GEMM Multispectral Imager Reducing GEO Satellite Mass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current meteorological Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) imaging satellites are costly and complex, leading to significant cost overruns and schedule delays due to their large and intricate systems, necessitating a more efficient and cost-effective solution for weather forecasting.
Innovation Solution
A multispectral imager, the GEO Earth Multispectral Mapper (GEMM), which employs an array of filters on focal plane arrays to collect and process electromagnetic radiation across various wavelengths, allowing for efficient weather mapping with a lightweight and compact design suitable for standard communications satellites, achieving comparable or better performance than existing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If very large and complex instruments and dedicated spacecraft are used for meteorological GEO imaging, then imaging performance and coverage are improved, but cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple spectral bands (visible, near-infrared, shortwave infrared, midwave infrared, and longwave infrared) into a single integrated imaging system with unified optical path and detector array, eliminating the need for separate specialized instruments for each band while maintaining comprehensive weather monitoring capability
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging system is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously - it can detect cloud properties, wind patterns, dust and aerosol amounts, volcanic ash, land and sea surface temperatures, and atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles using a single multi-spectral instrument rather than requiring separate dedicated spacecraft for each function
2Measurement precision
If very large and complex instruments are used for meteorological GEO imaging, then imaging performance is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The focal plane array is divided into multiple regions, each region detecting signals from different spectral bands through corresponding filters, allowing the system to process multiple spectral bands simultaneously using a single detector array rather than requiring multiple separate expensive instruments
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses optical filters with different transmission characteristics (different wavelength passbands) to enable the same detector array to respond to different spectral bands, changing the optical parameters rather than requiring separate detectors for each band, thereby reducing overall system cost
3Adaptability or versatility
If filters transmit different bands of wavelengths to different pixel sets, then spectral information coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a spectral dimension to the spatial detector array by placing wavelength-selective filters over different pixel sets, transforming a simple 2D spatial array into a 3D space-spectral cube that captures both spatial and spectral information simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the focal plane array are assigned different spectral filter characteristics tailored to specific detection needs (visible, near-infrared, shortwave infrared, midwave infrared, and longwave infrared bands), allowing each region to be optimized for its specific spectral range while maintaining overall system integration
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
GEMM provides high signal-to-noise ratio and noise equivalent differential temperature performance while reducing the mass and volume of the imaging system, enabling effective weather mapping with improved cost-effectiveness and reduced development risks.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the filters transmit a portion of electromagnetic radiation, comprising a different band of wavelengths, to the set of the pixels associated with the filter
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-spectral imager useful for weather mapping, comprising an array of filters on at least one focal plane array (FPA) including pixels. Each of the filters are associated with a different set of the pixels, and each of the filters transmit a portion of electromagnetic radiation, comprising a different band of wavelengths, to the set of the pixels associated with the filter. A circuit connected to the pixels reads out a signal outputted from each of a plurality of different pixels in the set and outputs the signals to an adder. The adder sums the signals from each of the plurality of different pixels in the set to form a sum used for generating a weather map.