a curved reflector (18) in front of the viewer's eyes. The reflector (18) reflects the image through the beam splitter (17) in parallel rays so that the image appears to be distant, and also magnifies the image to provide a wide field of view.

Wide field of view head-mounted display

A three dimensional display having a rotating screen, preferably helical in shape, a light source providing a beam of light and a holographic pattern deflecting the beam of light to predetermined points on the screen. The light is modulated, preferably by the holographic pattern. The holographic pattern rotates with the same angular velocity as the screen. The holographic pattern comprises a plurality of concentric circles, each of the circles comprising a plurality of cells, each of the cells representing a point on the screen.

Growing community of inventors

Richardson, TX, United States of America

Douglas W Anderson