Patents Assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Admistrator of NASA
  • Rare earth optical temperature sensor
    Patent number: 6746149
    Abstract: A rare earth optical temperature sensor is disclosed for measuring high temperatures. Optical temperature sensors exist that channel emissions from a sensor to a detector using a light pipe. The invention uses a rare earth emitter to transform the sensed thermal energy into a narrow band width optical signal that travels to a detector using a light pipe. An optical bandpass filter at the detector removes any noise signal outside of the band width of the signal from the emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Admistrator of NASA
    Inventors: Donald L. Chubb, Phillip Jenkins