US3626091A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image converter
Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1969-12-11
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Granted: 1971-12-07
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Expires: 1989-12-11
Abstract
Abstract Real time raster scanning of a field is provided by rotating an N-sided prismatic mirror about its axis of symmetry. N may be any integer equal to or greater than two. Mirror faces on the prism are aligned with respect to the axis of rotation such that each face deviates the look angle of a detector by an amount equal to one resolution element (for contiguous scan lines). Rotation about the axis of symmetry produces a scan pattern similar to that of a TV system. The scan pattern is reconstructed by converting the output of the detector, into modulated light which is directed upon a rotating N-sided prismatic mirror with the restriction that the mirror face upon which the light is directed has the identical angle with respect to the axis of rotation as the mirror face which the detector sees at that time.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert P Casper
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:11
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N3/00; H04N3/02; H04N3/08; H04N3/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
A raster scanning and display system comprising a prismatic mirror having an outside shape in the form of a polygon each polygon side comprising: an outside mirror face; said polygon having an axis of rotation extending through the center thereof; means for rotating said prismatic mirror on its axis of rotation; one-half of the adjacent mirror faces making successively increasing angles with said axis of rotation; each of the remaining mirror faces making an angle with the axis of rotation which is equal to the angle made by the mirror face opposite thereto; a scene scanning location adjacent one side of said rotating prismatic mirror; transducer means for converting the radiant energy reflected by the mirror face rotating through the scene scanning location into electrical energy; means responsive to said electrical energy for producing a modulated light beam; means for directing said modulated light beam at the side of said prismatic mirror which is opposite to the scene scanning location side; and means for viewing the light reflected from the mirror faces in response to said modulated light energy.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
179 words
A raster scanning and display system comprising a prismatic mirror having an outside shape in the form of a polygon each polygon side comprising: an outside mirror face; said polygon having an axis of rotation extending through the center thereof; means for rotating said prismatic mirror on its axis of rotation; one-half of the adjacent mirror faces making successively increasing angles with said axis of rotation; each of the remaining mirror faces making an angle with the axis of rotation which is equal to the angle made by the mirror face opposite thereto; a scene scanning location adjacent one side of said rotating prismatic mirror; transducer means for converting the radiant energy reflected by the mirror face rotating through the scene scanning location into electrical energy; means responsive to said electrical energy for producing a modulated light beam; means for directing said modulated light beam at the side of said prismatic mirror which is opposite to the scene scanning location side; and means for viewing the light reflected from the mirror faces in response to said modulated light energy.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
133 words
Apparatus for optically raster scanning a scene comprising a first N-sided prismatic mirror, a second N-sided prismatic mirror, each mirror side being at an angle with respect to the axis of rotation which increases for each successive mirror side by a predetermined amount in sequence around said N-sided prismatic mirror; means for rotating said first and second prismatic mirrors together on their common axis of rotation; a scene scanning location adjacent said first prismatic mirror; transducer means for converting radiation reflected from said first prismatic mirror to electrical energy representative thereof; light means responsive to said electrical energy for producing light varying in intensity in accordance therewith; means for directing said light from said light means toward said second prismatic mirror; and means for viewing the light reflected from said second prismatic mirror.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
133 words
Apparatus for optically raster scanning a scene comprising a first N-sided prismatic mirror, a second N-sided prismatic mirror, each mirror side being at an angle with respect to the axis of rotation which increases for each successive mirror side by a predetermined amount in sequence around said N-sided prismatic mirror; means for rotating said first and second prismatic mirrors together on their common axis of rotation; a scene scanning location adjacent said first prismatic mirror; transducer means for converting radiation reflected from said first prismatic mirror to electrical energy representative thereof; light means responsive to said electrical energy for producing light varying in intensity in accordance therewith; means for directing said light from said light means toward said second prismatic mirror; and means for viewing the light reflected from said second prismatic mirror.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
163 words
An optical raster scanning arrangement including an N-sided prismatic mirror having outside mirror surfaces and insiDe mirror surfaces which are in back to back relationship with the outside mirror surfaces; each of said outside mirror surfaces making an angle with the axis of rotation which increases in sequence in a predetermined manner from outside mirror surface to outside mirror surface around said prismatic mirror; each of the inside surface prismatic surface prismatic mirrors making an angle which is equal and opposite to the angle made by the outside mirror surface with which it is in back to back relationship; a scanning location adjacent said N-sided prismatic mirror; transducer means for converting radiation reflected from said prismatic mirror into corresponding electrical signals; light means modulated responsive to said electrical signals for producing modulated light radiation; means for directing said modulated light radiation toward the inside mirror surfaces of said prismatic mirror; and means for viewing the light reflected from said inside prismatic mirror surfaces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
163 words
An optical raster scanning arrangement including an N-sided prismatic mirror having outside mirror surfaces and insiDe mirror surfaces which are in back to back relationship with the outside mirror surfaces; each of said outside mirror surfaces making an angle with the axis of rotation which increases in sequence in a predetermined manner from outside mirror surface to outside mirror surface around said prismatic mirror; each of the inside surface prismatic surface prismatic mirrors making an angle which is equal and opposite to the angle made by the outside mirror surface with which it is in back to back relationship; a scanning location adjacent said N-sided prismatic mirror; transducer means for converting radiation reflected from said prismatic mirror into corresponding electrical signals; light means modulated responsive to said electrical signals for producing modulated light radiation; means for directing said modulated light radiation toward the inside mirror surfaces of said prismatic mirror; and means for viewing the light reflected from said inside prismatic mirror surfaces.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
187 words
An apparatus for scanning a field of view and for providing optical imagery from the received scanned energy, said apparatus comprising: a mirror assembly having a plurality of mirror faces and an axis of rotation passing through the center of said assembly, with said mirror faces making various angles with said axis of rotation such that as said assembly is rotated about said axis energy applied thereto is reflected in a two-dimensional pattern; means for rotating said mirror assembly about its axis to sequentially move at least some of said mirror faces through a scanning location, and to move at least some of said mirror faces through a reconstruction location, said locations being displaced from each other; transducer means for converting the energy reflected from the mirror faces rotating through the scanning location into an electrical signal; and reconstruction means responsive to said electrical signal for producing a modulated light beam and for directing said modulated light beam to said reconstruction location; whereby the modulated light reflected from the mirror faces rotating through the reconstruction location provides optical imagery as a function of the received scanned energy.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
187 words
An apparatus for scanning a field of view and for providing optical imagery from the received scanned energy, said apparatus comprising: a mirror assembly having a plurality of mirror faces and an axis of rotation passing through the center of said assembly, with said mirror faces making various angles with said axis of rotation such that as said assembly is rotated about said axis energy applied thereto is reflected in a two-dimensional pattern; means for rotating said mirror assembly about its axis to sequentially move at least some of said mirror faces through a scanning location, and to move at least some of said mirror faces through a reconstruction location, said locations being displaced from each other; transducer means for converting the energy reflected from the mirror faces rotating through the scanning location into an electrical signal; and reconstruction means responsive to said electrical signal for producing a modulated light beam and for directing said modulated light beam to said reconstruction location; whereby the modulated light reflected from the mirror faces rotating through the reconstruction location provides optical imagery as a function of the received scanned energy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said transducer means includes an infrared detector.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said mirror assembly has a polygonal cross section through said mirror faces, and said scanning location and said reconstruction location are displaced about said axis of rotation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said reconstruction means includes means for directing said modulated light beam at a reconstruction location disposed on the opposite side of said mirror assembly from said scanning location.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the angles of said mirror faces relative to said axis of rotation are such that mirror faces in the scanning and reconstruction locations at any given time form equal angles with said axis of rotation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the angles of said mirror faces relative to said axis of rotation are such that mirror faces in the scanning and reconstruction locations at any given time form opposite angles with the axis of rotation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the angles relative to the axis of rotation made by each one of one-half of the mirror faces which are adjacent to one another, are equal to the angles of a corresponding mirror face of the other one-half.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said mirror assembly includes first and second mirror structures having a common axis of rotation and each structure has a plurality of mirror faces arranged to have a polygonal cross section; said transducer means is disposed to receive energy from a scanning location associated with one of said mirror structures; and said reconstruction means is disposed to direct said modulated energy to a reconstruction location associated with the other of said structures.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the angles of said mirror faces relative to said axis of rotation are such that mirror faces in the scanning and reconstruction locations at any given time form equal angles with the axis of rotation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the angles of said mirror faces relative to said axis of rotation are such that mirror faces in the scanning and reconstruction locations at any given time form opposite angles with the axis of rotation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
84 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said mirror assembly is hollow and has inside and outside mirror faces in a back to face relationship disposed to have a polygonal cross section through said mirror faces, and said transducer means is disposed to receive energy from a scanning location associated with either said inside or said outside set of mirror faces and said reconstruction means is disposed to direct said modulation energy to a reconstruction location associated with the other set of said mirror faces.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the angle of each said inside mirror relative to said axis of rotation, is equal to the angle of the oppositely disposed outside mirror.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the angle of each said inside mirror relative to said axis of rotation, is opposite from the angle of the oppositely disposed outside mirror.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-06 | 1975-06-07 | 1975-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-06 | 1979-06-07 | 1979-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-06 | 1983-06-07 | 1983-12-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |