Patent ID: 6897952

Claim:
A system for analyzing radiation from an extended source having at least two spatial components that emit or scatter radiation, comprising: first optics collecting and focusing radiation from said extended source to form at least two images along an encoding axis onto an encoding plane, said images corresponding to said spatial components; a two dimensional spatial radiation modulator rotated about a rotation axis and positioned in said encoding plane so that said encoding axis is along a radial axis, said modulator having at least two radiation filters located at different radii from said rotation axis, said filters occupying distinct annular regions and modulating the intensities of corresponding spatial components with different modulation functions, to provide an encoded beam comprising at least two encoded spatial components as said modulator is rotated about said rotation axis; a detector; second optics for collecting and directing said encoded beam onto said detector, causing the detector to provide an output; and computer analyzing signals generated by said detector in response to said encoded beam.