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Distributed laser obstacle awareness system

  • US 20030043058A1
  • Filed: 03/28/2002
  • Published: 03/06/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A distributed laser based obstacle awareness system for use on-board an aircraft, said system comprising:

  • a plurality of obstacle detecting sensors disposable at a corresponding plurality of locations of said aircraft for emitting laser energy from the aircraft into a predetermined region of space and for receiving return laser energy from an obstacle in said predetermined region of space;

    a laser source for emitting a laser beam along an optical path;

    a plurality of bistatic optical channels, each channel comprising a plurality of transmission fiber optic cables and at least one receiver fiber optic cable, each optical channel extending from said laser source to a corresponding obstacle detecting sensor of said plurality, said transmission fiber optic cables of each optical channel operative to direct the laser beam from the optical path to its corresponding obstacle detecting sensor of the plurality for emission into the corresponding predetermined region of space; and

    a light detector, return laser energy from an obstacle received by any one of the obstacle detecting sensors being propagated through the receiver fiber optic cable of the corresponding optical channel to the light detector for use in detection of the obstacle in the corresponding predetermined region of space.

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