Patents by Inventor Paul N. Robb
Paul N. Robb has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 5786940Abstract: Analytical optical system design optimization implements an optical material selection module (302), a thin lens power calculation module (304), a prescription module (306), a figure of merit determination module (308), a bending adjustment module (310), and a focal length scaling module (312). The optical material selection module (302) selects a set of optical materials that are appropriate for use together in an optical system using the dispersion coefficients of the materials. Potential optical designs are screened according to thin lens power criteria. For each design with acceptable power distribution, a lens prescription is arranged and thickness is added to each lens by the prescription module (306) to provide a thick lens assembly. Designs can then be analyzed according to a figure of merit that evidences optical system performance by the figure of merit determination module (308). In an exemplary embodiment the polychromatic RMS spot radius for each design is analyzed.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1996Date of Patent: July 28, 1998Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corp.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 5682263Abstract: Design forms are disclosed for lens triplets comprising a liquid lens element, which are well-corrected for chromatic aberration over a broad wavelength band extending from the ultraviolet region through the visible region into the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 1994Date of Patent: October 28, 1997Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventors: Paul N. Robb, Robert D. Sigler
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Patent number: 5627674Abstract: Lens systems (8, 18, 28, 38, 48, 58) with first and second rigid lens elements and a liquid lens element therebetween are provided. The first and second rigid lens elements (10, 11; 20, 21; 30, 31; 40, 41; 50, 51; 60, 61) and the liquid lens elements (16, 26, 36, 46, 56, 66) co-act with each other to cause the lens system to have substantially diffraction limited performance over a continuous ultraviolet wavelength band, wherein the first and second rigid lens elements and the liquid lens element are configured and positioned with respect to each other according to a selection of particular designs and design forms.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1994Date of Patent: May 6, 1997Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 5532880Abstract: A lens system (10) for a 5X laser beam expander includes lens elements (11, 12, 13, 14) which consist of crystalline and liquid optical materials. Several embodiments, using different materials for the lens elements (11, 12, 13, 14), provide diffraction-limited performance without refocussing over several wavelength ranges, the broadest being from 0.24 to 2.5 microns.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1994Date of Patent: July 2, 1996Assignee: Lockhead Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 5491583Abstract: Lens systems (68, 78, 88, 98, 108, 118) with first and second rigid lens elements (70,71;80,81;90,91;100,101;110,111;120,121) and a liquid lens element (76, 86, 96, 106, 116, 126) therebetween are provided. The first and second rigid lens elements and the liquid lens elements co-act with each other to cause the lens system to have substantially diffraction limited performance over a continuous infrared wavelength band, wherein the first and second rigid lens elements and the liquid lens element are configured and positioned with respect to each other according to a selection of particular designs and design forms.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1994Date of Patent: February 13, 1996Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 5453878Abstract: Design forms are disclosed for 5X and 10X laser beam expanders whose lens elements consist only of plastic and liquid optical materials, which provide diffraction-limited performance without refocussing over a wavelength range from 0.4 micron to 0.8 micron.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 1994Date of Patent: September 26, 1995Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 5384657Abstract: Design forms are disclosed for 5.times. and 10.times. laser beam expanders whose lens elements consist of glass and liquid optical materials, which provide diffraction-limited performance without refocussing over a wavelength range from 0.4 micron to 0.8 micron.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 1993Date of Patent: January 24, 1995Assignee: Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 5373396Abstract: Design forms are disclosed for 5X and 10X laser beam expanders whose lens elements consist only of plastic and liquid optical materials, which provide diffraction-limited performance without refocussing over a wavelength range from 0.4 micron to 0.8 micron.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 1993Date of Patent: December 13, 1994Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 5329404Abstract: A 5.times. laser beam expander lens that is well-corrected for chromatic aberration can be used without refocussing over a wavelength range from 0.365 micron to 1.3 micron.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1992Date of Patent: July 12, 1994Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 5305150Abstract: A 10.times. laser beam expander lens that is well-corrected for chromatic aberration can be used without refocussing over a wavelength range from 0.365 micron to 1.3 micron.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1992Date of Patent: April 19, 1994Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 5210646Abstract: A method is described for selecting optical materials to use in designing color-corrected optical systems. Various dioptric, catadioptric and anamorphic optical systems are described, which use only two different types of optical materials to obtain precise axial color correction at three, four or five wavelengths (depending upon the particular optical materials), with only very small chromatic aberration occurring at wavelengths between the precisely color-corrected wavelengths. Examples of color-corrected lens systems comprising more than two glasses are also described.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 1990Date of Patent: May 11, 1993Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventors: Romeo I. Mercado, Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 5204782Abstract: A method is described for selecting optical materials to use in designing color-corrected optical systems. Various dioptric, catadioptric and anamorphic optical systems are described, which use only two different types of optical materials to obtain precise axial color correction at three, four or five wavelengths (depending upon the particular optical materials), with only very small chromatic aberration occurring at wavelengths between the precisely color-corrected wavelengths. Examples of color-corrected lens systems comprising more than two glasses are also described.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 1990Date of Patent: April 20, 1993Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventors: Romeo I. Mercado, Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 5020889Abstract: A method is described for selecting optical materials to use in designing color-corrected optical systems. Various dioptric, catadioptric and anamorphic optical systems are described, which use only two different types of optical materials to obtain precise axial color correction at three, four or five wavelengths (depending upon the particular optical materials), with only very small chromatic aberration occurring at wavelengths between the precisely color-corrected wavelengths. Examples of color-corrected lens systems comprising more than two glasses are also described.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 1989Date of Patent: June 4, 1991Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventors: Romeo I. Mercado, Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 4966448Abstract: An apochromatic lens system consisting of four identical glass lens elements and a liquid lens element is disclosed, which has a change in focus of less than one-quarter wavelength over the entire visible spectrum. The glass lens elements and the liquid lens element are made from relatively inexpensive commercially available optical materials.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 1989Date of Patent: October 30, 1990Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 4950041Abstract: Lens triplets (two achromats and a apochromat) are disclosed that are well-corrected for chromatic aberration and for spherochromatism. Each triplet comprises two identical acrylic lens elements and a liquid lens element.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 1989Date of Patent: August 21, 1990Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, IncInventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 4932762Abstract: An apochromatic lens triplet consists of a liquid lens element contained between two glass lens elements, where the two glass lens elements are made of the same material and are geometrically identical to each other but oriented in opposite directions along the optic axis of the triplet.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1988Date of Patent: June 12, 1990Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 4915483Abstract: An apochromatic lens triplet comprises a liquid lens element contained between two glass lens elements. where the two glass lens elements are geometrically identical to each other but face in opposite directions along an optic axis. Inwardly facing surfaces of the two glass lens elements, which are in contact with the liquid lens element, are spherical. Outwardly facing surfaces of the two glass lens elements are aspherical to optimize performance.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 1989Date of Patent: April 10, 1990Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 4913535Abstract: An apochromatic lens system consisting of three identical glass lens elements and a liquid lens element is disclosed. The glass lens elements are made from an inexpensive and readily available optical glass, and the liquid lens element is made from a commercially available immersion oil. The lens elements coact to focus optical radiation passing through the system onto a focal surface with a change in focus of less than one-quarter wavelength over a wavelength range from 0.48 micron to 0.72 micron.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1989Date of Patent: April 3, 1990Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 4911538Abstract: A lens triplet consisting of two identical aspherical acrylic lens elements and a liquid lens element is well-corrected for chromatic aberration and for spherochromatism, and is diffraction limited over the visible spectrum. The liquid lens element is made of an optical liquid selected because of its compatibility with acrylic for achieving paraxial color correction with negligible chromatic variation of spherical aberration. One surface of each acrylic lens element is aspherized to minimize spherical aberration.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 1989Date of Patent: March 27, 1990Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb
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Patent number: 4832472Abstract: Design forms for wide-field mapping lenses are disclosed wherein limitations on resolving power attributable to monochromatic aberrations have been minimized, wherein chromatic aberration has been minimized over a broad wavelength band and has been reduced to zero for paraxial marginal rays at three discrete wavelengths, and wherein chromatic variations of the monochromatic aberrations (particularly chromatic variation of coma) have been substantially eliminated. Each of the lenses disclosed has an aperture diameter in the range from 10 to 15 inches, a focal length in the range from 200 to 300 inches, and a circular field of view in the range from 40.degree. to 60.degree.. Further, each lens is diffraction limited in a spectral range from 0.50 to 0.80 micron over the entire field of view. The focal surface for each lens disclosed is curved, so that illumination fall-off from the center to the edge of the focal surface varies by a factor of only about cos.sup.1.5 .theta., where .theta.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 1987Date of Patent: May 23, 1989Assignee: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.Inventor: Paul N. Robb