Abstract: A lightweight night vision device that can be used by itself or can be selectively attached to either the objective lens assembly or ocular lens assembly of an existing optical device. The night vision device includes an image intensifier tube for amplifying low intensity light to produce a visible image. The image produced by the image intensifier tube is inverted. A prism assembly is positioned proximate to the image intensifier tube to reinvert the image in a space and cost efficient manner. The image intensifier tube, the power supply for the image intensifier tube and the reinverting prism are all contained within a house just large enough to accommodate these components. The housing has an objective port and an ocular port. Both ports are adapted to be joined to other optical components. As a result, a large variety of optical devices can be attached to either the object port or ocular port of the night vision device, thereby providing night vision capabilities to the optical device.

Abstract: An optical system affords wide-angle imaging with a width in azimuth and a height in elevation respectively greater than and less than those of the field of view of an imaging device to which it is fitted. A median optical axis images a central format view on the optical axis of the imaging device, and two lateral optical paths image two lateral format views on a bearing axis at a bearing angle to the optical axis equal to the width in azimuth of the field of view of the imaging device. The three paths juxtaposed in the wide-angle field of view are superposed into a resultant format image.

Abstract: An imaging sensor has multiple fields of view of the same scene that may be selected by the user for viewing through mechanical movements. The imaging and selection are accomplished entirely with reflective optical components (mirrors) and without the use of any refractive optical components (lenses). A movable field-shifting mirror selects between a direct view and a modified-of-view image of the scene. The modified-view image is accomplished using a multi-mirror afocal telescope. Additional field-shifting mirrors may be used to select other fields of view and reference sources, as desired, or between various detectors.

Abstract: The invention may include a channel selector for a multiple channel sight. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a channel selector may include a support (260) for mounting a deflecting surface (250). A pivot assembly (264) may be coupled to the support (260) to provide an axis of rotation (262). The pivot assembly (264) may include opposed recessed ends (272). A ball (274) may engage each of the opposed recessed ends (272). A holder assembly (276) may engage each of the balls (274). Each holder assembly (276) may include a recessed end (272). At least one of the holder assemblies (276) may be adjustable along the axis of rotation (262) of the support (260) to control a shifting torque of the support (260). In another embodiment of the invention, a pivot shaft (118) may be fixably coupled to a support (114) to provide an axis of rotation (116). The pivot shaft (118) may include opposed ends (120).

Abstract: A wide field monocular is provided which is essentially a wide field virtual telescope. Two of these monoculars can be placed side-by-side to achieve a binocular with an extended monocular field. Also for such binoculars with objective lenses larger than the interocular separation, lunes can be cut from the objective lenses so that they can be placed adjacent each other, with the eyes essentially aligned with the optic axis of each telescope. This provides a remarkable wide field binocular with stereo vision and depth perception.

Abstract: Compact binoculars for nighttime vision with a center of gravity close to the user. The binoculars have an optical architecture with an inclined principle pathway. The principle pathway extends by way of a first eyepiece pathway with a second eyepiece pathway branching in a different direction. The binoculars include a bent entrance objective conjugate with a light intensifier tube forming an image of a scene along a viewing axis. The image is next transmitted on the two eyepiece pathways to two eyepieces by way of an optical splitter. The splitter partially transmits the flux to a first eyepiece pathway inclined with respect to the plane of the eyepieces and on a second eyepiece pathway which has an axis lying in the plane perpendicular to the viewing axis and passing through the axis of the principle pathway.

Abstract: A day-night rifle sight, using separate parallel day and night sights comed by means of a beam splitter; is improved by: integrating the housings of the night sight and beam splitter, reducing the outer dimensions, sealing and strengthening the coupling between the from ends of the sights; adding a quick release clamp to the rear ends; reducing the image size of the night sight with a fiber optic taper to match the daysight image and reticule; reducing the size of image forming optics and thereby reducing the inner dimensions of the coupling.

Abstract: A telescope tracking device comprising an off-axis guider, a flip mirror image previewer, and an instrument port to attach an optical device for recording the image.

Abstract: The optical sensor (10) has a multiple telescope assembly (12), a rotating periscope assembly (14), an imager optical system (16) and a detector (18). The sensor (10) may be utilized with visible, ultraviolet or infrared wavelength radiation. Each telescope (12) views a particular sector of a scene. The rotating periscope (14) multiplexes the output of each telescope (12) to provide a combined wide field of view of each of the sectors. The system may be used in various types of navigation, pilotage, and monitoring systems.

Abstract: A multiple field of view sensor lens assembly suitable for inclusion in an infrared imaging system. The lens assembly includes a rotatable telescope 10 for providing first and second fields of view for the sensor, the first field of view being along a first axis thereof L and the second field of view being along a separate second axis T. A servo mechanism 30 is included for rotating the telescope 10 from a first orientation at which the first axis is aligned with the optical axis to a second orientation at which the second axis is aligned with the optical axis. In a preferred embodiment the inventive lens assembly is disposed to provide fields of view in opposing directions along the first axis L, and a third field along the second axis T.

Abstract: A high-resolution synthetic aperture telescope system includes a primary mirror which is a section of the aperture to be synthesized; and a device for rotating the primary mirror section through a number of angular positions about the aperture being synthesized to obtain a plurality of component images of an object, at least one from each of the positions.

Abstract: An optical filter device comprised of two parallel arrays of lenses. Each lens in the first array faces a lens in the second array to form a pixel. Lens pairs in a pixel are separated by the sum of their focal distances and include in their common focal surface a "smart" layer for modulating light passing through the focal surface. Preferred embodiments include car rear view mirrors, sunglasses, glasses for night driving, laser goggles, nuclear goggles, sun visors, sun shields, windshields, space suit helmet visors, optical instrument protection devices, window filters and energy conservation devices.

Abstract: A video system for use by a patient positioned in the bore of an MRI scanner includes a scope through which the patient can view a remote target area while a scan is being performed. A liquid crystal display system produces a color image at the target area which can be manipulated with a computer to perform MRI brain function experiments or tests.

Abstract: A binocular-type optical device for night as well as day vision. A night vision optical device is located in a central body. The night vision optical device includes an optical path which is folded through a pair of opposed holes in a central body containing the night vision device. Two lateral bodies are affixed to the central body, each lateral body having a hole facing the holes in the central body. One of the lateral bodies faces an oblong hole in the central body, and is rotatable with respect to the central body. Each of the lateral bodies includes a day vision optical system having an objective at one end and an eyepiece at another end. A mirror contained in each lateral body are adjustable to permit either the folded night vision optical path or the day vision optical path to be received by a pair of common eyepieces.

Abstract: A multiple field of view sensor lens assembly suitable for inclusion in an infrared imaging system. The lens assembly includes a rotatable telescope 10 for providing first and second fields of view for the sensor, the first field of view being along a first axis thereof L and the second field of view being along a separate second axis T. A servo mechanism 30 is included for rotating the telescope 10 from a first orientation at which the first axis is aligned with the optical axis to a second orientation at which the second axis is aligned with the optical axis. In a preferred embodiment the inventive lens assembly is disposed to provide fields of view in opposing directions along the first axis L, and a third field along the second axis T.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for magnifying the image of distant objects which has the unique feature that, unlike the Galilean telescope, the magnification is largely determined by how far the eye is located from the apparatus. Furthermore, unlike the Loupe, objects to be viewed can be at any arbitrarily large distance from the apparatus. In addition, the apparatus does not require positioning of the eye at the exit pupil of the instrument; it does not require centering of the eye on the optic axis of the instrument; and it does not require refocusing for different object distances. Still, it provides erect, non-inverted images to the viewer. The includes a positive optical element defining an optic axis for the apparatus and having a positive focal length for converging an incoming bundle of rays of electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: A variety of optical systems can be formed from select configurations of micro-optic multiplets (MOM) comprised of two or more microlens modules (MLM). The MLMs themselves are formed from planar arrays of microlenses. An optical system configured in accordance with the present invention forms a single primary image, together with a set of images transversely displaced from an optic axis and is characterized by the property that the image distance and the object distance move in the same direction, in stark contrast to known lens systems. For example, when an object distance decreases, the corresponding image distance also decreases with the present optical system.

Abstract: A binocular comprising a housing and a pair of first and second optical systems positioned on each side of a central line. Each optical system includes an object lens and ocular lens arranged at a front part and at a rear part of the housing respectively. Further, a light admitting window is placed on the central line between the first and second optical systems for admitting light from an object. A detection module, provided independently of the first and second optical systems is used to output electrical signals which represent the distance to the object. The detection module may include an optical path deflecting means for z-shapely deflecting the light from the light admitting window and for directing the light to a sensor. The binocular is compact and has a hand grip that is designed in order to be holdable and focusable by the use of a single hand.

Abstract: A large effective-aperture, low-cost optical telescope with diffraction-limited resolution enables ground-based observation of near-earth space objects. The telescope has a non-redundant, thinned-aperture array in a center-mount, single-structure space frame. It employs speckle interferometric imaging to achieve diffraction-limited resolution. The signal-to-noise ratio problem is mitigated by moving the wavelength of operation to the near-IR, and the image is sensed by a Silicon CCD. The steerable, single-structure array presents a constant pupil. The center-mount, radar-like mount enables low-earth orbit space objects to be tracked as well as increases stiffness of the space frame. In the preferred embodiment, the array has elemental telescopes with subaperture of 2.1 m in a circle-of-nine configuration. The telescope array has an effective aperture of 12 m which provides a diffraction-limited resolution of 0.02 arc seconds.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to optical devices enabling daytime vision and night vision of an external scene with, in both cases, the superimposed introduction, into an observer's visual field, of an image given by an image generator. The image given by the light intensifier of a night observation system is processed in the same way as the image given by the image generator, by an auxiliary image-combining optical system which mixes these two images before they reach the main image-combining optical system of the device through which, in night vision, the observer directly sees the external scene. The auxiliary image-combining optical system is designed so that, in night vision, at least the greatest part of the light coming from the image generator reaches the main image-combining optical system. Depending on the embodiment, this result is obtained either with a retractable semi-reflecting mirror or with a semi-reflecting surface selective in frequency.

Abstract: A dual function day/night sight for rifles and the like having a unified body. The sight comprises a housing incorporating a power supply, an eyepiece and objective lenses for producing a target image arranged co-axially, and the combination of an image intensifier and optical array arranged in fixed parallel position one to the other and interposed between the eyepiece and objective lenses. Image beam deflecting means are interposed between the objective lenses and the parallel combination. During nighttime use of the sight, the deflecting means are used to apply the incoming image beam to the image intensifier. During daytime use of the sight, the deflecting means are used to apply the incoming image beam to the optical array.

Abstract: An ocular turret telescope system for attachment to a conventional reflecting or refracting telescope or other optical instrument includes a plurality of integrated optical adjustment features. A rack and pinion slidable adjustment provides a viewer with a resolution adjustment. A rotatable filter and magnification selection turret enables the selection of one of several filters and/or magnification levels. A selectable eyepiece housing enables the selection of one of several eyepiece barrels of different aperture sizes which are sighted along the telescope barrel via an internal, reflecting mirror mounted at a 45 degree angle. Also, an end-mounted specialized eyepiece or camera mount automatically urges the internal, reflecting mirror upward and out of the optical viewing path of the specialized eyepiece or camera when the eyepiece or camera is connected to the ocular turret system.

Abstract: A phased array telescope in which the output field angle of each afocal subtelescope is equal to the arcsin of the product of the magnification and the sine of the input field angle. The resultant subtelescope distortion reduces piston error at the input to the beam combining telescope to increase resolution by reducing piston error otherwise caused by distortion-free subtelescopes. The phased array telescope uses only reflecting surfaces in order to operate over a wide spectral band. Optically powered primary, secondary and tertiary reflecting surfaces are combined with an aspheric folding mirror before the image that would have been formed by the secondary mirror to control the distortion of each subtelescope to exactly follow the arcsin rule provided.

Abstract: A large effective-aperture, low-cost optical telescope with diffraction-limited resolution enables ground-based observation of near-earth space objects. The telescope has a non-redundant, thinned-aperture array in a center-mount, single-structure space frame. It employes speckle interferometric imaging to achieve diffraction-limited resolution. The signal-to-noise ratio problem is mitigated by moving the wavelength of operation to the near-IR, and the image is sensed by a Silicon CCD. The steerable, single-structure array presents a constant pupil. The center-mount, radar-like mount enables low-earth orbit space objects to be tracked as well as increases stiffness of the space frame. In the preferred embodiment, the array has elemental telescopes with subaperture of 2.1 m in a circle-of-nine configuration. The telescope array has an effective aperture of 12 m which provides a diffraction-limited resolution of 0.02 arc seconds.

Abstract: A telescopic sight which can be used for either nighttime or daytime operation and is particularly adaptable for use on weapons ranging from rifles to anti-tank weapons.A first embodiment includes a single objective and two parallel light paths, one for day viewing and one for night viewing. The objective forms the beginning of the night path. Separating mirrors transmit light from the objective along the night path and reflects light from the objective to the day path. The night path includes an image intensifier assembly. A mirror at the end of the night path reflects the light from the image intensifier assembly to a beamsplitter/combiner on the day path. The beamsplitter/combiner transmits the light from the day path and reflects the light from the night path along the same path to an ocular assembly for viewing.A second embodiment of the telescopic sight is similar to the first embodiment but contains two objective lens assemblies for collecting light, one for the night path and one for the day path.