Donald Schrader

US Patent:

41403630, Feb 20, 1979

Filed:

Sep 9, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/831724

Inventors:

Donald A. Davis - Manhattan Beach CA
Donald E. Schrader - Culver City CA

Assignee:

Hughes Aircraft Company - Culver City CA

International Classification:

G02B 2717

US Classification:

350 68

Abstract:

Apparatus for searching a large field of view to detect a modulated optical signal source utilizing an optical detector having a field of view capability less than the total field of view sought to be searched. A constant drive motor is coupled to a geneva five slot single pin mechanism which is fixed to a drum rotably mounted to a housing. A detector and associated focusing optics are positioned at the bottom of the housing with a housing window positioned on one side of the housing. Five reflective surfaces are positioned around the circumference of the drum so that the geneva mechanism intermittently rotates the drum to sequentially position each reflective surface to reflect optical energy passing through the housing window to the detector apparatus. The reflective surfaces are positioned at the varying angles around the drum so that different segments of the total field of view sought to be searched are sequentially interrogated.