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:
Jan. 17, 2006
Filed:
Nov. 27, 2002
David S. Smith, Fort Wayne, IN (US);
David S. Smith, Fort Wayne, IN (US);
ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are described for assessing the reflective properties of mirrors at different angles of incidence without precise knowledge of the mirror's basic optical constants and/or without precise knowledge of the mirror's over-coating prescription. Reflectance values can be accurately calculated for multiple angles of incidence based upon measurement data collected for a single angle of incidence. The approach uses equations based on the Fresnel equations for reflectance in which reflectance is calculated as a function of the angle of incidence of incoming light to the scanned mirror used to collect the signal. The angle of incidence-based approach allows accurate reflectance values to be calculated over a broad range of wavelengths and angle of incidences without detailed knowledge of the optical properties of the coating material and the substrate underneath. The described methods and apparatus are particularly useful for calibrating measurements made with remote sensing instruments that use scanned mirrors.