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. 24, 2006
Filed:
Oct. 10, 2003
Richard J. Tansey, Camarillo, CA (US);
Richard J. Tansey, Camarillo, CA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A heterodyne interferometer, adaptive optics system, method of measuring movement of a target and/or variations in a beam propagation medium, and method of controlling an adaptive optics system are provided. The heterodyne interferometer includes an acoustic-optical modulator that can superimpose a RF signal on a source signal, and output a zero order beam and a higher order beam. One of the beams comprises a target beam and the other beam comprises a local oscillator beam. A telescope can receive the target beam, and direct the target beam through the beam propagation medium to the target. A beam splitter can receive the local oscillator beam and the reflected beam from the target, and coherently combine the local oscillator beam and the reflected beam to produce a fringe pattern. A detector can receive the fringe pattern and generate an electrical beat signal, which can be demodulated based upon the RF signal.