Patent ID: 8351031

Claim:
A multiplexing array spectral imager for simultaneously acquiring multiplexed spatial and spectral data from incoming light representing a scene, comprising: a two-dimensional focal plane array (FPA) for capturing an image, the FPA defining a plurality of pixels; a first optical system that creates a plurality of intermediate sub-images each representing at least part of the imaged scene; a second optical system that includes a spectrally dispersive element and creates a spectrally dispersed image for each sub-image created by the first optical system; a spatial light modulator (SLM) that receives the spectrally dispersed sub-images, the SLM defining a two-dimensional array of encoding sub-masks each containing a plurality of elements that either transmit, block or reflect some or all of the light that impinges on them to thereby accomplish a transform of the spectral data within the spectrally dispersed sub-images and create spectrally-encoded intermediate sub-images; a third optical system that receives spectrally dispersed and encoded intermediate sub-images and includes a spectrally de-dispersive element, to spectrally de-disperse the intermediate sub-images and create a plurality of spectrally encoded sub-images that are imaged onto the FPA; and a processing system that applies the inverse transform to the sub-images that were imaged onto the FPA, to produce a set of spectrally and spatially resolved images.