Raytheon Company

Hughes Electronics Corporation

Hughes Aircraft Company

Peter Val Messina

Frederick B Koehler

Ronald George Hegg

William B King

Lloyd J Lewins

Chaunchy F McKearn

Ernest Dean Fasse

An off-axis telescope having a primary optical element configured to reflect an energy beam from an optical reference source that emits the energy beam along an optical path. The telescope includes angle sensors arranged on a periphery of the primary optical element to determine angular motion of the energy beam from the optical reference source. The angle sensors are operable to be biased to positional settings associated with a desired pointing direction of the energy beam. A secondary optical element is arranged in the optical path and translated along three orthogonal axes. A plurality of steering mirrors arranged between the optical reference source and the secondary optical element is configured to be tilted in response to a control signal. A controller auto-aligns the telescope by at least translating the secondary optical element and tilting the steering mirrors via the control signal using at least inputs from the plurality of angle sensors.

System for automatic alignment, stabilization, and focus for an off-axis telescope using biased angle sensors

This document discusses apparatus and methods for aligning and centering an articulated laser projection system. In an example, a laser projection system can include an alignment stabilization system configured to align an optical path to a reference and a centration stabilization system configured to center the optical path within an aperture. The alignment stabilization system can have an alignment stabilization processing path configured to receive alignment information from an alignment sensor, and the centration stabilization system can have a centration stabilization processing path configured to receive centration information from a centration sensor.

Micro-radian class line of sight and centration stabilization system

A control system () operates within a dynamic range, and a follow-up system () is commanded to reduce a positional error between the follow-up system and the control system when the dynamic range is exceeded. A linear follow-up command may be initially provided once a dead band value () is exceeded. The follow-up system () is driven relative to its base mount () in a direction to reduce the positional error to within a null value range (). The follow-up command may also implement a decay function to control the follow-up system (). A control variable transfer function may also be utilized to gradually subtract the dead band value from the follow-up system position error command as a function of time. The decaying function may include linear as well as non-linear decaying functions. In one embodiment, a figure eight-type hysteresis control function may be implemented to control the inertial position of an inertial element. The various embodiments of the present invention may be suitable for space-based laser designating and targeting systems, space-based camera-positioning systems, space-based telescopes, and radar antenna positioning systems.

Figure eight hysteresis control method and follow-up system

A system ( ) for calibrating an apparatus ( ) for aligning components ( ) relative to a desired line of sight. The system includes a first mechanism ( ) for generating a command designed to move a line-of-sight of one of the components ( ) to a first position, the line-of-sight moving to a second position in response thereto. A second mechanism ( ) automatically compensates for a variation between the first position and the second position via a scale factor ( ).

System and method for automatically calibrating an alignment reference source

An alignment and stabilization system that automatically aligns and stabilizes off-gimbal electro-optical passive and active sensors. The system dynamically boresights and aligns one or more sensor input beams and an output beam of a laser using automatic closed loop feedback. The system includes a reference light (photo) detector, or reference source, disposed on a gimbal, off-gimbal optical-reference sources, or corresonding photodetectors, and two alignment mirrors. Aligning the one or more sensors and laser to the dynamically steered null of the on-gimbal reference photodetector (or reference source) is equivalent to having the sensors and laser mounted on the stabilized gimbal with alignment mirrors providing a common optical path for enhanced stabilization of the sensors and laser lines of sight.

Integrated system for line-of-sight stabilization and auto-alignment of off-gimbal passive and active electro-optical sensors

A system that automatically aligns and stabilizes off-gimbal electro-optical passive and active sensors of an electro-optical system. The alignment and stabilization system dynamically boresights and aligns one or more sensor input beams and an output beam of a laser using automatic closed loop feedback, a reference detector and stabilization mirror disposed on a gimbal, off-gimbal optical-reference sources and two alignment mirrors. Aligning the one or more sensors and laser to the on-gimbal reference detector is equivalent to having the sensors and laser mounted on the stabilized gimbal with the stabilization mirror providing a common optical path for enhanced stabilization of both the sensor and laser lines of sight.

System for pseudo on-gimbal, automatic line-of-sight alignment and

An autocalibration system is provided for a back-scanning, gimbal-mounted step and stare imaging system. The step and stare imaging system effects step and stare performance even though the gimbal mounted platform upon which the system telescope is mounted rotates at a constant rate. The autocalibration system calibrates the system's static line of sight positioning and the system's rotational, or angular rate line of sight positioning.

System and method for remote image sensing and autocalibration

Systems and methods for improving the intensity equalization of image data obtained with systems that perceive images with energy sources other than visible light includes a sensor for such data; a converter for transforming the image data from analog form to digital form; a converter for transforming the digital data into black-and-white images containing a predetermined, desired number of gray shades; an intensity equalizer that compensates for the logarithmic effect of visual images on a human eye; an intensity equalizer that compensates for the non-linear effect of the display device for the data; and a converter for transforming the digital intensity-equalized black-and-white image data into analog form for display on a device such as a conventional CRT.

Systems and methods for producing high-contrast, intensity equalized

An optical scanning system (20, 20A-F), suitable for scanning a beam (26, 26A) emanating from a source (68) of light or for directing a beam towards a detector (62) of light, employs two independently rotatable wedge-shaped mirrors (M1, M2) wherein a reflecting surface (54,58) of each wedge mirror is inclined relative to a central axis (38) of the scanner. A main one of the wedge mirrors (M1) is centrally located about the central axis and an auxiliary one of the wedge mirrors (M2) is located on the central axis facing the main wedge mirror in one embodiment of the invention, and is displaced from the central axis in a second embodiment of the invention. A beam of light propagating between the source or detector to the auxiliary wedge mirror may pass either through a central bore (28) of the main wedge mirror in the first embodiment of the invention, or via a bypass (112) of relay mirrors around the main wedge mirror in the second embodiment of the invention. The beam to be scanned is reflected between the two wedge mirrors with the relative orientations of the wedge mirrors, in terms of their respective angles (B1, B2) of rotation about the central axis, determine the orientation of the scanned beam. The position of the main wedge mirror relative to the bypass path may be altered along the central axis by displacement means (156, 158) for minimization of a window (96) through which a scanned beam propagates.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Monica, CA, United States of America

Peter Val Messina