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:
Dec. 27, 2005
Filed:
Jun. 11, 2002
Marc Currie, Arlington, VA (US);
Marc Currie, Arlington, VA (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
This invention pertains to a multipass retroreflector and to a method for its operation. In a preferred embodiment, the retroreflector comprises three reflecting surfaces arranged at an angle to each other in the form of a prism that is triangular in cross-section and 1 to 2 ports through which an optical beam enters and/or exits. The method includes the step of admitting an optical beam into the retroreflector where the optical beam is reflected from the reflecting surfaces and exits parallel to the path of the incoming optical beam. The method also includes the steps of spacing and adjusting angular disposition and dimensions of the reflecting surfaces in order to change path length of the optical beam passing through the retroreflector. This spacing can be continuously scanned causing a large change in optical path length due to a small change in the position of the moving surface.