Passive and/or active imaging system

摘要

A forward looking infrared system in which the usual FLIR is augmented by the addition of active laser illumination in order to enhance the FLIR's capability to discern in a scene certain details, such as manmade objects, especially under conditions of thermal washout. The laser is coded, and appropriate decoding electronics are provided to enable the FLIR to differentiate reflected laser radiation from thermal radiation of the scene. Therefore, it is unnecessary to endeavor to increase the brightness of the laser to an extent sufficient to overwhelm the natural thermal radiance level of the scene. Both types of radiation simultaneously impinge on a common detector, thereby eliminating the necessity for dual detectors and/or dual optics, and avoiding registration problems normally associated with the use of dual components. Signal processing is available to enable a viewing of the usual FLIR information, the augmenting information, or arbitrary combinations of these, as the viewer may elect or as conditions may require.