Laser radar wire detection
First Claim
1. A laser radar detection system which discriminates between unresolved and resolved detected objects, said system comprising:
- a laser radar sensor for transmitting an optical scanning transmit signal within a desired field and receiving reflected signals from objects located therein;
said laser radar sensor including a photo mixer for receiving both said reflected signals and a local oscillator (LO) signal derived from said transmit signal and providing the difference therebetween as an output signal; and
processing means for receiving the output signal of said photo mixer and discriminating between resolved and unresolved signals detected therein said processing means comprising;
fourier transform means for providing an unweighted fourier transform of the received signal to thereby provide a power spectrum in the frequency domain; and
signal processing means for determining whether the power spectrum of said signal contains side lobes representing clutter or does not contain side lobes representing an unresolved object.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A laser radar detection system (10) is provided for detecting targets located within a detection field and discriminating between unresolved and resolved detected objects (32,34). The detection system (10) employs a laser radar sensor (12) for transmitting a frequency modulated optical transmit signal (22) which scans a desires field and receiving a return signal (24) from objects located therein. The laser radar sensor (12) includes a photo mixer (20) for providing the difference between the return signal (24) and a local oscillator (LO) signal (26) derived from the transmit signal (22). A processor (14) is employed for receiving the difference signal and provides a fourier transform thereof to thereby provide a power spectrum in the frequency domain. The processor (14) analyzes the power spectrum to determine whether the transformed signal contains side lobes (40) and is therefore clutter or does not contain side lobes (40) and therefore indicates the detection of an unresolved object (32).
45 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A laser radar detection system which discriminates between unresolved and resolved detected objects, said system comprising:
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a laser radar sensor for transmitting an optical scanning transmit signal within a desired field and receiving reflected signals from objects located therein; said laser radar sensor including a photo mixer for receiving both said reflected signals and a local oscillator (LO) signal derived from said transmit signal and providing the difference therebetween as an output signal; and processing means for receiving the output signal of said photo mixer and discriminating between resolved and unresolved signals detected therein said processing means comprising; fourier transform means for providing an unweighted fourier transform of the received signal to thereby provide a power spectrum in the frequency domain; and signal processing means for determining whether the power spectrum of said signal contains side lobes representing clutter or does not contain side lobes representing an unresolved object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A laser radar detection system which discriminates between unresolved and resolved detected objects, said system comprising:
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a laser radar sensor for transmitting an optical scanning transmit signal within a desired field and receiving reflected signals from objects located therein; said laser radar sensor including a photo mixer for receiving both said reflected signals and a local oscillator (LO) signal derived from said transmit signal and providing the difference therebetween as an output; and processing means for receiving the output of the photo mixer and discriminating between resolved and unresolved signals detected therein, said processing means including first fourier transform means for providing an unweighted fourier transform of said signal to obtain a power spectrum and signal processing means for determining whether the power spectrum of said signal contains side lobes and is therefore clutter or does not contain side lobes and therefore indicates an unresolved object. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for detecting objects within a desired field with a laser radar detection sensor and discriminating between unresolved and resolved objects located therein, said method comprising:
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transmitting an optical laser radar signal and scanning a desired field therewith; receiving reflected signals from objects located within the field scanned; comparing a local oscillator signal derived from the transmitted radar signal with the reflected signal and providing the difference therebetween as a difference signal; transforming said difference signal to a frequency domain with an unweighted fourier transform to thereby provide a power spectrum; determining whether the power spectrum of the detected signal contains side lobes; and discriminating between unresolved and resolved signals, said resolved signals having side lobes located thereon and unresolved signals having essentially no side lobes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification