Raytheon Company

Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc.

Howtek, Inc.

Mark R Fernald

Kenneth J Harte

Richard F Lehman

Calvin M Winey

Vincent A Grosso

Joseph L Mclaughlin

Richard R LaTorre

Richard A Beckerleg

Jeffrey D Renk

A digitizing scanner particularly for scanning transparent films such as X-rays provides an improved illuminator for transmitting light through the film. The illuminator defines a line array of a plurality of individually calibrated and controlled LEDs. The LEDs are calibrated by determining their relative points of projection on a CCD camera array. The camera array scans the LEDs and adjusts them individually to produce a predetermined illumination pattern from the group. The adjustment occurs over a plurality of cycles that address cross-talk between LEDs in the array. The camera includes anti-reflection elements to minimize bounce-back of image light and noise suppression circuitry to reduce low-level signal noise. A central processing unit, interconnected with the camera assembly includes a pixel averager to reduce the inherent resolution of the CCD to a desired level and to attenuate further noise. The scanner can include an illuminator for illuminating a scannable opaque bar-code strip and size-measurement circuitry for determining the relative size and location of the scanned image.

Digitizing scanner

An optical beam homogenizer includes an entrance pupil through which a non-uniform optical beam propagates. A first optical component having plural flat surfaces receives the input beam. The flat surfaces of the first optical component effectively segment the entrance pupil by dividing the input beam into plural beamlets, one beamlet for each pupil segment and flat surface. The beamlets are received by a second optical component which also has multiple flat surfaces, each flat surface receiving a beamlet. The second optical component directs the beamlets toward each other such that they overlap at an exit pupil of the system. The second optical component also focuses the beamlets such that an image of each entrance pupil segment is formed at the exit pupil. The images of the individual entrance pupil segments are superimposed upon each other at the exit pupil to form a uniform optical output beam.

Optical beam homogenizing apparatus and method

An infrared seeker for use in a spinning projectile is shown to include a Cassegrainian telescope having a tapered optical wedge overlying the entrance aperture, such wedge being rotatably mounted to allow scanning and tracking, and a jettisonable streamlined cover overlying the optical wedge to reduce drag so long as such cover is in place.

Infrared seeker

Growing community of inventors

Amherst, NH, United States of America

Mark R Fernald