초록 ▼

A vehicle including a scanning imaging system includes a vehicle body having an outer surface, a propulsion source, and an optical window secured to the outer surface of the vehicle positioned on an optical axis for transmitting electromagnetic radiation received from a portion of an area of interes

A vehicle including a scanning imaging system includes a vehicle body having an outer surface, a propulsion source, and an optical window secured to the outer surface of the vehicle positioned on an optical axis for transmitting electromagnetic radiation received from a portion of an area of interest to the scanning imaging system. The scanning imaging system includes a first achromatic prism pair having prisms with different materials that have different refractive properties, and a second achromatic prism pair having prisms with different materials that have different refractive properties, both positioned on the optical axis. A camera fixed in location is optically coupled to form images from the electromagnetic radiation after being bent by the achromatic prism pairs. A motor including a controller independently rotates the first and second achromatic prism pairs about the optical axis for scanning within the area of interest.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A vehicle including a scanning imaging system, comprising: a vehicle body having an outer surface; a propulsion source within said vehicle body for moving said vehicle, andan optical window secured to said outer surface of said vehicle positioned on an optical axis for transmitting electromagneti

1. A vehicle including a scanning imaging system, comprising: a vehicle body having an outer surface; a propulsion source within said vehicle body for moving said vehicle, andan optical window secured to said outer surface of said vehicle positioned on an optical axis for transmitting electromagnetic radiation received from an area of interest to said scanning imaging system, wherein said scanning imaging system comprises:a first achromatic and athermal prism pair having prisms comprising different materials that have different refractive properties positioned on said optical axis and are athermal such that a line-of-sight deviation is independent of temperature;a second achromatic and athermal prism pair having prisms comprising different materials that have different refractive properties positioned on said optical axis and are athermal such that a line-of-sight deviation is independent of temperature for receiving said electromagnetic radiation after bending by said first achromatic prism pair;a camera fixed in location optically coupled to receive said electromagnetic radiation and form images from said electromagnetic radiation after said electromagnetic radiation is bent by said second achromatic and athermal prism pair,a third achromatic and athermal prism pair, that are athermal such that a line-of-sight deviation is independent of temperature, having prisms comprising different materials interposed between said second achromatic and athermal prism pair and said camera, andat least one motor including a controller for independently rotating said first and second achromatic and athermal prism pairs about said optical axis for scanning within said area of interest. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said vehicle comprises a military vehicle selected from a missile, torpedo, a bomb, an airplane, a helicopter, a tank, or a truck. 3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said military vehicle further comprises a laser for generating a laser beam, wherein said laser is part of a laser designator that directs said laser beam to a selected target within said area of interest using said scanning imaging system based on an identification of said target within said area of interest using said images. 4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein said military vehicle comprises a laser guided munition, and wherein said scanning imaging system receives light originating from said laser designator, and wherein said images provide a target seeking function for said laser guided munition. 5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said different materials for said first achromatic and athermal prism pair and said second achromatic and athermal prism pair are all infrared transmissive in a wavelength band from 3 to 5 μm or 8 to 12 μm. 6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said vehicle comprises a missile seeker having a head and a missile axis, and wherein said optical window comprises a flat optical window that is secured to said head. 7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein said optical axis is tilted at least 20 degrees relative to said missile axis. 8. The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a radar seeker comprising a radar transmitting and receiver. 9. A missile seeker having a missile axis, wherein said missile seeker comprises: a flat optical window secured to a head of said missile on an optical axis for transmitting electromagnetic radiation received from an area of interest to a scanning imaging system, wherein said scanning imaging system comprises:a beam-steering optical arrangement disposed behind said optical window, said optical arrangement comprising:a first achromatic and athermal prism pair having prisms comprising different materials that have different refractive properties positioned on an optical axis and are athermal such that a line-of-sight deviation is independent of temperature;a second achromatic and athermal prism pair having prisms comprising different materials that have different refractive properties positioned on said optical axis and are athermal such that a line-of-sight deviation is independent of temperature;a camera fixed in location optically coupled to receive said electromagnetic radiation and form images from said electromagnetic radiation after said electromagnetic radiation is bent by said second achromatic and athermal prism pair,a third achromatic and athermal prism pair having prisms, that are athermal such that a line-of-sight deviation is independent of temperature, and comprising different materials interposed between said second achromatic and athermal prism pair and said camera, andat least one motor for independently rotating said first and second achromatic and athermal prism pairs about said optical axis. 10. The missile seeker of claim 9, further comprising a laser for generating a laser beam, wherein said laser is part of a laser designator that directs said laser beam to a selected target within said area of interest using said scanning imaging system based on an identification of said target within said area of interest using said images. 11. The missile seeker of claim 9, wherein said different materials for said first achromatic and athermal prism pair and said second achromatic and athermal prism pair are all infrared transmissive in a wavelength band from 3 to 5 μm or 8 to 12 μm. 12. The missile seeker of claim 9, wherein said optical axis is tilted at least 20 degrees relative to said missile axis. 13. The missile seeker of claim 9, further comprising a radar seeker comprising a radar transmitting and receiver. 14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the optical window comprises a plane-parallel plate window wherein surfaces of the plane-parallel plate window are substantially parallel to each other to provide for a minimum angular deviation of light passing through the window. 15. The missile of claim 9, wherein the flat optical window comprises a plane-parallel plate wherein plate surfaces are substantially parallel to each other to provide for a minimum angular deviation of light passing through the window. 16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the line-of-sight deviation is approximately less than or equal to 0.0005 radians of line of sight change due to temperature over a range of approximately zero to 100 degrees Celsius. 17. The missile seeker of claim 9, wherein the line-of-sight deviation is approximately less than or equal to 0.0005 radians of line of sight change due to temperature over a range of approximately zero to 100 degrees Celsius.