Imaging system combining visible and non-visible electromagnetic radiation for enhanced vision

摘要

An imaging system provides a visible image of a scene enhanced by information from electromagnetic radiation from the scene at a non-visible wavelength without parallax-induced errors. First optical apparatus collects electromagnetic radiation from a scene and directs it onto an array of bi-state diffraction grating elements to form a combined image of the scene on the array at both visible and non-visible wavelengths. The bi-state diffraction grating elements of the array are sequentially and temporarily activated in a predetermined order to an activated state providing diffraction of incident electromagnetic radiation of the visible and non-visible wavelengths in a predetermined manner from an inactivated state in which such diffraction is not provided. The electromagnetic radiation so diffracted is collected and directed toward detector apparatus which provides coded electrical representation of scanned images of the scene in electromagnetic radiation of the visible and non-visible wavelengths. The imaging system generates an enhanced human-detectable signal from the coded representations of the separate scanned images of the scene in electromagnetic radiation of the visible and non-visible wavelengths. The grating elements of the diffraction grating array may diffract radiation of the non-visible and visible wavelengths at first and second predetermined angles, respectively, to different detectors. Alternatively, the diffraction grating array may have an alternating mix of diffraction grating elements having first and second grating pitches to diffract electromagnetic radiation of the visible and non-visible wavelengths at the same predetermined angle to a single detector.