Multi-target optical designator

US9766041B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Juha-Pekka J. Laine · Boston, US
• Gregory P. Blasche · Burlington, US
• Robin Mark Adrian Dawson · Waltham, US
• Sean McClain · Somerville, US
• Stephen P. Smith · Acton, US
• Robert Larsen · Somerville, US
• Charles Arant · Wesley Chapel, US
• William Ostrowski · Land O' Lakes, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 8, 2014
• Grant date: Sep 19, 2017
• Expiry date: Dec 9, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/89
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A device and method for selectively illuminating and designating multiple targets in the air or on the ground simultaneously. The device comprises a light source, a switching array and a ball lens. Light from the light source is routed through the switching array, which can addressably output multiple light beams simultaneously. The light beams from the switching array illuminate the backside of a low F-number ball lens. The ball lens creates highly collimated output beams independently (and simultaneously) from any of the output source points of the switching array. These output beams can be used to simultaneously designate multiple targets. When the target illuminating device includes an optional detector array, light scattered from targets can be refracted by the balls lens to impinge on the detector array. Signals from the detector array representing the received light beams can be used for target imaging.