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. 26, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 16, 2004
Alan H. Lettington, Berkshire, GB;
Alan H. Lettington, Berkshire, GB;
Farran Technology Limited, Cork, IE;
Abstract
Scanning apparatus operable in the microwave, mm-wave and infrared ranges and comprises a support structure, a first reflective disc or mirror () which is mounted in said support structure for rotation relative to the support structure about a first axis (), and a second reflective disc or mirror () which is mounted in said support structure for rotation relative to the support structure about a second axis () and driving means for said discs or mirrors arranged to drive these in respective opposite senses. In operation of the apparatus, radiation from a scene being scanned reaching a reflective surface of the first disc or mirror is reflected thereby onto a reflective surface of the second disc or mirror, to be reflected by the latter, in turn, onto the reflective surface of the first disc or mirror again, to be reflected from the first disc or mirror into or onto a further part of the apparatus incorporating a receiver or receivers for such radiation. The reflective surface of the first disc or mirror has an axis of rotational symmetry, tilted at a first small angle relative to said first axis and the reflective surface of the second disc or mirror has an axis of rotational symmetry tilted at a second angle relative to said second axis. The driving means for the discs or mirrors is arranged to drive these in such a way as to effect a substantially linear scan. the size of said second angle relative to said first angle being selected so as to reduce or eliminate pupil wander in the direction orthogonal to the direction of line scan.