INTEGRATED MULTI-SENSOR SURVAILANCE AND TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20090147238A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MetroLaser, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MetroLaser, Inc.
• Inventors: Markov, Vladimir B., Khizhnyak, Anatoliy I.
• Granted Patent: US 8,462,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 3/00 Observing or tracking cosmonautic vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/02 Picture taking arrangements specially adapted for photogrammetry or photographic surveying, e.g. controlling overlapping of pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/06 Scanning arrangements arrangements for order-selection
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/2823 Imaging spectrometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/36 Investigating two or more bands of a spectrum by separate detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders

Abstract

A sensor system for remote object detection, tracking, characterization, and discrimination can have a plurality of sensors. A shared optical train that can facilitate blending of information from the sensors, so as to provide a single view for the plurality of sensors. Small and/or dim objects can be more readily detected. High-resolution 3 dimensional space object imagery and on-demand target information gathering can be provided with reduced data latency. The undesirable effects of atmospheric turbulence along the aiming direction can be mitigated even when there is a high relative velocity between the surveillance platform and remote target.

Claims

1. A sensor system comprising:

a plurality of sensors; and

a shared optical train that is configured to facilitate fusion of data from the sensors.

2. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a laser tracking system that operates through the shared optical train.

3. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a laser tracking system; and

wherein at least one of the sensors and the laser tracking system cooperate to point the laser beam at a target and to collect coherent and incoherent radiation scattered and emitted by the target.

4. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a laser tracking system; and

wherein at least one of the sensors and the laser tracking system cooperate to point the laser beam at a target and to collect both coherent radiation from a laser beam that is scattered by the target and incoherent radiation resulting from passive illumination of the target and thermal emission from the target.

5. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein the shared optical train directs a laser beam toward a target and collects coherent and incoherent radiation from the target.

6. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein scattered laser beam, passive illumination, and thermal emission from a target pass through the shared optical train and are split into coherent and multi-band incoherent components.

7. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an amplifier for amplifying coherent radiation received through the shared optical train from a target; and

an optical heterodyne position sensitive detector configured to receive amplified coherent radiation from the amplifier.

8. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an amplifier for amplifying coherent radiation received by the shared optical train from a target;

an optical heterodyne position sensitive detector configured to receive amplified coherent radiation from the amplifier;

a local oscillator; and

wherein the optical heterodyne position sensitive detector is configured to mix radiation from the local oscillator with the amplified coherent radiation.

9. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an amplifier for amplifying coherent radiation received by the shared optics from a target;

a local oscillator;

an optical heterodyne position sensitive detector configured to receive amplified coherent radiation from the amplifier and to mix the amplified coherent radiation with radiation from the local oscillator; and

a processor configured to receive information from the optical heterodyne position sensitive detector and to determine spatial, angular, motional and vibration characteristics of the target.

10. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an optical heterodyne position sensitive detector;

at least one imaging sensor;

at least one spectral sensor;

a processor; and

wherein data from the imaging sensor(s) and the spectral sensor(s) is processed by the processor and used along with data from the optical heterodyne position sensitive detector to identify a target.

11. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an optical heterodyne position sensitive detector;

a visual sensor;

an infrared sensor;

a multispectral sensor;

a polarimetric sensor;

a photogrammetry sensor;

a processor;

a computer;

a database; and

wherein data from the visual sensor, the infrared sensor, the multispectral sensor, the polarimetric sensor, and the photogrammetry sensor is blended and deconvolved by the processor and along with data from the optical heterodyne position sensitive detector is compared to information in the database by the computer to identify a target.

12. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein active illumination provides a means for optical signal gating so as to enhance a signal-to-noise ratio in an acquired image.

13. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein data from the sensors is synchronized and referenced to a common coordinate system.

14. The sensor system as recited in claim 1, wherein active illumination facilitates synchronization of data from the sensors and wherein the data is referenced to a common coordinate system to facilitate data fusion.

15. An AIMS comprising a shared optical train configured to cooperate with a laser tracking system, a visible imaging system, and an infrared search and track system so as to provide an AIMS for space object detection, tracking, characterization, discrimination and event detection.

16. A integrated multi-sensor system comprising:

a plurality of sensors; and

a shared optical train that is configured to facilitate blending of information from the sensors so as to provide a single view for the plurality of sensing elements and thus facilitate real time monitoring of spatial distribution of atmospheric turbulence.

17. A method comprising monitoring, in real time, the spatial distribution of atmospheric turbulence.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the monitoring is performed so as to facilitate at least one of free-space communication, high energy laser beam delivery, and distortion compensation for through-atmosphere imaging systems.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the monitoring is performed by generating at least one of a Rayleigh and Mie scattering guide star and by coherent registration of extremely low intensity of scattered radiation with its temporal gating.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the monitoring facilitate measurement of Cn2, Fried parameter r0, Rytov parameter, and isoplanatic angle (θ

), as well as registering the structure of the guide star field at the input plane of the detection system.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein information provided by the monitoring is used to enhance an adaptive optics system for beam control in a High Energy Laser (HEL).

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein information provided by the monitoring is used to enhance an adaptive optics system for free-space communication.

23. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein information provided by the monitoring is used to enhance an adaptive optics system for long-range, ground-to-space free-space communication.