Method and system for ladar transmission with closed loop feedback control of dynamic scan patterns
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- processing a shot list, the shot list comprising a plurality of range points for targeting by a scanning ladar transmission system;
controlling a dynamic scan pattern for the scanning ladar transmission system by scanning a mirror to a plurality of mirror scan positions based on the processed shot list using closed loop feedback control of the mirror scan positions to target the range points of the processed shot list, wherein the mirror scan positions define where the scanning ladar transmission system is targeted; and
transmitting, by the controlled scanning ladar transmission system, a plurality of ladar pulses toward the range points of the processed shot list in accordance with the dynamic scan pattern.
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Abstract
Various embodiments are disclosed for improved scanning ladar transmission, including but not limited to an example embodiment where closed loop feedback control is used to finely control mirror scan positions.
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Citations
89 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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processing a shot list, the shot list comprising a plurality of range points for targeting by a scanning ladar transmission system; controlling a dynamic scan pattern for the scanning ladar transmission system by scanning a mirror to a plurality of mirror scan positions based on the processed shot list using closed loop feedback control of the mirror scan positions to target the range points of the processed shot list, wherein the mirror scan positions define where the scanning ladar transmission system is targeted; and transmitting, by the controlled scanning ladar transmission system, a plurality of ladar pulses toward the range points of the processed shot list in accordance with the dynamic scan pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An apparatus comprising:
a scanning ladar transmission system, wherein the scanning ladar transmission system comprises; a beam scanner, the beam scanner including a mirror, wherein the beam scanner is configured to (1) scan the mirror to a plurality of mirror scan positions in response to a control signal, and (2) direct a plurality of incoming ladar pulses onto the scanning mirror for transmitting the ladar pulses toward a plurality of range points; a beam scanner controller, wherein the beam scanner controller is configured to generate the control signal for the beam scanner such that the control signal defines a dynamic scan pattern for the scanning ladar transmission system with respect to the range points; and a closed loop feedback system in operative communication with the beam scanner and the beam scanner controller, wherein the closed loop feedback control system is configured to (1) sense a plurality of actual mirror scan positions for the mirror and (2) provide a feedback signal to the beam scanner controller indicative of the actual mirror scan positions for the mirror, the feedback signal for use by the beam scanner controller to adjust the control signal in order to keep the transmitted ladar pulses on target toward the range points. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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71. A method comprising:
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targeting a scanning ladar transmission system to a plurality of range points in accordance with a dynamic scan pattern by (1) scanning a first mirror on a first axis based on a first voltage waveform, and (2) scanning a second mirror on a second axis based on a second voltage waveform, wherein the second voltage waveform is a function of the targeted range points; transmitting a plurality of ladar pulses to the targeted range points in accordance with the dynamic scan pattern via the scanning mirror; and adjusting at least one of the first and second voltage waveforms based on closed loop feedback control with respect to at least one of the scanning mirrors. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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83. An apparatus comprising:
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a beam scanner, the beam scanner including a first scannable mirror and a second scannable mirror, wherein the beam scanner is configured to (1) scan the first scannable mirror on a first axis to a plurality of mirror scan positions in response to a first voltage waveform, (2) scan the second scannable mirror on a second axis to a plurality of mirror scan positions in response to a second voltage waveform, and (3) direct a plurality of incoming ladar pulses toward a plurality of range points via reflections of the ladar pulses from the first scannable mirror to the second scannable mirror an onward toward the range points; and a beam scanner controller, wherein the beam scanner controller is configured to (1) generate the first and second voltage waveforms for the beam scanner such that the combination of the first and second voltage waveforms defines a dynamic scan pattern for the beam scanner with respect to the range points, and (2) adjust at least one of the first and second waveforms based on closed loop feedback control with respect to at least one of the first and second scannable mirrors. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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Specification