Imaging lidar system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for detecting and imaging an object enveloped by a backscattering medium which is at least partially transmitting to light comprising:
- generating means for selectively generating short pulses of light;
mirror means in optical communication with said generating means, said mirror means receiving said pulses of light from said generating means and projecting said short pulses of light toward the backscattering medium and at an object enveloped by the medium, said mirror means being selectively oriented to also receive said pulses of light reflected back from said object after a time delay corresponding to the round-trip propagation time of said light pulses to and from said object;
detecting means in optical communication with said scanning mirror means, said detecting means detecting said reflected pulses of light received by said mirror means; and
converting means for converting said detected pulses of light to a video image of said object.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An airborne imaging lidar (light detection and ranging) sensor is provided which employs multiple pulsed laser transmitters, multiple gated and intensified array camera receivers, an optical scanner for increased field of regard, and a computer for system control, automatic target detection and display generation. The laser transmitters and multiple camera receivers are optically boresighted to the optical scanner (e.g., oscillating flat mirror) for an increased swath width perpendicular to the aircraft heading. The several laser transmitters are coupled for increased power and system sensitivity.
173 Citations
54 Claims
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1. An apparatus for detecting and imaging an object enveloped by a backscattering medium which is at least partially transmitting to light comprising:
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generating means for selectively generating short pulses of light; mirror means in optical communication with said generating means, said mirror means receiving said pulses of light from said generating means and projecting said short pulses of light toward the backscattering medium and at an object enveloped by the medium, said mirror means being selectively oriented to also receive said pulses of light reflected back from said object after a time delay corresponding to the round-trip propagation time of said light pulses to and from said object; detecting means in optical communication with said scanning mirror means, said detecting means detecting said reflected pulses of light received by said mirror means; and converting means for converting said detected pulses of light to a video image of said object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for detecting and imaging an object enveloped by a backscattering medium which is at least partially transmitting to light comprising:
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generating means for selectively generating short pulses of light; projecting means for projecting said pulses of light toward the backscattering medium and at an object enveloped by the medium; movable scanning mirror means for receiving said pulses of light reflected back from said object after a time delay corresponding to the roundtrip propagation time of said light pulses to and from said object; detecting means for detecting said reflected pulses of light received by said scanning mirror; and converting means for converting said detected pulses of light to a video image of said object.
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24. An apparatus for detecting and imaging from an airborne platform an object enveloped by a backscattering medium which is at least partially transmitting to light, the airborne platform having instrumentation for measuring platform angular attitude, comprising:
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pulsed light source generating means generating short pulses of light from the airborne platform; projecting means for projecting said short pulses of light toward the backscattering medium and at an object enveloped by the backscattering medium; computer means for monitoring the angular attitude of the airborne platform in response to input from the instrumentation, said angular attitude input being generated independently of said pulsed light source generating means; camera means for detecting said pulses of light reflected back from said object, said camera means being gated open by input from delay generator means, said camera means being gated open after a selected time delay corresponding to the roundtrip propagation time of said light pulses to and from said object; said computer means calculating said selected time delay based on input data which includes the angular attitude input from said instrumentation, said computer means inputting said selected time delay to said delay generator means; and converting means for converting said detected pulses of light to a video image of said object. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. An imaging lidar apparatus for detecting and imaging an object enveloped by a backscattering medium which is at least partially transmitting to light, the imaging lidar apparatus being mounted on an airborne platform and including light pulse generating means, reflected light pulse detection means and computer control means, and further including:
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a pod for housing said light pulse generating means and said light pulse detection means; and attachment means for attaching the pod to the airborne platform, said attachment means including means for angularly orienting the pod independently of the airborne platform orientation. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. An imaging lidar apparatus for detecting and imaging an object enveloped by a backscattering medium which is at least partially transmitting to light, the imaging lidar apparatus being mounted on an airborne platform and including light pulse generating means, reflected light pulse detection means and computer control means, and further including:
a pod for housing said light pulse generating means and said light pulse detection means, said pod comprising a plurality of inerconnected trusses arranged in a generally pyramidical shaped section and having a plurality of internal chambers for said light pulse generating means. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An apparatus for detecting and imaging an object at least partially enveloped by a backscattering medium which is at least partially transmitting to light comprising:
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light pulse generating means for selectively generating short pulses of light; light projection means for receiving said pulses of light from said light pulse generating means and transforming the cross-section of said light pulse from a first shape to a preselected second shape; projecting means for projecting said short pulses of light toward the backscattering medium and at an object enveloped by the medium; camera means for detecting said pulses of light reflected back from said object after a time delay corresponding to the round-trip propagation time of said light pulses to and from said object; and converting means for converting said detected pulses of light to a video image of said object. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An apparatus for detecting and imaging an object enveloped by a backscattering medium which is at least partially transmitting to light comprising:
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at least one laser generating means for selectively generating short pulses of light toward the backscattering medium and at an object enveloped by the medium; detecting means for detecting said pulses of light reflected back from said object after a time delay corresponding to the round-trip propagation time of said light pulses to and from said object; and converting means for converting said detected pulses of light to a video image of said object; and wherein said laser generating means further includes; a first amplifier for amplifying the strength of said generated pulses of light; and a second amplifier spaced from said first amplifier and in optical communication with said first amplifier, said second amplifier further increasing the strength of said generated pulses of light. - View Dependent Claims (50)
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51. An apparatus for detecting and imaging an object enveloped by a backscattering medium which is at least partially transmitting to light comprising:
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at least two laser generating means for selectively simultaneously generating short pulses of light toward the backscattering medium and at an object enveloped by the medium; detecting means for detecting said pulses of light reflected back from said object after a time delay corresponding to the round-trip propagation time of said light pulses to and from said object; and converting means for converting said detected pulses of light to a video image of said object.
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52. A method of detecting or imaging an object using an imaging lidar system having a plurality of cameras for viewing range gates of varying depths and being mounted on an airborne platform comprising the steps of:
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(1) directing the imaging lidar system to search over a large swath width to locate objects of interest; (2) storing the coordinates of any located objects of interest detected by the imaging lidar system; (3) returning the imaging lidar system to selected of said stored coordinates and again detecting an object of interest; (4) directing at least two of said cameras to the sa range gate corresponding to the depth of the object of interest to enhance an image of the object of interest. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54)
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Specification