Patent · US Expired

Multi-special decentered catadioptric optical system

US5841574A · kind A · utility

134Cited by
6References
37Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 28, 1996
Grant dateNov 24, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 28, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B17/0852
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A multi-spectral decentered catadioptric-type optical system suitable for use with long range oblique aerial reconnaissance camera systems, spectrum analyzers, astronomical imagers, remote sensing, and other applications is described. The optical system includes an aspheric primary mirror receiving incident radiation and defining a central aperture. An aspheric secondary mirror is provided for receiving the radiation from the primary mirror. The primary and secondary mirrors are positioned and constructed such that entrance aperture of the system is displaced or decentered relative to the optical axis of the system, so as to thereby increase the modulation transfer function of the optical system as compared to a centrally obscured system. The aspheric secondary mirror directs the incident radiation onto a means for splitting the radiation to a first optical path and a second optical path. A first field optical assembly is placed in the first optical path for directing radiation in a first portion of the electromagnetic spectrum onto a first radiation receiving device, such as a film camera or electro-optical detector. A second field optical assembly is placed in the second optical …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.