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:
Jun. 26, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 18, 2000
Kenneth W. Brown, Yucaipa, CA (US);
James R. Gallivan, Pomona, CA (US);
Raytheon Company, Lexington, MA (US);
Abstract
A microwave antenna and light tracking system includes a microwave antenna, a microwave source, a light sensor, and a beam-guide system. The beam-guide system has a mirror set with at least one guide microwave mirror operable to guide a microwave beam along a first portion of a microwave path toward the antenna. Each microwave mirror has embedded therein a light mirror positioned to direct a light beam along a first portion of a light path substantially coincident with the first portion of the microwave path but in a reverse direction from the antenna. The beam-guide system further includes a dichroic beam splitter including a dichroic beam splitter microwave mirror having a light-transparent window therethrough. The dichroic beam splitter is disposed in a second portion of the microwave path between the mirror set and the microwave transmit/receive device and in a second portion of the light path between the mirror set and the light sensor. The microwave source is positioned to direct a microwave signal to the dichroic beam splitter, whereupon the microwave signal is reflected along the second portion of the microwave path to the mirror set and thence to the antenna. The light sensor is positioned to receive light transmitted along the second portion of the light path through the light-transparent window of the dichroic beam splitter.