Solid State Scientific Corporation

Richard J Nelson

James E Murguia

Jonathan Martin Mooney

William S Ewing

A method of classifying an electromagnetic-energy emitting source event as one of a first, second, and third class event includes registering an irradiance spectrum from the source event. The intensity of the energy emitted from the source event is measured within each of first, second and third energy sub-ranges and first, second and third relative-energy values are associated with, respectively, the first, second and third energy sub-ranges. A first class-eliminating determination is rendered by comparing to one another a first selected set of two of the relative-energy values, thereby yielding two remaining-candidate event classes. When necessary, a second class-eliminating determination renders the proper classification for the source event by comparing to one another a second selected set of relative-energy values including the relative-energy value not selected for inclusion in the first selected set of two relative-energy values and one of the previously selected relative-energy values. The energy-value comparisons are carried out with reference to modeled source-event irradiance data from which expected ratio behaviors among the selected energy sub-ranges are ascertainable relative particular event types at various ranges and under disparate atmospheric conditions.

System and method for spectral-based passive threat warning

A multi-image detector assembly for detecting a plurality of correlated images of a single scene over a plurality of disparate electromagnetic wavelength sets includes an imaging-sensor array, a plurality of focusing elements and a plurality of optical filtering elements. The imaging-sensor array has a plurality of detector-array sections, each of which detector-array sections comprises at least two detector-array subsections dedicated to the detection of a common wavelength set associated with that detector-array section. Each focusing element is aligned for focusing upon a corresponding one of the plurality of detector-array sub-sections an image of the scene correlating to the images of the scene focused upon other detector-array sub-sections by the other focusing elements. Additionally, each focusing element and its corresponding detector-array sub-section defines an optical path and each detector-array section has associated with it at least two such optical paths. At least two detector-array subsections belonging to each common detector-array section are configured to register images that are commonly filtered by a single optical filtering element.

Simultaneous spectral imaging system including commonly filtered optical paths defined by focusing elements exhibiting disparate f-numbers

A system and method for determining whether the distance between an electromagnetic-energy emitting source and a predetermined location increased, decreased or remained constant between first and second times relies upon the selection of first and second energy bands whose average wavelengths are disparately absorbed as a function of transmission distance. Energy values corresponding to the intensity of detectable energy within each of the first and second sub-ranges at each of the first and second times are assigned. First and second ratios comparatively indicative of the intensity of energy detected, as represented by the assigned relative-energy values, within the first and second sub-ranges at each of the first and second times are computed and, based on a ratio-comparative analysis of the first and second ratios, a determination as to a direction of change in transmission distance is rendered by reference to modeled data associating, directly or indirectly, expected ratio-comparative relationships with an increase, decrease and lack of change in distance.

System and method for passively ascertaining a relative direction of change in distance between an electromagnetic-energy emitter and a spectral sensor

A multi-band direct prism comprising at least first and second prismatic elements of disparate refractive indices facilitates the contemporaneous analysis of dispersed emergent light energy within at least two distinct and predetermined sets of energy wavelengths wherein one wavelength within each of the at least two wavelength sets emerges from the direct vision prism with no net angular deviation.

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Brookline, NH, United States of America

Richard J Nelson