Abstract: A method involves mounting a laser on a rotation device with azimuth and elevation degrees of freedom, locating the rotation device at a distance from the locations of two or more cameras, orienting each camera so the origin of a laser beam is imaged onto each camera, measuring the distance between each camera origin and the laser aperture, projecting the laser beam through a sequence of precisely determined azimuth and elevation orientations, using each camera collecting laser beam images as the laser is projected through the sequence, and using the laser beam images to determine a set of rotation matrices R and translation vectors T. Using R and T, a point in a laser coordinate frame is translated into a coordinate frame of each of the cameras or a point in a coordinate frame of one camera is translated into a coordinate frame of another camera.

Abstract: A method involves obtaining a first beam image on a focal plane of a first camera and a second beam image on a focal plane of a second camera from light scattered by ambient atmospheric aerosols in the path of a laser beam. First and second projected beam images are formed, representing the respective first and second beam images in the projected scenes of the respective first and second cameras. First and second ambiguity planes are then formed from the respective first and second projected beam images. An intersection of the first and second ambiguity planes is then determined, identifying the position of the laser beam. A source of the laser beam is then determined, along with a camera-source plane. A beam elevation angle with respect to this plane is then determined, as well as beam azimuth angles with respect to lines between the respective camera and the source.

Abstract: A method of distinguishing center-frequency-tuned signals from off-tuned signals and noise in a single-channel receiver, comprising: receiving a signal with the single-channel receiver; storing the signal in a memory store; calculating the variance of a time-windowed segment of the signal; storing data representing the variance of the segment in the memory store; calculating the kurtosis of the segment of the signal; storing data representing the kurtosis of the segment in the memory store; comparing the variance data and the kurtosis data to variance and kurtosis thresholds respectively; identifying the segment as center-frequency-tuned if the variance of the segment exceeds the variance threshold and the kurtosis falls below the kurtosis threshold; and identifying the segment as non-center-frequency-tuned if the variance of the segment is less than or equal to the variance threshold and/or the kurtosis is greater than or equal to the kurtosis threshold.

Abstract: A low-cost high-resolution staring infrared imaging sensor for viewing a large Field Of Regard (FOR) while integrating over a small IFOV to detect small dim targets by subdividing the FOR into a plurality of internal optical paths without the use of mechanically-movable parts. Each of the plurality of internal optical paths may be further subdivided by a plurality of steerable micro-mirrors to reduce the IFOV and enhance long-range target acquisition capability. The sensor includes a primary lens for accepting infrared radiation from a Field Of Regard (FOR), a plurality of primary mirrors each disposed to reflect a portion of an FOR image along a different optical path, a secondary lens in each optical path to focus the FOR image portion onto a secondary mirror for reflection along a preselected direction, and a tertiary lens in each optical path to focus the FOR image portion onto an image detector array.

Abstract: A tunable spectral source includes an enclosure having first and second apertures; an optical dispersive element positioned in the enclosure; and multiple pixel source elements that are individually controllable for selectively directing one or more broadband light signals through the first aperture to irradiate the optical dispersive element. Each of the broadband light signals irradiates the optical dispersive element at a unique angle of incidence. The optical dispersive element disperses the broadband light signals into spectral component signals at dispersion angles that are dependent upon the angle of incidence of each broadband light signal that irradiates the optical dispersive element. The portions of the spectral component signals that are emitted through the second aperture are determined by selecting one or more particular pixel source elements to irradiate the optical dispersive element.

Abstract: A low-cost high-resolution staring infrared imaging sensor for viewing a large Field Of Regard (FOR) while integrating over a small IFOV to detect small dim targets by subdividing the FOR into a plurality of internal optical paths without the use of mechanically-moveable parts. Each of the plurality of internal optical paths may be further subdivided by a plurality of steerable micro-mirrors to reduce the IFOV and enhance long-range target acquisition capability. The sensor includes a primary lens for accepting infrared radiation from a Field Of Regard (FOR), a plurality of primary mirrors each disposed to reflect a portion of an FOR image along a different optical path, a secondary lens in each optical path to focus the FOR image portion onto a secondary mirror for reflection along a preselected direction, and a tertiary lens in each optical path to focus the FOR image portion onto an image detector array.

Abstract: An automated system determines the minimum resolvable temperature difference of a thermal imager with respect to a background scene. The system comprises: a) a thermal energy for generating thermal signals; b) at least one pattern mask for transforming the thermal signals into thermal image signals; c) a thermal imager for detecting and transforming the thermal image signals into transformed signals; and d) a computer for determining the minimum resolvable temperature difference of the thermal imager using the transformed signals. A display coupled to the computer may be used to present the minimum resolvable temperature difference in human readable form.

Abstract: An interferometer employs liquid crystals to effect optical path length cges in a Michelson-type interferometer. A beam splitter divides a first optical signal into second and third optical signals. The second optical signal is directed through a first array of liquid crystals, and the third optical signal is directed through a second array of liquid crystals. Mirrors reflect the second and third optical signals back through the arrays to the beam splitter which combines them into a fourth optical signal having an interference pattern. A detector array transforms the fourth optical signal into an electrical signal. A processing circuit is used to modulate the indices of refraction of the liquid crystals to effectuate optical path length changes between the second and third optical signals. The data processor may also be employed to transform the electrical signal into digital data which may be analyzed to discern spectral characteristics of the first optical signal that are of interest.