Method and apparatus for imaging the silhouette of an object occluding a light source using a synthetic aperature
US10152802B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 17, 2017 |
| Grant date | Dec 11, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/20221
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of determining a silhouette of a remote object is disclosed herein. The method can include directing an array of telescopes at a star to sense an intensity of EM radiation over time and transmit signals corresponding to the intensity. The signals can be received at a computing device. Each signal can be indicative of a portion of an intensity diffraction pattern generated by an occlusion of the star by an occluding object. The signals can be combined to form a two-dimensional, intensity diffraction pattern. Each point on the intensity diffraction pattern associated with a time, a position of each telescope in the array, and an intensity of the sensed EM radiation. A silhouette of the occluding object can be determined based on the intensity diffraction pattern. A system for performing the method is also disclosed herein.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.