Common aperture vision system
An optical device comprises a dichroic beamsplitter for splitting an object beam into a reflected beam having a first waveband and a transmitted beam having a second waveband; an astigmatism-correcting lens element, disposed in the optical path of the transmitted beam; and a coma-correcting lens element, disposed in the optical path of the transmitted beam.
1. An optical device, comprising:
a dichroic beamsplitter for splitting an object beam into a reflected beam having a first waveband and a transmitted beam having a second waveband;
an astigmatism correcting lens element, disposed in the optical path of the transmitted beam; and
a coma correcting lens element, disposed in the optical path of the transmitted beam.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the astigmatism correcting element includes a toroidal lens element.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the astigmatism correcting lens element includes a cylindrical lens element.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the coma correcting lens element includes a decentered lens element.
5. The device of claim 1 , further including a common aperture objective group.
6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the common aperture objective group includes a catadioptric assembly, comprising:
a front focusing element;
a primary mirror; and
a secondary mirror integral with the front focusing element.
7. The device of claim 1 further including a first focal point array detector for converting the reflected beam into a first electrical signal.
8. The device of claim 7 further including a display for converting the first electrical signal into a first image beam.
9. The device of claim 8 further including an image intensifier for intensifying and converting the transmitted beam into a second image beam.
10. The device of claim 9 further including a secondary beamsplitter for fusing the first and the second image beams.
11. The device of claim 8 further including a processor for processing the first electrical signal.
12. The device of claim 8 further including a second focal point array detector for converting the transmitted beam into a second electrical signal.
13. The device of claim 12 further including an additional display for converting the second electrical signal into a second image beam.
14. The device of claim 13 further including a secondary beamsplitter for fusing the first and the second image beams.
15. The device of claim 12 further including a processor for processing the second electrical signal.
16. The device of claim 7 further including:
a second focal point array detector for converting the transmitted beam into a second electrical signal;
a processor for converting the first and the second electrical signals into a fused image signal; and
a display for converting the fused image signal into a fused image beam.
17. A method of displaying images, comprising:
directing an object beam at a dichroic beamsplitter, thereby splitting the object beam into a reflected beam having a first waveband and a transmitted beam having a second waveband;
directing the transmitted beam at an astigmatism correcting lens element, thereby correcting the transmitted beam for astigmatic aberration; and
directing the transmitted beam at a coma correcting lens element, thereby correcting the transmitted beam for axial coma.
18. The method of claim 17 further including
directing the reflected beam at a first focal point array detector thereby converting the reflected beam into a first electrical signal.
19. The method of claim 18 further including
driving a display with the first electrical signal, thereby generating a first image beam.
20. The method of claim 19 , further including
directing the transmitted beam at an image intensifier, thereby intensifying and converting the transmitted beam into a second image beam.
21. The method of claim 20 , further including
directing the first and the second image beams at a secondary beamsplitter, thereby fusing the first and the second image beams.
22. The method of claim 21 , further including processing the first electrical signal.
23. The method of claim 19 further including
directing the transmitted beam at a second focal point array detector thereby converting the transmitted beam into a second electrical signal.
24. The method of claim 23 further including
driving an additional display with the second electrical signal, thereby converting the second electrical signal into a second image beam.
25. The method of claim 24 , further including
directing the first and the second image beams at a secondary beamsplitter, thereby fusing the first and the second image beams.
26. The method of claim 24 , further including processing the first electrical signal.
27. The method of claim 18 , further including:
directing the transmitted beam at a second focal point array detector, thereby converting the transmitted beam into a second electrical signal;
converting the first and the second electrical signals into a fused image signal; and
driving a display with the fused image signal, thereby converting the fused image signal into a fused image beam.