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Apparatus and method for directing a laser beam at an object. Some embodiments include generating direction-control information, based on the direction-control information, directing laser energy into a first fiber at a first end of a first fiber bundle during a first time period, forming an output

Apparatus and method for directing a laser beam at an object. Some embodiments include generating direction-control information, based on the direction-control information, directing laser energy into a first fiber at a first end of a first fiber bundle during a first time period, forming an output beam of the laser energy from the second end of the first fiber bundle, and steering the output beam of the laser energy from the first fiber in a first selected direction of a plurality of directions during the first time period, and optionally modulating an intensity of the laser energy according to a predetermined pattern. The direction-control information is based on sensing electromagnetic radiation from a scene. Some embodiments use a remote camera wire-connected to the image processor to obtain scene information, while other embodiments use a second fiber bundle to convey image information from an external remote lens to a local camera.

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What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising: a first fiber bundle having a plurality of light-transmitting fibers including a first fiber, a second fiber, and a third fiber, the first fiber bundle having a first end and a second end; a laser that emits laser energy; a sensor; a processor operabl

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising: a first fiber bundle having a plurality of light-transmitting fibers including a first fiber, a second fiber, and a third fiber, the first fiber bundle having a first end and a second end; a laser that emits laser energy; a sensor; a processor operably coupled to receive information from the sensor, analyze the received information, and configured to generate direction-control information based on the analysis of the received information; a fiber selector that is operatively coupled to the processor and based on the direction-control information, is configured to direct the laser energy into the first fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during a first time period; and transform optics located to receive the laser energy from the second end of the first fiber bundle and configured to form an output beam of the laser energy from the first fiber bundle, wherein the transform optics is configured to perform a transform of the laser energy from a position of an end of one of the plurality of fibers in the first fiber bundle to a substantially collimated far-field beam, which is the output beam in one of a plurality of different angular directions such that the laser energy received by the transform optics from a position of the first fiber is transformed to the substantially collimated far-field output beam in a first selected angular direction of the plurality of angular directions during the first time period. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a modulator that modulates an intensity of the laser energy according to a predetermined pattern. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an imager that is operatively coupled to receive electromagnetic radiation from a scene and to transmit sense information to the processor based on the received electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the processor is configured to generate the direction-control information based on the sense information. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the sense information includes information useful for determining a first direction toward a location of a first moving object during the first time period, wherein the first selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the first direction toward the location of the first moving object during the first time period, wherein the sense information includes information useful for determining a second direction toward a location of the first moving object during a second time period, wherein the fiber selector, based on the direction-control information, is configured to direct the laser energy into the second fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the second time period and the transform optics is configured to form an output beam of the laser energy from the second fiber in a second selected direction of the plurality of directions during the second time period, and wherein the second selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the second direction toward the location of the first moving object during the second time period. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the sense information includes information useful for determining a third direction toward a location of a second moving object during a third time period, wherein the fiber selector, based on the direction-control information, is configured to direct the laser energy into the third fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the third time period and the transform optics is configured to form an output beam of the laser energy from the third fiber in a third selected direction of the plurality of directions during the third time period, and wherein the third selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the third direction toward the location of the second moving object during the third time period. 6. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising: a second fiber bundle having a plurality of light-transmitting fibers including a first fiber, a second fiber, and a third fiber, the second fiber bundle having a first end and a second end; and transform optics located to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the scene and to direct electromagnetic radiation from each of a plurality of different directions into a corresponding one of the plurality of fibers in the second fiber bundle at the second end of the second fiber bundle and wherein the second end of the second fiber bundle is configured to form a pattern of electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the scene, and wherein the sensor includes a camera that obtains the received information from an image of the second end of the second bundle, in order to provide the processor with the received information from the image so that the processor can determine a direction to an object in the scene. 7. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising: transform optics located to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the scene and to direct electromagnetic radiation from each of a plurality of different directions into a corresponding one of a plurality of locations on the sensor, wherein the sensor includes a camera that obtains an image of the scene, in order to determine a direction to an object in the scene. 8. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising: a second fiber bundle having a plurality of light-transmitting fibers including a first fiber, a second fiber, and a third fiber, the second fiber bundle having a first end and a second end, the second fiber bundle directed toward a separate area of space than the first fiber bundle, wherein the fiber selector is operable to switch laser energy to one of a plurality of fibers of the first and second fiber bundles, and additional transform optics located to receive the laser energy from the second end of the second fiber bundle, where both transform optics are configured to form an output beam of the laser energy from the respective fiber bundles, each fiber bundle operable to access a different angular region of space. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laser is operated to output IR laser light at a wavelength greater than 2 microns and in a transmission window of the atmosphere. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sensor includes a missile-warning sensor (MWS) on an aircraft, and the apparatus is part of a countermeasures system on an aircraft intended to protect the aircraft from heat-seeking missiles. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the information detected by the MWS includes information useful for determining a first direction from the aircraft toward a location of a first missile during the first time period, wherein the first selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the first direction toward the location of the first missile during the first time period, wherein the sense information includes information useful for determining a second direction from the aircraft toward a location of the first missile during a second time period, wherein the fiber selector, based on the direction-control information, is configured to direct jamming laser energy into the second fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the second time period and the transform optics is configured to form an output beam of the jamming laser energy from the second fiber in a second selected direction of the plurality of directions during the second time period, and wherein the second selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the second direction toward the location of the first missile during the second time period. 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the information detected by the MWS includes information useful for determining a first direction from the aircraft toward a location of a first missile during the first time period, wherein the first selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the first direction toward the location of the first missile during the first time period, wherein the sense information includes information useful for determining a second direction from the aircraft toward a location of a second missile during a second time period, wherein the fiber selector, based on the direction-control information, is configured to direct jamming laser energy into the second fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the second time period and the transform optics is configured to form an output beam of the jamming laser energy from the second fiber in a second selected direction of the plurality of directions during the second time period, and wherein the second selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the second direction toward the location of the second missile during the second time period. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an imager configured to provide image information for use by the processor. 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fibers of the first fiber bundle are fused together at the second end of the first fiber bundle such that interstitial spaces between the plurality of fibers are substantially eliminated. 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fibers of the first fiber bundle are formed to abutting hexagonal cross-sectional shapes at the second end of the first fiber bundle. 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transform optics is located at a distance of substantially one focal length from the second end of the first fiber bundle. 17. A method comprising: providing a first fiber bundle having a plurality of light-transmitting fibers including a first fiber, a second fiber, and a third fiber, the first fiber bundle having a first end and a second end; obtaining sensor information; analyzing the obtained sensor information; based on the analyzed sensor information, generating direction-control information; based on the direction-control information, directing laser energy into the first fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during a first time period; forming an output beam of the laser energy from the second end of the first fiber bundle, wherein the forming of the output beam includes performing a transform of the laser energy from a position of an end of one of the plurality of fibers in the first fiber bundle to a substantially collimated far-field beam, which is the output beam, in one of a plurality of different angular directions; and steering the output beam of the laser energy from the first fiber in a first selected angular direction of the plurality of angular directions during the first time period. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising modulating an intensity of the laser energy according to a predetermined pattern. 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising: receiving electromagnetic radiation from a scene; and generating the direction-control information based on the received electromagnetic radiation. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising generating sense information useful for determining a first direction toward a location of a first moving object during the first time period, wherein the first selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the first direction toward the location of the first moving object during the first time period, wherein the sense information later includes information useful for determining a second direction toward a location of the first moving object during a second time period, based on the direction-control information, directing the laser energy into the second fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the second time period and forming an output beam of the laser energy from the second fiber in a second selected direction of the plurality of directions during the second time period, and wherein the second selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the second direction toward the location of the first moving object during the second time period, in order to track the first object. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising generating sense information useful for determining a third direction toward a location of a second moving object during a third time period; based on the direction-control information, directing the laser energy into the third fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the third time period; and forming an output beam of the laser energy from the third fiber in a third selected direction of the plurality of directions during the third time period, and wherein the third selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the third direction toward the location of the second moving object during the third time period, in order to also track the second object. 22. The method of claim 19, further comprising: providing a second fiber bundle having a plurality of light-transmitting fibers including a first fiber, a second fiber, and a third fiber, the second fiber bundle having a first end and a second end; receiving the electromagnetic radiation from the scene and directing the electromagnetic radiation from each of a plurality of different directions into a corresponding one of the plurality of fibers in the second fiber bundle at the second end of the second fiber bundle; and at the second end of the second fiber bundle, forming a pattern of electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the scene, and wherein the receiving includes obtaining an image of the second end of the second bundle, in order to determine a direction to an object in the scene. 23. The method of claim 19, wherein the receiving of the electromagnetic radiation from the scene includes directing electromagnetic radiation from each of a plurality of different directions into a corresponding one of a plurality of locations on an imaging sensor, wherein the sensor includes a camera that obtains an image of the scene, in order to determine a direction to an object in the scene. 24. The method of claim 19, further comprising: a second fiber bundle having a plurality of light-transmitting fibers including a first fiber, a second fiber, and a third fiber, the second fiber bundle having a first end and a second end, the second fiber bundle directed toward a separate area of space than the first fiber bundle, wherein the fiber selector is operable to switch laser energy to one of a plurality of fibers of the first and second fiber bundles, and additional transform optics located to receive the laser energy from the second end of the second fiber bundle, where both transform optics are configured to form an output beam of the laser energy from the respective fiber bundles, each fiber bundle operable to access a different angular region of space. 25. The method of claim 17, wherein the laser is operated to output IR laser light at a wavelength greater than 2 microns and in a transmission window of the atmosphere. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the sensor includes a missile-warning sensor (MWS) on an aircraft, and the apparatus is part of a countermeasures system on an aircraft intended to protect the aircraft from heat-seeking missiles. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the information detected by the MWS includes information useful for determining a first direction from the aircraft toward a location of a first missile during the first time period, wherein the first selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the first direction toward the location of the first missile during the first time period, wherein the sense information includes information useful for determining a second direction from the aircraft toward a location of the first missile during a second time period, wherein the method, based on the direction-control information, include directing jamming laser energy into the second fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the second time period and forming an output beam of the jamming laser energy from the second fiber in a second selected direction of the plurality of directions during the second time period, and wherein the second selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the second direction toward the location of the first missile during the second time period. 28. The method of claim 26, wherein the information detected by the MWS includes information useful for determining a first direction from the aircraft toward a location of a first missile during the first time period, wherein the first selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the first direction toward the location of the first missile during the first time period, wherein the sense information includes information useful for determining a second direction from the aircraft toward a location of a second missile during a second time period, wherein the method, based on the direction-control information, include directing jamming laser energy into the second fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the second time period and forming an output beam of the jamming laser energy from the second fiber in a second selected direction of the plurality of directions during the second time period, and wherein the second selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the second direction toward the location of the second missile during the second time period. 29. The method of claim 17, wherein the obtaining of sensor information includes obtaining image information. 30. The method of claim 17, further comprising fusing together the plurality of fibers of the first fiber bundle at the second end of the first fiber bundle such that interstitial spaces between the plurality of fibers are substantially eliminated. 31. The method of claim 17, further comprising forming the plurality of fibers of the first fiber bundle to abutting hexagonal cross-sectional shapes at the second end of the first fiber bundle. 32. The method of claim 17, wherein the performing of the transform of the laser energy includes performing the transform at a distance of substantially one focal length from the second end of the first fiber bundle. 33. An apparatus comprising: a first fiber bundle having a plurality of light-transmitting fibers including a first fiber, a second fiber, and a third fiber, the first fiber bundle having a first end and a second end; means for obtaining sensor information; means for analyzing the obtained sensor information; means for generating direction-control information based on the analyzed sensor information; means for directing laser energy, based on the direction-control information, into the first fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during a first time period; means for forming an output beam of the laser energy from the second end of the first fiber bundle, wherein the means for forming the output beam includes means for performing a transform of the laser energy from a position of an end of one of the plurality of fibers in the first fiber bundle to a substantially collimated far-field beam, which is the output beam, in one of a plurality of different angular directions; and means for steering the output beam of the laser energy from the first fiber in a first selected angular direction of the plurality of angular directions during the first time period. 34. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising means for modulating an intensity of the laser energy according to a predetermined pattern. 35. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising: means for receiving electromagnetic radiation from a scene; and means for generating the direction-control information based on the received electromagnetic radiation. 36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising means for generating sense information useful for determining a first direction toward a location of a first moving object during the first time period, wherein the first selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the first direction toward the location of the first moving object during the first time period, wherein the sense information later includes information useful for determining a second direction toward a location of the first moving object during a second time period, based on the direction-control information, directing the laser energy into the second fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the second time period and forming an output beam of the laser energy from the second fiber in a second selected direction of the plurality of directions during the second time period, and wherein the second selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the second direction toward the location of the first moving object during the second time period, in order to track the first object. 37. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising means for generating sense information useful for determining a third direction toward a location of a second moving object during a third time period; means for directing the laser energy, based on the direction-control information, into the third fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the third time period; and means for forming an output beam of the laser energy from the third fiber in a third selected direction of the plurality of directions during the third time period, and wherein the third selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the third direction toward the location of the second moving object during the third time period, in order to also track the second object. 38. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising: a second fiber bundle having a plurality of light-transmitting fibers including a first fiber, a second fiber, and a third fiber, the second fiber bundle having a first end and a second end; means for receiving the electromagnetic radiation from the scene and directing the electromagnetic radiation from each of a plurality of different directions into a corresponding one of the plurality of fibers in the second fiber bundle at the second end of the second fiber bundle; and means for forming, at the second end of the second fiber bundle, a pattern of electromagnetic radiation corresponding to the scene, and wherein the means for receiving includes means for obtaining an image of the second end of the second bundle, in order to determine a direction to an object in the scene. 39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the means for receiving the electromagnetic radiation from the scene includes means for directing electromagnetic radiation from each of a plurality of different directions into a corresponding one of a plurality of locations on an imaging sensor, wherein the sensor includes a camera that obtains an image of the scene, in order to determine a direction to an object in the scene. 40. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the laser is operated to output IR laser light at a wavelength greater than 2 microns and in a transmission window of the atmosphere. 41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the sensor includes a missile-warning sensor (MWS) on an aircraft, and the apparatus is part of a countermeasures system on an aircraft intended to protect the aircraft from heat-seeking missiles. 42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the information detected by the MWS includes information useful for determining a first direction from the aircraft toward a location of a first missile during the first time period, wherein the first selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the first direction toward the location of the first missile during the first time period, wherein the sense information includes information useful for determining a second direction from the aircraft toward a location of the first missile during a second time period, wherein the method, based on the direction-control information, include directing jamming laser energy into the second fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the second time period and forming an output beam of the jamming laser energy from the second fiber in a second selected direction of the plurality of directions during the second time period, and wherein the second selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the second direction toward the location of the first missile during the second time period. 43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the information detected by the MWS includes information useful for determining a first direction from the aircraft toward a location of a first missile during the first time period, wherein the first selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the first direction toward the location of the first missile during the first time period, wherein the sense information includes information useful for determining a second direction from the aircraft toward a location of a second missile during a second time period, wherein the method, based on the direction-control information, include directing jamming laser energy into the second fiber at the first end of the first fiber bundle during the second time period and forming an output beam of the jamming laser energy from the second fiber in a second selected direction of the plurality of directions during the second time period, and wherein the second selected direction of the output beam of the laser energy is the second direction toward the location of the second missile during the second time period. 44. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising: a second fiber bundle having a plurality of light-transmitting fibers including a first fiber, a second fiber, and a third fiber, the second fiber bundle having a first end and a second end, the second fiber bundle directed toward a separate area of space than the first fiber bundle, wherein the fiber selector is operable to switch laser energy to one of a plurality of fibers of the first and second fiber bundles, and additional transform optics located to receive the laser energy from the second end of the second fiber bundle, where both transform optics are configured to form an output beam of the laser energy from the respective fiber bundles, each fiber bundle operable to access a different angular region of space. 45. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for obtaining of sensor information includes means for obtaining image information. 46. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising means for fusing together the plurality of fibers of the first fiber bundle at the second end of the first fiber bundle such that interstitial spaces between the plurality of fibers are substantially eliminated. 47. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising means for forming the plurality of fibers of the first fiber bundle to abutting hexagonal cross-sectional shapes at the second end of the first fiber bundle. 48. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the means for performing the transform of the laser energy is located at a distance of substantially one focal length from the second end of the first fiber bundle.