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:
Mar. 07, 1989
Filed:
Nov. 22, 1985
Hughes Aircraft Company, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
An improved laser rangefinder and thermal imager with enhanced scanning mirror control is disclosed. Optical axes (11,12) are aligned parallel to each other. The system includes only one common thermal image/laser reception channel (8,9,10,11). The angular movement of scanning mirror 8 is compensated during the range finding operation. Synchronizing means (1,2,3,4) located in the beam path controls the movement of the scanning mirror. An improved method for controlling the movement of the scanning mirror which enhances the measuring range of the device is also disclosed. In order to receive CO.sub.2 radiation of narrow bandwidth which is reflected from a target, the cyclical movement of the scanning mirror (8) is precisely controlled in order to position it favorably during the range measuring operation. The frequency of the scanning function is retarded so that the scanning mirror (8) is moved only through a fraction of the width of the image field. As a result, projections of the detector element (32) in the object plane which would otherwise be located in the outer areas of the laser pulse coincide relatively closely at the beginning and end of the range finding operation.