Passive range-discrimination in thermal and other imaging systems

摘要

A detector system is described. The detector system includes imaging optics having a focal plane, and an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) detector. The EMR detector is arranged to receive EMR from the imaging optics, and has a detector axis perpendicular to the focal plane. The EMR detector has a plurality of detector regions arranged progressively along the detector axis. The detector regions are arranged to respectively detect EMR imaged from progressively different object distances from the imaging optics.

主权项

1. A detector system comprising:
imaging optics having a focal plane; and an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) detector arranged to receive EMR from the imaging optics, having a detector axis perpendicular to the focal plane, and having a plurality of detector regions arranged progressively along the detector axis, the detector regions arranged to respectively detect EMR imaged from progressively different object distances from the imaging optics, wherein the EMR detector has a rod shape with the detector axis along an axis of the rod shape, wherein the detector regions comprise detector arrays arranged only on a radially outer surface of the rod shape, the EMR detector arranged to receive EMR from the imaging optics impinging only on the radially outer surface of the rod shape from radially outside the rod shape.