Abstract: An apparatus and method for calibrating range measurements are provided wherein calibration data is collected with each range measurement or group of range measurements. The calibration data comprise a plurality of simulated range measurements. In one embodiment, the simulated range measurements are used to analyze errors that vary with time and environmental conditions. Range measurements are calibrated by correlating a measured flight time of a transmitted and reflected laser beam with the simulated range measurements and a relationship between laser beam flight times and target ranges based on the speed of the laser beam.

Abstract: In various embodiments of the invention, optical imaging systems such as a telescope utilize a method of forming a virtual image by processing multiple images from the telescope, the virtual image comprising an array of pixels, the method comprising capturing an image comprising an array of pixels using the telescope, the pixels in the array of pixels having associated pixel magnitudes, changing pixels of the virtual image based on the pixel magnitudes of the captured image using a drizzle algorithm, adjusting an imaging control parameter after the changing step, and repeating the capturing and changing steps after adjusting the imaging control parameter.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for calibrating range measurements are provided wherein calibration data is collected with each range measurement or group of range measurements. The calibration data comprise a plurality of simulated range measurements. In one embodiment, the simulated range measurements are used to analyze errors that vary with time and environmental conditions. Range measurements are calibrated by correlating a measured flight time of a transmitted and reflected laser beam with the simulated range measurements and a relationship between laser beam flight times and target ranges based on the speed of the laser beam.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for calibrating range measurements are provided wherein calibration data is collected with each range measurement or group of range measurements. The calibration data comprise a plurality of simulated range measurements. In one embodiment, the simulated range measurements are used to analyze errors that vary with time and environmental conditions. Range measurements are calibrated by correlating a measured flight time of a transmitted and reflected laser beam with the simulated range measurements and a relationship between laser beam flight times and target ranges based on the speed of the laser beam.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for calibrating range measurements are provided wherein calibration data is collected with each range measurement or group of range measurements. The calibration data comprise a plurality of simulated range measurements. In one embodiment, the simulated range measurements are used to analyze errors that vary with time and environmental conditions. Range measurements are calibrated by correlating a measured flight time of a transmitted and reflected laser beam with the simulated range measurements and a relationship between laser beam flight times and target ranges based on the speed of the laser beam.

Abstract: In various embodiments of the invention, optical imaging systems such as telescopes and binoculars utilize a method of image processing comprising receiving a set of images and evaluating the quality of the images by performing a quantitative evaluation of at least a portion of the image. A subset of said images are selected based on the quality of the images and the subset of images are combined into a composite image. These optical imaging systems preferably comprise imaging optics, an optical detector array, and a processor for processing the images.