Beam Splitting Optical System for Laser Designator Spot Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laser-guided ordinance systems face limitations in accurately detecting and imaging designator spots, particularly due to the sensitivity of silicon-based detectors to specific wavelengths used by designator lasers, which can result in reduced performance and increased collateral damage.
Innovation Solution
The use of linear arrays of detector elements made from materials like InGaAs, which have higher sensitivity to specific wavelengths, combined with optical systems that direct and filter light to preferentially illuminate these detectors, allowing for precise location and imaging of designator spots in multiple dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If silicon-based detectors are used to detect designator spots, then the system can detect a broad spectrum of light, but the sensitivity to specific wavelengths used by designator lasers is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
An optical system with wavelength-selective filters is introduced as an intermediary between the incoming light and the detector array. This intermediary selectively transmits the specific wavelength range used by designator lasers while blocking other wavelengths, thereby enhancing the detector's sensitivity to the target signal without requiring the detector material itself to have broad spectral coverage.
2Productivity
If traditional imaging systems use two-dimensional detector arrays, then complete spatial information is captured, but the number of pixels required increases and frame rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms the two-dimensional imaging problem into a one-dimensional detection problem by using a single linear detector array. Optical elements (lenses, mirrors, prisms) are arranged to map different spatial positions in the field of view to different positions along the linear array, allowing the system to achieve two-dimensional spatial resolution using only a one-dimensional detector, thereby reducing pixel count and increasing frame rate.
3Measurement precision
If the number of detector pixels is increased to improve resolution, then measurement precision improves, but the processing time increases and frame rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential spatial information needed for target acquisition and designator spot detection from the full two-dimensional image. By using a linear array with optimized optical mapping, the system captures the critical positional data with minimal pixels, discarding redundant information and achieving high measurement precision with reduced processing requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the field of view to resolution ratio, reduces the number of required pixels, and enables faster frame rates, improving the accuracy and precision of target location while minimizing collateral damage.
Implementation Method 1
beam splitting for imaging
Implementation Method 2
Dove prism, which receives an entrance beam and outputs a rotated beam
Implementation Method 3
linear arrays of detector elements made from materials like InGaAs
Data Source
AI summary
Optical systems and methods in accordance with some embodiments discussed herein can receive one or more beams of light from the system's field of view. Internal optical components can then direct the beam of light, including splitting the beam of light, rotating at least one of the split beams of light, and displacing one or more of the beams of light, such that the split beams of light are parallel to each other. Each beam of light may then be directed onto at least one linear detector array. The linear detector array can transform the light into electrical signals that can be processed and presented in a human-readable display.