US 12,393,021 B2
Optical components for ghost image suppression systems and methods
Gregory Fitzgerald, Marlborough, MA (US); Alan D. Kathman, Charlotte, NC (US); and David Ovrutsky, Charlotte, NC (US)
Assigned to Teledyne FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc., Goleta, CA (US)
Filed by Teledyne FLIR Commercial Systems, Inc., Goleta, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/709,347.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/169,011, filed on Mar. 31, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0326514 A1, Oct. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. G02B 27/00 (2006.01); H04N 23/23 (2023.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/52 (2023.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01)
CPC G02B 27/0018 (2013.01) [H04N 23/23 (2023.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/52 (2023.01); H04N 23/54 (2023.01); H04N 23/55 (2023.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
an optical element configured to pass radiation from a scene;
an imager configured to capture images in response to the scene radiation, wherein the imager is a thermal imager disposed in a vacuum package comprising a lid configured to pass the scene radiation to the imager and reflect at least a portion of the scene radiation to the optical element;
wherein the optical element comprises an inner surface with a convex radius of curvature facing the imager and configured to receive and return the reflected radiation toward the imager in a distribution pattern to reduce a magnitude of the reflected radiation in the captured images; and
wherein the optical element is a zero power curved window comprising an outer surface with a concave radius of curvature facing the scene.