Range imaging laser radar
First Claim
1. In a laser radar wherein a transmitted beam is periodically modulated and a reflection of said beam is sensible after a phase delay dependent upon the range of a target illuminated by said transmitted beam, a ranging receiver comprising:
- photo emitter means for converting said reflected beam modulation to an accordingly modulated electron stream;
a demodulation periodic signal source;
modulation means disposed in the path of said electron stream and connected to said demodulation periodic signal source, for modulating said electron stream with a signal from said demodulation periodic signal source;
means for converting said electron stream, as modulated by said modulation means, to a photon signal manifestation thereof; and
detector means response to said photon signal manifestation for providing electrical signals indicative of said photon signal manifestation.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A laser source is operated continuously and modulated periodically (typicy sinusoidally). A receiver imposes another periodic modulation on the received optical signal, the modulated signal being detected by an array of detectors of the integrating type. Range to the target determined by measuring the phase shift of the intensity modulation on the received optical beam relative to a reference. The receiver comprises a photoemitter for converting the reflected, periodically modulated, return beam to an accordingly modulated electron stream. The electron stream is modulated by a local demodulation signal source and subsequently converted back to a photon stream by a detector. A charge coupled device (CCD) array then averages and samples the photon stream to provide an electrical signal in accordance with the photon stream.
-
Citations
9 Claims
-
1. In a laser radar wherein a transmitted beam is periodically modulated and a reflection of said beam is sensible after a phase delay dependent upon the range of a target illuminated by said transmitted beam, a ranging receiver comprising:
-
photo emitter means for converting said reflected beam modulation to an accordingly modulated electron stream; a demodulation periodic signal source; modulation means disposed in the path of said electron stream and connected to said demodulation periodic signal source, for modulating said electron stream with a signal from said demodulation periodic signal source; means for converting said electron stream, as modulated by said modulation means, to a photon signal manifestation thereof; and detector means response to said photon signal manifestation for providing electrical signals indicative of said photon signal manifestation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
Specification