David O Light

US Patent:

20070045545, Mar 1, 2007

Filed:

Aug 26, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/215204

Inventors:

David Light - Arab AL, US
Tommy Lum - Madison AL, US
William Pittman - Huntsville AL, US

International Classification:

G01J 5/02

US Classification:

250342000

Abstract:

A target-seeking-and-tracking system featuring hyperspectral sensing performed by a tunable filter and an infrared focal plane array is programmable to collect and process several hyperspectral bands of infrared radiation emanating from a target scenery. The programming is done by tuning the filter from time to time to collect several hyperspectral bands containing image data corresponding to several objects of interest in the scenery. The image data is further processed in the target recognition unit to identify the objects and aid in the selection and tracking of a particular target object for the ultimate goal of accurate destruction of the object. The programmability of hyperspectral sensing provides a degree of countermeasures immunity by allowing several bands to be combined to achieve the best signal-to-clutter ratio.

US Patent:

44940793, Jan 15, 1985

Filed:

Dec 9, 1981

Appl. No.:

6/328892

Inventors:

David O. Light - Huntsville AL
Frank Hayes - Huntsville AL
Joseph R. McGinty - Madison AL

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Washington DC

International Classification:

H03K 700
H03K 526

US Classification:

331 1A

Abstract:

A digital counter is phased locked to a reference frequency by a voltage trolled oscillator which causes the counter to increase its count rate or decrease its count rate in accordance to the presence of a one or a zero on the most significant bit of the counter at the halfway point of one cycle of the reference frequency. The counter is reset at the end of the cycle of the reference frequency. A single microprocessor which can assess this most significant bit (MSB) and vary the oscillator output, can in this manner control any number of independent phase lock loop circuits.