Bae Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.

Michael A Costolo

Jeffrey L Jew

Adam O Powers

Techniques for reducing a likelihood of detection of an imaging system by another imaging system are provided. For example, a mechanism may be used to interrupt an optical path between pulse biased thermal sensors and an aperture of the system when the pulsed biased thermal sensors are pulse biased. For example, emissions may be directed to a beam dump. Other techniques may include a mechanism for linearly moving the thermal sensor array or rotating a mirror.

Signature mitigation for uncooled thermal systems

Techniques for reducing a likelihood of detection of an imaging system by another imaging system are provided. For example, the techniques may include controlling read-out such that the timings between frames of an image are non-uniform. For example, a processor may be configured to generate a plurality of frame synchronization signals from a main clock and transmit the plurality of frame synchronization signals to readout circuitry. Each frame synchronization signal is an instruction to start the biasing and reading for a respective frame. The plurality of frame synchronization signals may be generated such that a timing between pulse biasing the same thermal sensor is not uniform. The techniques may also include controlling the read-out such that the timings between lines within a frame are non-uniform which also results in the timing between pulse biasing of the same thermal sensor not being uniform.

Systems for detecting a presence of a microbolometer are provided. The systems may also discriminate a type of the microbolometer. The systems may comprise analog filtering and processing or digital filtering and processing. In some examples, both analog and digital filtering may be used. For example, a system may comprises a photodiode, an analog to digital converter (ADC) having a frequency sampling rate of at least two times an expected frequency range of known microbolometers and a processor. The ADC may receive an amplified output from the photodiode and produce a sampled sequence using the frequency sampling rate. The processor converts the sampled sequence into a frequency profile, examines the frequency profile to identity at least a fundamental frequency and determines whether a microbolometer is detected in a line of sight of the photodiode based on the fundamental frequency.

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Amherst, NH, United States of America

Michael A Costolo