Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080251112 | CONCENTRATING PHOTOVOLTAIC KALEIDOSCOPE AND METHOD - A concentrating photovoltaic collection system includes a concentrator that focuses light from a source on a focal point, and a photovoltaic box collector at approximately the focal point of the concentrator. The photovoltaic collector has a triangular, square, or hexagonal front wall, and either a corresponding back wall and a plurality of either interconnecting specularly reflective side walls that form a kaleidoscope or converging side walls that form a hollow pyramid. A hole in the front wall lets the light in, and a combination of reflective surfaces and solar cells reflects the light in the collector, provides uniform illumination of the solar cells and consequent efficient conversion of the light into electricity. | 10-16-2008 |
20080276982 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR OPTIMAL LIGHT COLLECTION ARRAY - Apparatus and methods according to various aspects of the present invention may operate in conjunction with a light collection array. One or more light redirectors located at or near inactive areas of light collection arrays may redirect incident light to active areas. In one embodiment, the light redirector may be implemented with additional light redirectors and/or a concentrating photovoltaic collection system. | 11-13-2008 |
20090294574 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR WAVE GUIDES - Methods and systems for a wave guide according to various aspects of the present invention may be implemented in conjunction with a radiation collection device comprising a light pipe, a first plate and a second plate. The first plate and the second plate may be inserted into the interior of the light pipe to divide the light pipe into sections. In one embodiment, a first section plate and at least a second section plate are inserted into a light pipe. The inserted first section plate and the at least second section plate may be secured to the light pipe. | 12-03-2009 |
20100127113 | Multimode Seeker System With RF Transparent Stray Light Baffles - There is disclosed a multimode seeker including an imaging infrared seeker and a radio frequency seeker. The imaging infrared seeker and the radio frequency seeker may share an optical system adapted to form an infrared image of an outside scene on a focal plane array image detector and to collimate radio frequency radiation transmitted from a radio frequency transceiver and focus millimeter ware radiation received from the outside scene onto the radio frequency transceiver. The shared optical system may include a plurality of baffles to block sunlight from reaching the focal plane array image detector, each baffle comprising a material that is opaque to infrared radiation and transparent to radio frequency radiation. | 05-27-2010 |
20100264252 | COLD SHIELD APPARATUS AND METHODS - A shield for use with a detector includes a first opening adjacent the detector, a second opening opposite the first opening along an optical axis intersecting the detector, and a field of view defined by the detector and the second opening. A shield body includes alternating curved profile regions and linear profile regions coaxially aligned along the optical axis. The curved profile regions have respective curved interior surfaces concave facing toward the second opening, and the linear profile regions have respective interior surfaces facing toward the first opening. In this way, specular reflections associated with stray light may be greatly reduced. | 10-21-2010 |
20100282942 | HIGH ENERGY LASER BEAM DIRECTOR SYSTEM AND METHOD - A beam director subsystem and method for use in a weapons system. The beam director subsystem includes a source of electromagnetic radiation for generating a high energy laser (HEL) beam. The electromagnetic radiation is directed to a secondary mirror that reflects the electromagnetic radiation to a primary mirror for output of the HEL beam. The secondary mirror is generally curved and expands the electromagnetic radiation received from the source prior to outputting the HEL beam from the primary mirror. The subsystem further includes a track telescope coupled to the housing. The track telescope has a track detector configured to receive electromagnetic radiation originating from the HEL and electromagnetic radiation emitted from an illuminator and reflected from an airborne target. | 11-11-2010 |
20110228249 | LASER IMAGING SYSTEM WITH UNIFORM LINE ILLUMINATION AND METHOD FOR GENERATING IMAGES - Embodiments of a laser imaging system with uniform line illumination and method for generating images are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the laser imaging system includes a polarizer beam splitter to angularly separate an input laser beam into a pair of overlapping cross-polarized beams having a first angular separation therebetween, and a diffraction optic beamlet generator to generate a plurality of beamlets of alternating polarization states with a second angular separation therebetween. The laser imaging system may also include a focal-plane array (FPA) having a field-of-view (FOV) to be illuminated by the plurality of beamlets. | 09-22-2011 |
20130170228 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING THERMAL MANAGEMENT OF AN OBSCURED LASER SYSTEM - According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a system for providing thermal management of an obscured laser system is provided that includes a primary mirror, a secondary mirror, and a plurality of energy redirectors. The primary mirror is configured to reflect beam energy for the laser system. The secondary mirror is configured to function as a limiting aperture for the laser system and is aligned on-axis with respect to the primary mirror. The energy redirectors are each configured to redirect energy away from a corresponding obscuration and out of the laser system. | 07-04-2013 |