Abstract: The invention provides a light-transfer imager that can be incorporated into a hyperspectral line-scanner, a spectrograph or a non-diffractive image relay device, and more particularly, to a design having a simpler optical design that is easier to fabricate, and has superior imaging quality than most previous designs. The invention includes a generic first optical assembly to deliver incoming light onto a slit or pinhole, a second optical assembly operating as a refractive corrector that directs incoming light onto a curved reflective diffraction grating or curved mirror such that the spectrally dispersed or reflected light (dependent upon the particular embodiment) passes back through the same second optical assembly which focuses that light onto a focal plane array (FPA) in approximately the same plane as the slit. The slit and the FPA are preferably displaced symmetrically on opposite sides of the optical axis of the refractive corrector.

Abstract: The invention describes an optical multiplexer for increasing optical data collection efficiency across at least two fields of view. The optical multiplexer includes a first optical path for operatively receiving optical data from a first field of view and at least one beam deflection system for operatively receiving optical data from at least a second field of view. The optical multiplexer also includes an optical train for focusing the optical data passing through the optical train onto adjacent sections of a focal plane array. The invention provides improvements including expanded across-track swaths, higher spatial resolution, imaging of real-time references on every frame, coincident imaging along separate paths, stereo imaging and other increases in imaging functionality.

Abstract: The invention describes an optical multiplexer for increasing optical data collection efficiency across at least two fields of view. The optical multiplexer includes a first optical path for operatively receiving optical data from a first field of view and at least one beam deflection system for operatively receiving optical data from at least a second field of view. The optical multiplexer also includes an optical train for focusing the optical data from the above optical paths onto adjacent sections of a focal plane sensor array. In various embodiments, the invention enables expanded across-track swaths, higher spatial resolution, imaging of real-time references on every frame, coincident imaging along separate paths, stereo imaging and other improvements in imaging functionality. The invention further describes the application of optical multiplexing to an Offner-type spectrograph.

Abstract: The invention describes an optical multiplexer for increasing optical data collection efficiency across at least two fields of view. The optical multiplexer includes a first optical path for operatively receiving optical data from a first field of view and at least one beam deflection system for operatively receiving optical data from at least a second field of view. The optical multiplexer also includes an optical train for focusing the optical data passing through the optical train onto adjacent sections of a focal plane array. The invention provides improvements including expanded across-track swaths, higher spatial resolution, imaging of real-time references on every frame, coincident imaging along separate paths, stereo imaging and other increases in imaging functionality.

Abstract: The Charge Coupled Device ("CCD"), which is an integrated circuit array sensor in "chip" form, of a pushbroom spectrographic imager is operated to achieve fast dumping of unwanted rows of charges. The chip is provided with antiblooming structure in the image area and the first row of the storage area. The rows of charges are divided into groups of several rows. The groups of interest (i.e. the active groups) and those that are not wanted (i.e. the discard groups) are so designated. The rows in each group are summed in the antiblooming structure of the storage area. The active summed rows are sequentially transferred by the chip's transport register to an output amplifier, wherein the individual charges are read out and digitized to yield signal values for collection. The discard summed rows are cleared without digitization.