Common Aperture Optical Relay System for Multi-Sensor Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Common aperture optical systems face challenges in providing access to a shared optical component, pupil, or imager for multiple optical systems simultaneously due to back focal distance requirements and obstructions from optical or mechanical components.
Innovation Solution
A common aperture optical relay system that uses a beam splitter to re-image light from multiple sources onto a shared optical system, allowing for simultaneous access and calibration of multiple optical systems without the need for physical removal or replacement of sources, utilizing refractive or reflective elements and beam splitters to achieve this functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a shared optical component is accessed by multiple optical systems simultaneously, then resource utilization is improved, but back focal distance requirements and obstructions from optical or mechanical components worsen system performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relay optical system that creates a virtual common aperture location in three-dimensional space, allowing multiple optical systems to access a shared component without physical interference. By using optical relay imaging, the system projects the aperture to a different spatial dimension where multiple systems can converge without obstruction, resolving the contradiction between shared access and physical constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay optical system acts as an intermediary between multiple optical systems and the shared optical component. It creates a virtual image of the aperture at a location that is accessible to multiple systems while maintaining the optical path requirements of each individual system, thus mediating the conflict between shared access and back focal distance requirements.
2Volume of moving object
If multiple optical systems share a common aperture, then system compactness is improved, but obstructions from optical or mechanical components increase
Solution Approach 1:
By creating a virtual common aperture location through optical relay imaging, the system allows multiple optical paths to converge in three-dimensional space without physical obstruction. The relay system projects the aperture to a location where components from different optical systems can pass without interfering with each other, maintaining compactness while eliminating obstructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the optical paths of multiple systems so that each system has its own dedicated optical train that converges at the virtual common aperture location. This segmentation allows each optical path to be optimized independently while sharing the final imaging component, reducing obstructions compared to a fully integrated shared path.
3Measurement precision
If physical removal or replacement of sources is required for calibration, then calibration accuracy is improved, but operational time and system complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The relay optical system creates a virtual copy of the common aperture location that can be accessed by multiple optical systems simultaneously. This virtual imaging allows calibration sources to be introduced into the optical path without requiring physical removal or replacement of sensor components, achieving calibration accuracy while eliminating time loss associated with mechanical reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual common aperture location serves multiple functions: it allows simultaneous access by multiple optical systems for both operational imaging and calibration purposes. A single calibration source can be used to calibrate multiple sensors through the shared virtual aperture, eliminating the need for separate calibration procedures for each system.
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
Enables compact and efficient re-imaging of images or pupils from a shared location to multiple optical systems or vice versa, facilitating simultaneous calibration and operation of multiple sensors with different calibration sources, such as visible and infrared sensors, while maintaining a compact design.
Implementation Method 1
a beam splitter optically disposed to receive the first portion of the light from the first source and the second portion of the light from the second source; the beam splitter being capable of substantially transmitting the first portion of the light from the first optical system; the beam splitter being capable of substantially reflecting the second portion of the light from the second optical system
Implementation Method 2
a first optical system having at least one refractive or reflective element; a second optical system having at least one refractive or reflective element
Implementation Method 3
a first optical system having at least one refractive or reflective element; a second optical system having at least one refractive or reflective element
Implementation Method 4
a third optical system having at least one refractive or reflective element; the third optical sub-system being capable of substantially imaging the first portion of the light and the second portion of the light to substantially a same image plane
Data Source
AI summary
An optical relay system that is capable of re-imaging an image or a pupil from a shared location to two or more optical systems, or from two or more optical systems to a shared location is disclosed.