Optical target recognition system

Claim 1

In an apparatus for optically correlating of interest target information with predetermined patterns, the apparatus comprising: focus means for capturing an image of at least one of interest target; a laser diode fixed onto a support of a mounting means for projecting a laser beam to lens means in close relationship therewith, the mounting means providing at least six degrees of freedom, and the lens means expanding and collimating the laser beam; means for reflecting the expanded and collimated laser beam onto a spatial light modulator housed in a first enclosure fixedly coupled to the mounting means, the spatial light modulator encoding information representative of the of interest target onto the expanded and collimated laser beam; holographic lens array means, secured to a support fixture of the mounting means and positioned adjacent to the first enclosure, for replicating from the encoded expanded and collimated laser beam a plurality of similar beams; matched filter array means positioned within a second enclosure coupled to the first enclosure for receiving the plurality of encoded beams, the matched filter array means having a plurality of filters each for comparing a corresponding one of the encoded beams with at least one predetermined pattern to discern the presence of the of interest target; wherein a high intensity light is emitted from a filter if there is a match between its at least one predetermined pattern and its corresponding encoded beam to indicate the presence of the of interest target; and wherein the mounting means and the first and second enclosures are either directly or indirectly coupled to each other to effect a compact structure for the apparatus.