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. 04, 2012
Filed:
Dec. 02, 2009
Richard Dryer, Oro Valley, AZ (US);
Kenenth G. Preston, Sahuarita, AZ (US);
Richard Dryer, Oro Valley, AZ (US);
Kenenth G. Preston, Sahuarita, AZ (US);
Raytheon Company, Waltham, MA (US);
Abstract
A semi-active laser (SAL) sensing system is provided that uses a lightpipe to pass received reflected laser light from an aperture to a detector. The lightpipe facilitates further miniaturization of the SAL sensing system by taking the place of a larger lens system that would otherwise be required. For example, the use of the lightpipe in a missile or guided projectile can facilitate the placement of the SAL sensing system with other sensors in the limited available space at the front of the missile. In one embodiment, the lightpipe is formed from cladded optical fibers that are bundled together, shaped, and fused together. The core material from the optical fibers are then dissolved away, leaving the outer cladding. This remaining outer cladding remains fused together, and maintains its shape, thus forming a lightpipe that can be used in a SAL sensing system.