Homodyne Encoder Adaptive Path Length Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Imaging systems face challenges in reducing size, weight, and power while maintaining effective imaging through atmospheric turbulence, particularly due to the need for LASER illumination and the difficulties in calibrating and maintaining self-referencing interferometry under dynamic environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A homodyne encoder system with adaptive path length matching using actuators to spread and focus light from multiple apertures, enabling efficient initial and recalibration of path lengths to compensate for atmospheric distortion without LASER illumination, employing self-referencing interferometry and optical spreaders to separate and focus light into non-redundant arrays for precise distortion compensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If active imaging systems use LASER illumination with interferometry techniques to enhance imaging through atmospheric turbulence, then imaging quality is improved, but system size, weight, and power increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the LASER illumination component from the imaging system, replacing it with passive optical methods. By removing the LASER and associated interferometry hardware, the system achieves reduced weight while maintaining imaging capability through alternative passive sensing approaches that do not require active illumination.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses self-referencing interferometry where the optical path serves its own calibration purposes. The system automatically compensates for atmospheric turbulence effects using the returned light itself as a reference, eliminating the need for external LASER illumination and complex active control systems, thereby reducing overall system weight.
2Measurement precision
If self-referencing interferometry is used to compensate for atmospheric turbulence, then imaging through turbulence is enhanced, but calibration and maintenance difficulty increase under dynamic environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic calibration capabilities that automatically adapt to changing environmental conditions. The system continuously adjusts optical path lengths and calibration parameters in real-time to maintain accurate interferometric measurements despite atmospheric variations, reducing the need for manual calibration and system maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where the returned light is continuously monitored and used to automatically adjust optical components. This closed-loop feedback system maintains optimal calibration by detecting and compensating for environmental changes, simplifying maintenance requirements while preserving high measurement precision.
3Manufacturing precision
If optical spreader spreads apart light from multiple apertures by at least a factor of two times baseline separation, then path length matching precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical spreader divides the incoming light from multiple apertures into separate spatial paths, creating distinct beamlets that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows precise control of each path length individually, achieving high matching precision while the modular segmented structure keeps the overall device complexity manageable through standardized components.
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 imaging through atmospheric turbulence without the need for LASERs, reducing system size, weight, and power, and allows for continuous operation by dynamically adjusting path lengths to maintain image quality despite environmental changes.
Implementation Method 1
An optical spreader spreads apart the light passing through the primary apertures by at least a factor of two times a baseline separation of the primary apertures
Implementation Method 2
A focusing optic focuses the light from the optical spreader at the detector
Implementation Method 3
The optical spreader includes a plurality of actuators for modifying the path lengths within the homodyne encoder system through the primary apertures to a detector
Implementation Method 4
The detector detects an image of the target with the light from the focusing optic
Data Source
AI summary
A homodyne encoder system has adaptive matching of path lengths. Primary apertures receive light from a target. An optical spreader spreads apart the light passing through the primary apertures by at least a factor of two times a baseline separation of the primary apertures. The optical spreader includes a plurality of actuators for modifying the path lengths within the homodyne encoder system through the primary apertures to a detector. A focusing optic focuses the light from the optical spreader at the detector. The detector detects an image of the target with the light from the focusing optic.