US3637281A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical scanning equipment
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-03-27
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Granted: 1972-01-25
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Expires: 1989-03-27
Abstract
Abstract Aerial photographic-equipment of the line-scanning type in which two parabolic mirrors lie on either side of a square-section rotor with four mirror faces that reflect the scanning beam on to a ridge mirror above the rotor and by which it is directed to an infrared detector cell. The signal from the IR cell is employed to modulate a light beam at one end of the rotor, which modulated beam is reflected out radially from the rotor optical systems within the rotor so as to traverse repeatedly a photographic film which is transported above the rotor in a direction parallel to its axis.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank Arthur Gull
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 12:51
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N3/00; H04N3/02; H04N3/08; H04N3/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
A scanning and recording system to be carried by a vehicle, comprising a scanning rotor mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the direction of motion of said vehicle and having a plurality of equiangularly disposed reflecting faces each said face lying in a plane parallel to said axis of rotation, twin fixed focusing reflectors situated one on either side of said rotor to reflect beams from the faces thereof upward in two mutually converging paths, a detection device giving a signal output that varies in accordance with beam strength falling thereon which detection device is mounted above and spaced from said rotor, means receiving said two mutually converging reflected beams and delivering them as a combined beam onto said detection device, record medium transport means, a record medium band transported by said transport means along a path extending above said rotor parallel to said axis of rotation and passing between said rotor and said detection device, recording beam projection means mounted on said rotor to rotate therewith and projecting a recording beam radially with respect to said axis of rotation which recording beam passes repeatedly widthwise across said record medium band transported above said rotor as said rotor rotates, and means modulating said recording beam in accordance with variations in the signal output of said detection device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
219 words
A scanning and recording system to be carried by a vehicle, comprising a scanning rotor mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the direction of motion of said vehicle and having a plurality of equiangularly disposed reflecting faces each said face lying in a plane parallel to said axis of rotation, twin fixed focusing reflectors situated one on either side of said rotor to reflect beams from the faces thereof upward in two mutually converging paths, a detection device giving a signal output that varies in accordance with beam strength falling thereon which detection device is mounted above and spaced from said rotor, means receiving said two mutually converging reflected beams and delivering them as a combined beam onto said detection device, record medium transport means, a record medium band transported by said transport means along a path extending above said rotor parallel to said axis of rotation and passing between said rotor and said detection device, recording beam projection means mounted on said rotor to rotate therewith and projecting a recording beam radially with respect to said axis of rotation which recording beam passes repeatedly widthwise across said record medium band transported above said rotor as said rotor rotates, and means modulating said recording beam in accordance with variations in the signal output of said detection device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the scanning is optical scanning and the detection device is an infrared sensitive cell.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system according to claim 2, wherein said fixed focusing reflectors are mirrors with their reflecting faces forming parts of a paraboloid, and said means receiving said two mutually converging beams is a ridge mirror oriented to reflect onto said detection device beams approaching it on either side from said two fixed paraboloid mirrors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said rotor is generally of square cross section with four equiangularly disposed mirror faces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said recording beam projection means comprises multiple optical focusing systems projecting said recording beam along a plurality of equiangularly spaced radial paths, whereby plural radial beams pass in succession across said record medium band so recording successive lines thereon as said record medium band travels.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A system according to claim 5, wherein said rotor is generally hollow, a light source modulated in accordance with said detector device signal output disposed at one end of said rotor, and said recording beam projection beams further comprises central reflecting optical means within said rotor, the light from said light source passing axially within the rotor and being reflected to said multiple optical systems by said central reflecting optical means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 1, disposed in and aerial vehicle for scanning the terrestrial scene below and operating at ambient atmospheric pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said record medium band is a photographic film, and a curved guide constrains said film, in the region of its travel where it is scanned by said recording beam, to a widthwise curvature centered on said axis of rotation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3019292A
Cited
US3211046A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-24 | 1975-07-26 | 1976-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-24 | 1979-07-26 | 1980-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-24 | 1983-07-26 | 1984-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |