US3704342A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Infrared scanning system
Assignee: DYNARAD Inc
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Filing: 1970-01-22
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Granted: 1972-11-28
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Expires: 1990-01-22
Abstract
Abstract An infrared scanning system capable of providing high sensitivity thermal detection and rapid scanning of a field of view by means of small optics and low inertia oscillatory scanners. Visual coaxial viewing of the scanned field is provided and common focusing of the visual and infrared channels permit rapid and simple focus control. The system includes a flickerfree visual display operative in an intensity mode to present a full gray scale radiometric picture, and in an isotherm mode to present intensified presentations of selected temperature ranges.
Inventors
- 👤 James Fred Stoddard
- 👤 Francis A Orabona
- 👤 Rodolphe A Dorval
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 01:41
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N3/00; H04N3/02; H04N3/08; H04N3/09; H04N23/00; H04N23/20; H04N23/23
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
322 words
An infrared scanning system comprising: a dichroic element for transmitting visual energy from a predetermined field of view to a visual channel and for reflecting infrared energy from said field of view to an infrared channel; a visual channel arranged to receive said visual energy and including an optical system for coaxially viewing said field of view along an axis common with the axis of said infrared radiation received from said field of view; a first low inertia, single axis, bi-directional oscillatory scanner operative to scan said field of view in alternating, oppositely directed scan motions about a first axis at a first predetermined sinusoidal rate to define a scanning frame with each oppositely directed scan motion whereby balanced scanning at a rapid frame repetition rate is achieved; a second low inertia, single axis, bi-directional oscillatory scanner operative to scan said field of view in alternating, oppositely directed scan motions about a second axis orthogonal to said first axis at a second predetermined sinusoidal rate higher than said first rate to provide line scanning within each frame, one line of scan occurring with each oppositely directed scan motion whereby two scan lines are produced from each cycle of said second scanner; small infrared optics arranged to receive scanned infrared energy from said scanners; means for simultaneously focussing said visual channel and said infrared channel; an infrAred detector disposed at the focal plane of said optics and operative to provide an electrical output signal representative of the intensity of received infrared energy; means for deriving synchronization signals from said first and second scanners; and display means including a cathode ray tube operative in response to said output signal and synchronization signals to provide a synchronous visual display of the field being scanned, said display means including means operative in response to said synchronization signals for compensating for variation in the cathode ray tube writing rate caused by the sinusoidal motion of said scanners.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
322 words
An infrared scanning system comprising: a dichroic element for transmitting visual energy from a predetermined field of view to a visual channel and for reflecting infrared energy from said field of view to an infrared channel; a visual channel arranged to receive said visual energy and including an optical system for coaxially viewing said field of view along an axis common with the axis of said infrared radiation received from said field of view; a first low inertia, single axis, bi-directional oscillatory scanner operative to scan said field of view in alternating, oppositely directed scan motions about a first axis at a first predetermined sinusoidal rate to define a scanning frame with each oppositely directed scan motion whereby balanced scanning at a rapid frame repetition rate is achieved; a second low inertia, single axis, bi-directional oscillatory scanner operative to scan said field of view in alternating, oppositely directed scan motions about a second axis orthogonal to said first axis at a second predetermined sinusoidal rate higher than said first rate to provide line scanning within each frame, one line of scan occurring with each oppositely directed scan motion whereby two scan lines are produced from each cycle of said second scanner; small infrared optics arranged to receive scanned infrared energy from said scanners; means for simultaneously focussing said visual channel and said infrared channel; an infrAred detector disposed at the focal plane of said optics and operative to provide an electrical output signal representative of the intensity of received infrared energy; means for deriving synchronization signals from said first and second scanners; and display means including a cathode ray tube operative in response to said output signal and synchronization signals to provide a synchronous visual display of the field being scanned, said display means including means operative in response to said synchronization signals for compensating for variation in the cathode ray tube writing rate caused by the sinusoidal motion of said scanners.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
209 words
An infrared scanning system comprising: means for receiving infrared energy and visual energy from a predetermined field of view and for separately directing said visual energy and said infrared energy to a respective visual channel and infrared channel; a visual channel arranged to receive said separately directed visual energy and including an optical system for viewing the received visual energy from said predetermined field of view along an axis common with the axis of said infrared energy received from said field of view; an infrared channel adapted to receive said separately directed infrared energy from said predetermined field of view and including: a low inertia, single axis, bidirectional oscillatory scanning system; means for controlling said scanning system to vibrate in oppositely directed rotations back and forth through a predetermined angle of scan along said single axis in said field of view at a predetermined rate and with substantially equal and opposite characteristics for each of the two directions of bidirectional scan; small infrared optics arranged to receive scanned infrared radiation from said scanning system and to focus said received infrared energy; and infrared detector means disposed at the focal plane of said small infrared optics and operative to provide a representative electrical signal in response to received infrared energy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
209 words
An infrared scanning system comprising: means for receiving infrared energy and visual energy from a predetermined field of view and for separately directing said visual energy and said infrared energy to a respective visual channel and infrared channel; a visual channel arranged to receive said separately directed visual energy and including an optical system for viewing the received visual energy from said predetermined field of view along an axis common with the axis of said infrared energy received from said field of view; an infrared channel adapted to receive said separately directed infrared energy from said predetermined field of view and including: a low inertia, single axis, bidirectional oscillatory scanning system; means for controlling said scanning system to vibrate in oppositely directed rotations back and forth through a predetermined angle of scan along said single axis in said field of view at a predetermined rate and with substantially equal and opposite characteristics for each of the two directions of bidirectional scan; small infrared optics arranged to receive scanned infrared radiation from said scanning system and to focus said received infrared energy; and infrared detector means disposed at the focal plane of said small infrared optics and operative to provide a representative electrical signal in response to received infrared energy.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
99 words
An infrared scanning system according to claim 2 wherein said control means for said low inertia oscillatory scanning system includes: means for producing in said scanning system a substantially sinusoidally oscillating scan motion; means for providing synchronization signals representative of the orientation of said sinusoidally oscillating scanning system; a display having a deflection control input operative in response to said synchronization signals and an intensity control input operative in response to the signal from said infrared detector means; and means for compensating for variations in the intensity of said display caused by the sinusoidal motion of said scanning system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
An infrared scanning system according to claim 2 wherein said visual and infrared channels each include a separate focus adjustment; and including means for coupling said focus adjustments of said visual and infrared channels to provide simultaneous focussing of said visual and infrared channels by a single control.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
An infrared scanning system according to claim 2 further including: means for detecting visual energy received in said visual channel from said predetermined field of view and operative to provide a video signal representative of visual energy intensity received by said visual detector means; means for scanning said detected visual energy from said predetermined field of view; and means for synchronizing operation of said visual energy scanning means with said bidirectional scanning system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
An infrared scanning system according to claim 2 further including: means for detecting the occurrence of said representative electrical signal at signal levels indicative of selected temperatures; means operative in response to detection of said predetermined signal levels to provide an output indication of said selected temperatures.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
An infrared scanning system accoRding to claim 6 wherein: said occurrence detection means is operative to detect predetermined levels of the output signal from said infrared detector means in a plurality of separate level ranges; and means are provided to produce distinguishing characteristics in one or more of said output indications from said infrared detector means to provide separate identification thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
An infrared scanning system according to claim 6 including display means operative in one mode in response to said representative electrical signal to provide a full gray scale presentation, and in a second mode operative in response to said representative electrical signal and said output indication to provide a gray scale presentation having an intensified isotherm band of said selected temperatures.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
139 words
An infrared scanning system according to claim 2 wherein: said low inertia bidirectional oscillatory scanning system includes first and second bidirectional oscillatory scanners cooperative to provide two dimensional scanning of infrared energy from said predetermined field of view; said control means includes means for driving said first and second scanners in bidirectional oscillation and operative to provide synchronization signals indicative of the position of said first and second scanners; means are provided for phase adjusting said synchronization signals to be substantially in phase with the scan position of said first and second scanners; and display means are provided having orthogonal deflection control inputs responsive to said synchronization signals and an intensity control input responsive to the signal from said infrared detector means to produce a bidirectionally traced visual representation of the infrared energy within said predetermined field of view.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
94 words
A system according to claim 2 wherein said scanning system includes: a first oscillatory scanner operative to provide oscillatory movement about a first axis at a first predetermined rate to define a scanning frame; a second oscillatory scanner operative to provide movement about a second axis orthogonal to said first axis at a second predetermined rate higher than said first rate to provide line scanning within each frame; and means for driving each of said first and second scanners in oscillation to provide synchronous line and frame scanning, said means also providing synchronization signals.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 2 including display means operative in response to said output signal to visually display a synchronous representation of the field being scanned.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
69 words
A system according to claim 3 wherein said display means includes: means operative in response to the output signal from said infrared detector to selectively provide a full gray scale presentation on said display and a half gray scale presentation having an intensified isotherm band; and means operative in response to said synchronization signals from said scanning system to provide synchronous deflection signals for said cathode ray tube display.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system according to claim 3 wherein said compensating means includes means for squaring each of the synchronization signals from said scanning system; means for summing the squared synchronization signals with said output signal to provide a correction signal; and means for applying said correction signal to said display.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system according to claim 12 wherein said display means includes means for selecting two isotherm bands of interest and for providing signals representative of said isotherm bands; and means for strobbing said signals prior to application of said signals to said cathode ray tube thereby to provide unambiguous display of said selected isotherm bands.
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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) | 1975-11-28 | 1976-05-29 | 1976-11-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-11-28 | 1980-05-29 | 1980-11-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-11-28 | 1984-05-29 | 1984-11-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |