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:
Oct. 22, 2002
Filed:
Jul. 17, 2000
Conrad Stenton, Midland, CA;
Raytheon Company, Lexington, MA (US);
Abstract
An interferometric testing system and method employing a multiple-aperture hologram. In an illustrative embodiment, the inventive optical testing system includes an interferometer which outputs a planar light beam and analyzes a reflected selected light beam. A multiple-aperture hologram generates N image points in an image plane of the optical system responsive to the planar light beam. A retro-reflector reflects a selected one of N light beams corresponding to the N image points transmitted by the optical system back through the optical system to generate the selected light beam. According to one aspect of the present invention, the multiple-aperture hologram includes N apertures generating the N image points and one of the N apertures overlaps at least one other of the N apertures. According to another aspect of the invention, the multiple-aperture hologram intersects a plane perpendicular to an axis defined by the centers of the interferometer and the retro-reflector.