Optical sensor with micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) micro-mirror array (MMA) steering of the optical transmit beam

US11835709B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Raytheon Company · US

Inventors

• Gerald P. Uyeno · Tucson, US
• Benn H. Gleason · Tucson, US
• Sean D. Keller · Tucson, US
• Mark K. Lange · Tucson, US
• Eric Rogala · Tucson, US
• Vanessa Reyna · Tucson, US
• Craig O. Shott · Benson, US
• Jon E. Leigh · Tucson, US
• Garret A. Odom · Tucson, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 9, 2021
• Grant date: Dec 5, 2023
• Expiry date: Jun 5, 2042

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/933
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A beam steering architecture for an optical sensor is based upon a pair of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) Micro-Mirror Arrays (MMAs) and a fold mirror. The MEMS MMAs scan both primary and secondary FOR providing considerable flexibility to scan a scene to provide not only active imaging (to supplement passive imaging) but also simultaneously allowing for other optical functions such as establishing a communications link, providing an optical transmit beam for another detection platform or determining a range to target. A special class of MEMS MMAs that provides a “piston” capability in which the individual mirrors may translate enables a suite of optical functions to “shape” the optical transmit beam.