Abstract: An adaptive imaging telescope having nonlinear sensing means for detecting an optical image received thereby. The system comprises a phase shifter, positioned at the aperture of the telescope or at an image plane thereof. This system also includes a nonlinear image quality sensor optically coupled to the phase shifter, consisting of a quadrant nonlinear detector wherein each detector element of the quadrant detector is responsive to light from the optical image, the quadrant detector comprising nonlinear photocells or detectors whose plane is positioned at an image plane of the telescope. The photocells are connected to a network for providing image quality error signals. Analog circuits are provided to receive the sensor output and provide a closed-loop return to the phase shifter.

Abstract: An adaptive imaging telescope having a linear sensor for detecting a received optical image. The system includes a choice of two electro-optic phase shifters positioned substantially at the aperture of the telescope responsive to the received optical image. A non-coherent image quality sensor is provided consisting of a video camera and digital computation networks. This system also includes circuits responsive to outputs from the sensor feeding the phase shifter in a closed-loop arrangement.

Abstract: An adaptive imaging telescope having a linear sensor for detecting a received optical image. The system includes a choice of two electro-optic phase shifters positioned substantially at the aperture of the telescope responsive to the received optical image. The linear sensor may consist either of a pinhole detector, a transform circuit such as of the Fourier type, or a video camera with computation circuits. This system also includes circuits responsive to outputs from the linear sensor feeding the phase shifter in closed-loop arrangement.

Abstract: A system for controlling the relative phasing of a plurality of transmitting subapertures such that the energy transmitted therethrough is in phase at a distant location. In accordance with the invention, the transmitting subapertures are sequentially controlled so as to apply phase perturbations to different orthogonal spatial sets thereof; and in response to received reflected energy the relative size of the phase error is computed for each set and compensating phase offsets are provided.