OPTICAL SYSTEM FOR CONICAL BEAM TARGET DETECTION

Abstract

A passive, infrared, conical beam target sensor having multiple beams which may exhibit a wide variety of half conic angles is disclosed. The sensor may be utilized with a missile by positioning a plurality of optical assemblies adjacent to the skin of the missile and near a corresponding plurality of small windows in the skin of the missile. Each optical assembly includes a detector for each conical beam and a wide-angle lens oriented so that a lens axis parallels the axis of the missile. A preferred lens has a flat entrance aperture surface opposing a spherical surface. Unnecessary material is removed from the lens so that the lens axis may reside as close to the missile skin as possible. Each detector includes a plurality of photoelectric elements arranged to populate at least a portion of an annulus.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Inventor

• 1ROY W. ESPLIN

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