The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 04, 1984
Filed:
Jun. 01, 1982
Myer Geller, San Diego, CA (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method is described for separately measuring the optical tensities of the following: a sample beam having traversed a sample medium; a backscattered beam having been backscattered by the sample medium; a composite beam composed of the sample beam plus a reference beam having traversed a reference medium; and a second composite beam composed of the backscattered beam plus the reference beam. Measurements of these parameters is accomplished through the use of a linearly polarized source beam whose plane of polarization may be rotated between two orthogonal planes. The source beam is split into the sample and reference beams. The plane of polarization of the sample beam is caused to be rotated 90.degree. from the plane of polarization of the backscattered beam after interaction with the sample medium. The plane of polarization of the reference beam is selectively controlled between two orthogonal planes such that when combined with the sample beam and backscattered beam a polarization analyzer will allow passage of only those portions with a preselected plane of polarization for measurement and analysis of the light intensity. From the various measured intensities available the visibility or transmissivity of a sample medium may be determined. The sample medium may be isolated from the remainder of the transmissometer by a window which will allow unaltered transmission of the sample beam and the backscattered beam from the sample medium. With this configuration the invention may be utilized in an airborne manner, mounted on an airplane for the purpose of measuring transmissivity of atmospheric conditions in clouds.