Telescope array system and processing method
A telescope apparatus includes a telescope array comprising a plurality of telescopes each having a telescope aperture configured to receive light from a respective field of view. A light sensor is associated with each telescope to receive and sample light therefrom and to output data based at least in part thereon. A telescope array positioning assembly includes a support and individually-adjustable telescope supports coupled thereto, each of the plurality of individually-adjustable telescope supports adjustably supporting a respective one of the plurality of telescopes in a respective positioning and being adjustable to change the respective positioning of the respective telescope. An array processor receives the data output by the plurality of light sensors and generates an image and/or data based at least in part thereon.
1 . A telescope apparatus comprising:
a telescope array comprising a plurality of telescopes each having a telescope aperture configured to receive light from a respective field of view;
a plurality of light sensors each associated with a respective one of the plurality of telescopes to receive and sample light therefrom and to output data based at least in part thereon;
a reconfigurable telescope array positioning assembly comprising a base, a first support pivotably coupled to the base, a second support pivotably coupled to the first support, and a plurality of individually-adjustable telescope supports coupled to the second support, each of the plurality of individually-adjustable telescope supports adjustably supporting a respective one of the plurality of telescopes in a respective positioning and being adjustable to change the respective positioning of the respective telescope; and
an array processor to receive the data output by the plurality of light sensors and to generate an image and/or data based at least in part thereon,
wherein:
each individually-adjustable telescope support comprises a frame and an adjustable clamp,
each adjustable clamp includes:
a first set of abutments that can adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope with respect to a first axis and a second set of abutments that can adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope with respect to a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis; and
a plurality of actuators, each actuator in mechanical communication with a respective abutment in the first set of abutments and in the second set of abutments, the actuators in electrical communication with a controller, the controller generating actuator control signals to activate at least one of the actuators to adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope, and
the apparatus further comprises position sensors that are electrically coupled to the actuators and to the controller, the position sensors outputting position signals to the controller, the position signals of each position sensor representing a position of a respective actuator.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame of each individually-adjustable telescope support defines an opening to receive the respective telescope.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each adjustable clamp includes one or more abutments that can adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope in one or more directions having a radial.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuator control signals are configured to position the telescope array in a first operating mode.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein in the first operating mode the telescopes are positioned so that the respective fields of view are arranged in an array and there is a partial overlap between neighboring fields of view, the array having a plurality of columns and rows.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first operating mode has an expanded state where there is a minority of overlap between the neighboring fields of view.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the array processor is configured to process the image and/or data using a first operating mode input signal.
8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the actuator control signals are configured to position the telescope array in a second operating mode where the telescopes are positioned so that the respective fields of view are arranged in the array, the second operating mode having a compressed state where there is a majority of overlap between the neighboring fields of view.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the array processor is configured to process the image and/or data using a second operating mode input signal.
10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the actuator control signals are configured to position the telescope array in a third operating mode where the telescopes are positioned so that the respective fields of view are arranged in a single column or a single row and there is a minority of overlap between the neighboring fields of view.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the actuator control signals are configured to position the telescope array in a fourth operating mode where the telescopes are positioned so that the respective fields of view are laterally offset with respect to a central axis and there is a minority of overlap between the neighboring fields of view.
12 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein in the first operating mode the telescopes are positioned so that the respective fields of view are arranged such that there is total overlap between the neighboring fields of view.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each telescope is disposed in a housing.
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the array processor is configured to scan pixels of an image captured by the light sensors to find clusters of adjacent pixels which lie in a same image row, and to merge any clusters that are adjacent to one another.
15 . A telescope apparatus comprising:
a telescope array comprising a plurality of telescopes each having a telescope aperture configured to receive light from a respective field of view;
a plurality of light sensors each associated with a respective one of the plurality of telescopes to receive and sample light therefrom and to output data based at least in part thereon;
a reconfigurable telescope array positioning assembly comprising a support and a plurality of individually-adjustable telescope supports coupled thereto, each of the plurality of individually-adjustable telescope supports adjustably supporting a respective one of the plurality of telescopes in a respective positioning and being adjustable to change the respective positioning of the respective telescope; and
an array processor to receive the data output by the plurality of light sensors and to generate an image and/or data based at least in part thereon,
wherein:
each individually-adjustable telescope support comprises a frame and an adjustable clamp,
the frame of each individually-adjustable telescope support defines an opening to receive the respective telescope,
each adjustable clamp includes:
one or more abutments that can adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope in one or more directions having a radial component, and
one or more actuators, each actuator in mechanical communication with a respective abutment of the one or more abutments,
the actuators are in electrical communication with a controller, the controller generating actuator control signals to activate at least one of the actuators to adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope, such that the telescope array can be dynamically positioned in a plurality of operating modes, and
the apparatus further comprises position sensors that are electrically coupled to the actuators and to the controller, the position sensors outputting position signals to the controller, the position signals of each position sensor representing a position of a respective actuator.
16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the radial component includes a radial inward component and/or a radial outward component.
17 . A telescope apparatus comprising:
a telescope array comprising a plurality of telescopes each having a telescope aperture configured to receive light from a respective field of view;
a plurality of light sensors each associated with a respective one of the plurality of telescopes to receive and sample light therefrom and to output data based at least in part thereon;
a reconfigurable telescope array positioning assembly comprising a support and a plurality of individually-adjustable telescope supports coupled thereto, each of the plurality of individually-adjustable telescope supports adjustably supporting a respective one of the plurality of telescopes in a respective positioning and being adjustable to change the respective positioning of the respective telescope; and
an array processor to receive the data output by the plurality of light sensors and to generate an image and/or data based at least in part thereon,
wherein:
each individually-adjustable telescope support comprises a frame and an adjustable clamp,
the frame of each individually-adjustable telescope support defines an opening to receive the respective telescope,
each adjustable clamp includes:
a first set of abutments that can adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope with respect to a first axis,
a second set of abutments that can adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope with respect to a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis, and
a plurality of actuators, each actuator in mechanical communication with a respective abutment in the first set of abutments and in the second set of abutments,
the actuators are in electrical communication with a controller, the controller generating actuator control signals to activate at least one of the actuators to adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope, such that the telescope array can be dynamically positioned in a plurality of operating modes, and
the apparatus further comprises position sensors that are electrically coupled to the actuators and to the controller, the position sensors outputting position signals to the controller, the position signals of each position sensor representing a position of a respective actuator.
18 . A telescope apparatus comprising:
a telescope array comprising a plurality of telescopes each having a telescope aperture configured to receive light from a respective field of view;
a plurality of light sensors each associated with a respective one of the plurality of telescopes to receive and sample light therefrom and to output data based at least in part thereon;
a reconfigurable telescope array positioning assembly comprising a base, a first support pivotably coupled to the base, a second support pivotably coupled to the first support, and a plurality of individually-adjustable telescope supports coupled to the second support, each of the plurality of individually-adjustable telescope supports adjustably supporting a respective one of the plurality of telescopes in a respective positioning and being adjustable to change the respective positioning of the respective telescope; and
an array processor to receive the data output by the plurality of light sensors and to generate an image and/or data based at least in part thereon,
wherein:
each individually-adjustable telescope support comprises a frame and an adjustable clamp,
each adjustable clamp includes:
a first set of abutments that can adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope with respect to a first axis and a second set of abutments that can adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope with respect to a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis;
a plurality of actuators, each actuator in mechanical communication with a respective abutment in the first set of abutments and in the second set of abutments, the actuators in electrical communication with a controller, the controller generating actuator control signals to activate at least one of the actuators to adjust the respective positioning of the respective telescope,
the actuator control signals are configured to position the telescope array in a first operating mode, and
in the first operating mode the telescopes are positioned so that the respective fields of view are arranged in an array and there is a partial overlap between neighboring fields of view, the array having a plurality of columns and rows.
19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first operating mode has an expanded state where there is a minority of overlap between the neighboring fields of view.
20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the array processor is configured to process the image and/or data using a first operating mode input signal.
21 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the actuator control signals are configured to position the telescope array in a second operating mode where the telescopes are positioned so that the respective fields of view are arranged in the array, the second operating mode having a compressed state where there is a majority of overlap between the neighboring fields of view.
22 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the array processor is configured to process the image and/or data using a second operating mode input signal.
23 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the actuator control signals are configured to position the telescope array in a third operating mode where the telescopes are positioned so that the respective fields of view are arranged in a single column or a single row and there is a minority of overlap between the neighboring fields of view.
24 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the actuator control signals are configured to position the telescope array in a fourth operating mode where the telescopes are positioned so that the respective fields of view are laterally offset with respect to a central axis and there is a minority of overlap between the neighboring fields of view.
25 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein in the first operating mode the telescopes are positioned so that the respective fields of view are arranged such that there is total overlap between the neighboring fields of view.
26 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein each telescope is disposed in a housing.
27 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the array processor is configured to scan pixels of an image captured by the light sensors to find clusters of adjacent pixels which lie in a same image row, and to merge any clusters that are adjacent to one another.