Litton Systems, Inc.

John R Lucas

Stuart A Mills

David T Carrott

James P Karins

Bob Mitchell

Barry Dydyk

Andrew M Pollack

An optical correlator system having a plurality of both active and passive reflective optical components between a source of electromagnetic radiation, such a visible coherent light, and an output detector array in a planar support body along a folded optical axis beam path within the body uses a ferro-electric liquid crystal spatial light modulator as the input sensor and the correlating filter to provide enhanced optical detection of an unknown object at a CCD detector array.

High output reflective optical correlator having a folded optical axis

In an optical correlator system having reflective and transmissive optical components positioned along a folded and segmented optical axis or path, one or more optical path extenders are provided for selected optical path segments that require operative path length adjustment so that an electromagnetic radiation beam, which traverses the folded optical path with selected information imparted into and detected from the beam, can be imaged upon a defined and maximum usable area or region both on the reflective components and on an end detector component.

Extenders for reflective optical path segments

An optical correlator system having a plurality of reflective optical components, both active and passive, positioned (1) between a source of electromagnetic radiation, such as a visible beam of coherent light, and an output detector array, and (2) around an asymmetrical perimeter of a planar support body to develop an asymmetrically folded optical axis or path wholly within the body where the path is traversed by the beam SO THAT information processed by the active optical components along the optical path and imparted to the optical beam enable the optical detection of an unknown object at the detector array which is then subject to an identification process.

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Glendale, CA, United States of America

John R Lucas