Optical configuration for a compact integrated day/night viewing and laser range finding system

摘要

A compact integrated optical system including an eyepiece, a reflective telescope, and a multi-spectral combiner optically coupled between the reflective telescope and the eyepiece, and configured to direct visible light received via the reflective telescope assembly along a direct view optical path to the eyepiece assembly. In one example, the multi-spectral combiner includes a display that displays a visual representation of the imagery of the viewed scene, and laser range-finder transceiver that transmits and receives a laser beam via the reflective telescope. A pair of beamsplitters is used to separate the imaging optical path from the direct view and laser range-finding optical paths. A blocking device is used to enable laser range-finding capability during daytime viewing of the imaging optical path imagery on the display. The reflective telescope provides a common aperture for the direct view optical path, an imaging optical path, and the laser range-finder transceiver.

主权项

1. An optical system comprising:
an eyepiece assembly; a reflective telescope assembly; and a multi-spectral combiner assembly optically coupled between the reflective telescope assembly and the eyepiece assembly and configured to direct visible light received via the reflective telescope assembly along a direct view optical path to the eyepiece assembly, and including:
an imaging sub-system configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from the reflective telescope assembly along an imaging optical path and to provide a first signal representative of imagery of a viewed scene;a display coupled to the eyepiece assembly and to the imaging sub-system and configured to receive the first signal and to display a visual representation of the imagery of the viewed scene;a laser range-finder transceiver configured to transmit and receive a laser beam via the reflective telescope assembly;a first beamsplitter configured to transmit the electromagnetic radiation from the reflective telescope assembly to the imaging sub-system and to reflect the visible light and a majority of the laser beam;a second beamsplitter optically coupled to the first beamsplitter and configured to reflect the laser beam, to transmit the visible light to direct the visible light along the direct view optical path to the eyepiece assembly, and to reflect display light from the display along a display optical path to the eyepiece assembly; anda blocking device positioned between the first beamsplitter and the second beamsplitter and configured to block the visible light reflected by the first beamsplitter from reaching the second beamsplitter; wherein the reflective telescope assembly provides a common aperture for the direct view optical path, the imaging optical path, and the laser range-finder transceiver.