Near-infrared time-of-flight remote sensing
First Claim
1. A remote sensing system, comprising:
- an array of laser diodes configured to generate light having an initial light intensity and one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, and wherein at least a portion of the array of laser diodes is configured to be pulsed at a modulation frequency;
one or more lenses, and one or more scanners comprising moving mirrors configured to receive a portion of the light from the array of laser diodes and to direct the portion of the light from the array of laser diodes to an object, wherein the moving mirrors are configured to scan the received portion of the light across at least a part of the object;
a detection system comprising a photodiode array with a plurality of pixels coupled to CMOS transistors;
wherein the detection system is configured to receive at least a portion of light reflected from the object, wherein the detection system is configured to be synchronized to the at least a portion of the array of laser diodes configured to be pulsed, and wherein the detection system is configured to use a lock-in technique that detects the modulation frequency;
wherein the detection system is further configured to perform a time-of-flight measurement by measuring a time difference between the generated light from the at least a portion of the array of laser diodes and the at least a portion of light reflected from the object, wherein the detection system further comprises one or more filters to select at least some of the one or more optical wavelengths;
wherein the remote sensing system is configured to generate a two-dimensional or three-dimensional mapping using at least a portion of the time-of-flight measurement;
wherein the remote sensing system is configured to improve signal-to-noise ratio of at least a portion of the two-dimensional or three-dimensional mapping by increasing light intensity of the array of laser diodes relative to the initial light intensity; and
wherein the remote sensing system is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle, and wherein the at least a portion of the two-dimensional or three-dimensional mapping is combined with global positioning system information.
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Abstract
A smart phone or tablet includes laser diodes configured to be pulsed and generate near-infrared light between 700-2500 nanometers. Lenses direct the light to a sample. A detection system includes a photodiode array with pixels coupled to CMOS transistors, and is configured to receive light reflected from the sample, to be synchronized to the light from the laser diodes, and to perform a time-of-flight measurement of a time difference between light from the laser diodes and light reflected from the sample. The detection system is configured to convert light received while the laser diodes are off into a first signal, and light received while at least one laser diodes is on, which includes light reflected from the sample, into a second signal. The smart phone or tablet is configured to difference the first signal and the second signal and to generate a two-dimensional or three-dimensional image using the time-of-flight measurement.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A remote sensing system, comprising:
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an array of laser diodes configured to generate light having an initial light intensity and one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, and wherein at least a portion of the array of laser diodes is configured to be pulsed at a modulation frequency; one or more lenses, and one or more scanners comprising moving mirrors configured to receive a portion of the light from the array of laser diodes and to direct the portion of the light from the array of laser diodes to an object, wherein the moving mirrors are configured to scan the received portion of the light across at least a part of the object; a detection system comprising a photodiode array with a plurality of pixels coupled to CMOS transistors; wherein the detection system is configured to receive at least a portion of light reflected from the object, wherein the detection system is configured to be synchronized to the at least a portion of the array of laser diodes configured to be pulsed, and wherein the detection system is configured to use a lock-in technique that detects the modulation frequency; wherein the detection system is further configured to perform a time-of-flight measurement by measuring a time difference between the generated light from the at least a portion of the array of laser diodes and the at least a portion of light reflected from the object, wherein the detection system further comprises one or more filters to select at least some of the one or more optical wavelengths; wherein the remote sensing system is configured to generate a two-dimensional or three-dimensional mapping using at least a portion of the time-of-flight measurement; wherein the remote sensing system is configured to improve signal-to-noise ratio of at least a portion of the two-dimensional or three-dimensional mapping by increasing light intensity of the array of laser diodes relative to the initial light intensity; and wherein the remote sensing system is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle, and wherein the at least a portion of the two-dimensional or three-dimensional mapping is combined with global positioning system information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A remote sensing system, comprising:
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a plurality of laser diodes configured to generate light having an initial light intensity and one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of laser diodes is configured to be pulsed; one or more scanners comprising moving mirrors configured to receive a portion of the light from the plurality of laser diodes and to direct the received portion of light from the plurality of laser diodes to an object, wherein the moving mirrors are configured to scan the received portion of light across at least a part of the object; a detection system comprising a plurality of photodiodes with a plurality of pixels coupled to CMOS transistors; wherein the detection system is configured to receive at least a portion of light reflected from the object, and wherein the detection system is configured to be synchronized to the at least a portion of the plurality of laser diodes configured to be pulsed; wherein the detection system is configured to perform a time-of-flight measurement by measuring a time difference between the generated light from the at least a portion of the plurality of laser diodes configured to be pulsed and the at least a portion of light reflected from the object, and wherein the detection system further comprises one or more filters to select at least some of the one or more optical wavelengths; wherein the remote sensing system is configured to generate a two-dimensional or three-dimensional mapping using at least a portion of the time-of-flight measurement; wherein the remote sensing system is configured to improve signal-to-noise ratio of the two-dimensional or three-dimensional mapping by increasing light intensity of at least some of the plurality of laser diodes relative to the initial light intensity of the plurality of laser diodes; and wherein the remote sensing system is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A remote sensing system, comprising:
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a plurality of laser diodes configured to generate light having an initial light intensity and one or more optical wavelengths, wherein at least a portion of the one or more optical wavelengths is a near-infrared wavelength between 700 nanometers and 2500 nanometers, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of laser diodes is configured to be pulsed at a modulation frequency; one or more lenses and one or more scanners, the one or more scanners comprising moving mirrors configured to receive a portion of the light from the plurality of laser diodes and to direct the portion of the light from the plurality of laser diodes to an object, wherein the moving mirrors are configured to scan the received portion of light across at least a part of the object; a detection system comprising a plurality of photodiodes coupled to CMOS transistors; wherein the detection system is configured to receive at least a portion of light reflected from the object, wherein the detection system is configured to be synchronized to the at least a portion of the plurality of laser diodes configured to be pulsed, and wherein the detection system is configured to use a lock-in technique that detects the modulation frequency; wherein the detection system is further configured to perform a time-of-flight measurement by measuring a time difference between the generated light from the at least a portion of the plurality of laser diodes configured to be pulsed and the at least a portion of light reflected from the object, wherein the detection system further comprises one or more filters to select at least a fraction of the one or more optical wavelengths; wherein the remote sensing system is configured to generate a two-dimensional or three-dimensional mapping at least in part based on the time-of-flight measurement; wherein the remote sensing system is configured to improve signal-to-noise ratio of the two-dimensional or three-dimensional mapping by increasing light intensity relative to the initial light intensity of the plurality of laser diodes; and wherein the remote sensing system is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle, and wherein the two-dimensional or three-dimensional mapping is associated with global positioning system information. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification