Patent · US Expired

Dual band framing reconnaissance camera

US6477326B1 · kind B1 · utility

30Cited by
10References
51Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 31, 2000
Grant dateNov 5, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 20, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B17/0896
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A framing aerial reconnaissance camera is described which has a Cassegrain optical system forming an objective lens that directs radiation to a spectrum-dividing prism. The prism directs radiation in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum into a first optical path having a two-dimensional image-recording medium, such as a framing CCD array. Radiation in the infrared (IR) band of the spectrum is directed to a second optical path, which has a two-dimensional framing IR-sensitive image-recording medium. The entire camera can be either rotated about the aircraft roll axis in a continuous fashion or stepped in a series of steps to generate frames of imagery, providing panoramic coverage of the scene across the line of flight in two bands of the spectrum simultaneously.

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