Multispectral collimator with built-in-test

Claim 2

A multispectral collimator for testing and verifying electro-optical and opto-mechanical parameters of a unit under test, the collimator comprising: a thermal image source for outputting a collimated infrared radiation image to the unit under test, the source including; a thermal black body with infrared target and boresight aperture therein; and a two-mirror aplanatized optic for receiving the image of the target and collimating the image to the unit under test; a laser measurement tester for receiving a laser beam from the unit under test, the tester including; a cube beam splitter for dividing the beam into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion received through the splitter, the second portion reflected from the splitter; a fast detector and calorimeter for receiving the first portion of the beam, the fast detector measuring the width of the laser beam pulse, the collimator measuring the power input of the laser beam; and a laser measuring instrument for receiving the reflected second portion of the beam, the laser measuring instrument having a matrix camera and computer therein where the beam is focused onto the matrix of the camera and stored in the memory of the computer.

Claim 3

The collimator as described in claim 1 wherein the source is a visible source which can be retracted when the thermal image source is in use.

Claim 4

The collimator as described in claim 1 wherein the source is a near infrared source which can be retracted when the thermal image source is in use.

Claim 5

The collimator as described in claim 1 wherein the first portion of the laser beam is greater than 90% of energy component of the laser beam and the second portion of the beam energy is less than 10% of the energy component of the laser beam.

Claim 6

The collimator as described in claim 1 further including a wedge prism attenuator disposed between the cube beam splitter and the laser measuring tester for reducing the laser beam energy focused onto the matrix of the camera and to prevent saturating the matrix camera.

Claim 7

The collimator as described in claim 5 wherein the wedge prism attenuator includes a pair or wedge shaped prisms adjustable for maximum and minimum attenuation and transmitting the attenuated beam to the laser measuring tester.

Claim 8

A multispectral collimator for testing and verifying electro-optical and opto-mechanical parameters of a unit under test, the collimator comprising: a thermal image source for outputting a collimated infrared radiation image to the unit under test, the source including: a thermal black body with infrared target and boresight aperture therein; an adjustable infrared source connected to the thermal black body; and a two-mirror aplanatized optic for receiving the image of the target and collimating the image to the unit under test; a laser measurement tester for receiving a laser beam from the unit under test, the tester including: a cube beam splitter for dividing the beam energy into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being approximately 90% or greater of the beam energy which is received through the splitter; a fast detector and calorimeter for receiving the first portion of the beam, the calorimeter measuring the power input of the beam and the fast detector measuring the width of the laser beam pulse; a wedge prism attenuator disposed adjacent the cube beam splitter for receiving the second portion of the beam energy being approximately 10% or less the wedge prism attenuator reducing the beam energy and translating the beam energy; and a laser measuring instrument having a matrix camera and computer therein, the matrix camera receiving the attenuated second portion and focusing thereon and storing in the computer memory.

Claim 9

A multispectral collimator for testing and verifying electro-optical and opto-mechanical parameters of a unit under test, the collimator comprising: a thermal image source for outputting a collimated infrared radiation image to the unit under test, the source including: a thermal black body with infrared target and boresight aperture therein; an adjustable infrared source connected to the thermal black body; and a two-mirror aplanatized optic for receiving the image of the target and collimating the image to the unit under test; a laser measurement tester for receiving a laser beam from the unit under test, the tester including: a cube beam splitter for dividing the beam energy into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being approximately 90% or greater of the beam energy which is received through the splitter; a fast detector and calorimeter for receiving the first portion of the beam, the calorimeter measuring the power input of the beam and the fast detector measuring the width of the laser beam pulse; a wedge prism attenuator disposed adjacent the cube beam splitter for receiving the second portion of the beam energy being approximately 10% or less the wedge prism attenuator reducing the beam energy and translating the beam energy; and a laser measuring instrument having a matrix camera and computer therein, the matrix camera receiving the attenuated second portion and focusing thereon and storing in the computer memory.

Claim 10

A multispectral collimator for testing and verifying an electro-optical and opto-mechanical parameters of a unit under test, the collimator comprising: a thermal image source for outputting a collimated infrared radiation image to the unit under test, the source including: a thermal black body with infrared target and boresight aperture therein; and a two-mirror aplanatized optic for receiving the image of the target and collimating the image to the unit under test; a laser measurement tester for receiving a laser beam from the unit under test, the tester including: a cube beam splitter for dividing the beam energy into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion received through the beam splitter to a fast detector and calorimeter, the second portion reflected into a laser measuring instrument and focused onto a matrix camera; and an autocollimator aligned with the boresight aperture of the thermal image source and aligned with the unit under test.

Claim 11

A multispectral collimator for testing and verifying an electro-optical and opto-mechanical parameters of a unit under test, the collimator comprising: a thermal image source for outputting a collimated infrared radiation image to the unit under test, the source including: a thermal black body with infrared target and boresight aperture therein; and a two-mirror aplanatized optic for receiving the image of the target and collimating the image to the unit under test; a laser measurement tester for receiving a laser beam from the unit under test, the tester including: a cube beam splitter for dividing the beam energy into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion received through the beam splitter to a fast detector and calorimeter, the second portion reflected into a laser measuring instrument and focused onto a matrix camera; and an autocollimator aligned with the boresight aperture of the thermal image source and aligned with the unit under test.

Claim 12

The collimator as described in claim 8 wherein the autocollimator includes a pair of autocollimators aligned with the boresight aperture of the thermal source and adapted for alignment to an alignment mirror on the unit under test.

Claim 13

The collimator as described in claim 9 wherein the two autocollimators are adapted for aligning the aximuth axis and pitch axis of the unit under test with the boresight aperture of the thermal source.

Claim 14

A multispectral collimator for testing and verifying electro-optical and opto-mechanical parameters of a unit under test, the collimator comprising: a thermal image source for outputting a collimated infrared radiation image to the unit under test, the source including; a thermal black body with infrared target and boresight aperture therein; and a two-mirror aplanatized optic for receiving the image of the target and collimating the image to the unit under test; a laser measurement tester for receiving a laser beam from the unit under test, the tester including; a cube beam splitter for dividing the beam energy into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion received through the beam splitter to a fast detector and calorimeter, the second portion reflected into a laser measuring instrument and focused onto a matrix camera; and a laser simulator with periscope for outputting a laser beam from collimating optic in the simulator to the focal plane of the unit under test.

Claim 15

A multispectral collimator for testing and verifying electro-optical and opto-mechanical parameters of a unit under test, the collimator comprising: a thermal image source for outputting a collimated infrared radiation image to the unit under test, the source including; a thermal black body with infrared target and boresight aperture therein; and a two-mirror aplanatized optic for receiving the image of the target and collimating the image to the unit under test; a laser measurement tester for receiving a laser beam from the unit under test, the tester including; a cube beam splitter for dividing the beam energy into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion received through the beam splitter to a fast detector and calorimeter, the second portion reflected into a laser measuring instrument and focused onto a matrix camera; and a laser simulator with periscope for outputting a laser beam from collimating optic in the simulator to the focal plane of the unit under test.

Claim 16

The collimator as described in claim 11 wherein the periscope is rotatable to different aperture positions on the unit under test.

Claim 17

The collimator as described in claim 11 further including a pair of autocollimators aligned with the boresight aperture of the thermal source and adapted for alignment to an alignment mirror on the unit under test.

Claim 18

The collimator as described in claim 13 further including an angle insensitive alignment prism rotatably mounted for receipt in front of a collimated beam from one of the autocollimators and in front of a collimated beam in front of the boresight aperture of the thermal image source and translating the two different collimated beams to a central aperture for comparing the line of sight of one collimated beam to another in the laser measurement tester.

Claim 19

The collimator as described in claim 11 further including an angle insensitive alignment prism rotatably mounted for receipt in front of a collimated beam from the boresight aperture of the thermal image source and in front of a collimated beam in front of the laser simulator and translating the two different collimated beams through a central aperture for comparing the line of sight of one collimated beam to another in the laser measurement tester.

Claim 20

The collimator as described in claim 11 further including an angle insensitive alignment mirror rotatably mounted for receipt in front of a collimated beam emitting from the boresight aperture of the thermal image source and in a different position in front of the same collimated beam of the boresight aperture of the thermal image source and transmitting the two different portions of the same collimated beam to a central aperture for comparing coincidence of the line of sight of both portions as registered on the matrix camera to determine the focus of the thermal image source.

Claim 21

The collimator as described in claim 11 further including an angle insensitive alignment prism rotatably mounted for receipt in front of a collimated beam from the boresight aperture of the thermal image source and in front of a collimated beam reflected from the unit under test and transmitting two portions of the same collimated beam to a central aperture adjacent the laser measurement tester for comparing the line of sight of one portion of the beam to another in the laser measurement tester.

Claim 22

The collimator as described in claim 11 further including a wedge prism attenuator disposed between the laser simulator and the periscope for reducing the laser beam energy focused onto the matrix of the camera.