System and method for adaptive optical tracking with selectable tracking modes

1. An adaptive, free-space optical system comprising:

a controller;

a digital micromirror (DMM) array responsive to the controller and including:

a plurality of independently controllable micromirror elements forming a receiver for receiving optical signals from an environmental scene;

at least two of the plurality of independently controllable micromirror elements being steerable in different directions to receive optical signals emanating from two or more locations within the environmental scene;

a beam steering subsystem in communication with the controller, and configured to receive control signals from the controller and to control steering of the plurality of independently controllable micromirror elements;

a detector configured to receive an incoming free space optical signal imaged by at least one of the micromirror elements; and

a dynamic field stop interposed between the digital micromirror array and the detector for forming an electronically controllable aperture to control an angle of acceptance of light from the free space optical signal which is able to irradiate the detector.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a beam splitter disposed to receive at least a portion of the free space optical signal reflected by the digital micromirror array; and

an additional detector, the detector being used to receive a first component of the incoming free space optical signal and the additional detector used to receive a second component of the incoming free space optical signal.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a photon counting device responsive to the detector for counting photons received by the detector.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the photon counting device comprises a Geiger mode counter.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the photon counting device comprises a responsivity detector.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic output subsystem responsive to the detector for at least one of:

recording an output of the detector; and

displaying an output of the detector.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes an initial scan mode software module for communicating with the beam steering subsystem to control the digital micromirror array to initially scan at least a substantial portion of the environment scene.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes an identification mode software module for communicating with the beam steering subsystem to control the digital micromirror array to use at least a subplurality of the micromirror elements to reflect light from one or more specific subregions of the environmental scene.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system includes a tracking mode software module for tracking a specific optical signal emanating from the environmental scene, and forming a subportion of the free space incoming optical signal being received by the digital micromirror array.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller is configured to control the dynamic field stop to use a first aperture to initially enable rapid scanning of the environmental scene with a first degree of sensitivity, and then to use a second aperture which differs from the first aperture to provide a second degree of sensitivity to light reflected by the digital micromirror array which is greater than the first degree of sensitivity.

11. An adaptive, free-space optical system comprising:

an electronic controller;

a digital micromirror (DMM) array responsive to commands from the electronic controller and including:

a plurality of independently controllable micromirror elements forming a receiver for receiving optical signals from an environmental scene;

at least two of the plurality of independently controllable micromirror elements being steerable in different directions to receive optical signals emanating from two or more distinct locations within the environmental scene;

a beam steering subsystem forming an integrated circuit and responsive to the electronic controller, for implementing first and second different scanning modes commanded by the electronic controller simultaneously, the first and second scanning modes using different subpluralities of the micromirror elements;

a detector configured to receive an incoming free space optical signal imaged by at least one of the micromirror elements; and

wherein the first scanning mode comprises a first resolution, and wherein the second scanning mode comprises a second resolution which is greater than the first resolution.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising an electronically controlled dynamic field stop for receiving optical signals from the digital micromirror array, and which control an angle of acceptance of the optical signals being viewed by the system.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the detector comprises a photon counting device.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising an electronic output subsystem responsive to the detector and forming at least one of:

a display device for displaying information pertaining to optical signals imaged by the digital micromirror array; and

a recording subsystem for recording information pertaining to optical signals imaged by the digital micromirror array.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the recording subsystem records information pertaining to a spectral feature of the optical signal detected by the detector.

16. A method for imaging an environmental scene, comprising:

providing a controller;

using a digital micromirror (DMM) array responsive to the controller to receive optical signals emanating from the environmental scene;

further using a plurality of independently controllable micromirror elements of the digital micromirror array to receive the optical signals from the environmental scene;

further steering at least two of the plurality of independently controllable micromirror elements of the digital micromirror array in different directions to receive optical signals emanating from two or more locations within the environmental scene;

using a detector for receiving optical signals reflected by the at least two of the micromirror elements; and

further operating the at least two of the plurality of independently controllable micromirror elements of the digital micromirror array in first and second operating modes to simultaneously provide first and second differing operating characteristics for first and second different subregions, respectively, of the environmental scene.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the first operating characteristic of the first operating mode comprises a first scanning resolution and covers a first subregion of the environmental scene;

the second operating characteristic of the second operating mode comprises a second scanning resolution and covers a second subregion of the environmental scene; and

wherein the second scanning resolution differs from the first scanning resolution; and

wherein the second subregion is a smaller area subregion than the first subregion.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising using an electronically controlled, dynamic field stop disposed between the detector and the digital micromirror to control an area being viewed.

19. A method for imaging an environmental scene, comprising:

providing a controller;

using a digital micromirror (DMM) array responsive to the controller to receive optical signals emanating from the environmental scene;

further using a plurality of independently controllable micromirror elements of the digital micromirror array to receive the optical signals from the environmental scene;

further steering at least two of the plurality of independently controllable micromirror elements of the digital micromirror array in different directions to receive free space optical signals emanating from two or more different locations within the environmental scene;

using a dynamic field stop interposed between the digital micromirror array and a detector for forming an electronically controllable aperture to control an angle of acceptance of light from the free space optical signals which are able to irradiate the detector; and

using the detector to receive the free space optical signals which have passed through the dynamic field stop and which have been reflected by the at least two of the micromirror elements.