Abstract: An apparatus for spatially characterizing an illumination source of interest in a scene comprised of at least one optical element configured to form an image on a focal plane; a single plane sensing array comprising at least two types of pixels having different spectral sensitivity bands, the pixels located at spatially non-overlapping regions of the sensing array; a multi-bandpass filter spectrally narrowing light received from the scene within at least two of the different spectral sensitivity bands corresponding to features that distinguish the illumination source of interest from other sources in the scene; and a processor in signal communication with the sensing array and containing an algorithm to interpolate at least two levels of signals received from at least one spatial location on the sensing array and to determine the presence of the specific illumination source of interest from the relative intensities of the two levels.

Abstract: An optical device that creates separate images for different wavelength bands of light. The device comprises a light sensor, a first dichroic filter, and a first mirror. The light sensor comprises a first light sensing portion and a second light sensing portion. The first dichroic filter reflects a first portion of incident light of a first wavelength band from a source through an imaging lens with the imaging lens projecting a first image of the source onto the first light sensing portion of the light sensor; and the first dichroic filter transmits a second portion of incident light of a second wavelength band from the scene different from the first wavelength range. The first mirror is positioned to reflect the transmitted second portion of incident light through the imaging lens, the imaging lens projecting a second image of the source onto the second light sensing portion of the light sensor.

Abstract: An optical device that creates separate images for different wavelength bands of light. The device comprises a light sensor, a first dichroic filter, and a first mirror. The light sensor comprises a first light sensing portion and a second light sensing portion. The first dichroic filter reflects a first portion of incident light of a first wavelength band from a source through an imaging lens with the imaging lens projecting a first image of the source onto the first light sensing portion of the light sensor; and the first dichroic filter transmits a second portion of incident light of a second wavelength band from the scene different from the first wavelength range. The first mirror is positioned to reflect the transmitted second portion of incident light through the imaging lens, the imaging lens projecting a second image of the source onto the second light sensing portion of the light sensor.