Fog piercing ranging apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus for range finding comprising:
- a radar transceiver adapted to send a radio frequency signal toward said target and receive at least one reflected signal from said target and produce radar data representative of said transmitted and reflected radar signals;
a laser transceiver adapted to transmit a laser light signal toward an expected target, receive at least one reflected laser light signal and produce laser data representative of said transmitted and reflected laser signals; and
a computer coupled to said laser transceiver and to said radar transceiver receiving said radar data and said laser range data, wherein said computer determines an approximate range from said radar data and utilizes said approximate range to provide a laser gating window to determine a laser range from said laser data.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for accurately determining a target distance in adverse weather conditions utilizing both LASER and RADAR is disclosed. The radar signals are used to determine an approximate range which is then used as a gating window for the determination of which laser reflection is from the actual target as opposed to a reflection from the atmospheric interference. The method basically comprises the steps of initiating a radar pulse in the direction of a target and receiving a reflection, transmitting a laser signal and receiving a plurality of reflections, determining an approximate range based on the radar signals, and using this approximate range to ascertain which of the laser reflections is from the target. This determination is preferably made by generating a gating signal and gate width from the radar signals and passing the set of laser range signals through the gate to eliminate the false signals and select the signal that survives the gate as the accurate target range.
-
Citations
31 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for range finding comprising:
-
a radar transceiver adapted to send a radio frequency signal toward said target and receive at least one reflected signal from said target and produce radar data representative of said transmitted and reflected radar signals; a laser transceiver adapted to transmit a laser light signal toward an expected target, receive at least one reflected laser light signal and produce laser data representative of said transmitted and reflected laser signals; and a computer coupled to said laser transceiver and to said radar transceiver receiving said radar data and said laser range data, wherein said computer determines an approximate range from said radar data and utilizes said approximate range to provide a laser gating window to determine a laser range from said laser data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. An apparatus for range finding comprising:
-
a radar transceiver adapted to send a radio frequency signal toward said target and receive at least one reflected signal from said target and produce radar data representative of said transmitted and reflected radar signals; a radar computer coupled to said radar transceiver having a processor determining a radar range from said radar data and computing a laser gating signal; a laser transceiver adapted to transmit a laser light signal toward an expected target, receive at least one reflected laser light signal and produce laser data representative of said transmitted and reflected laser signals; and a laser computer coupled to said laser transceiver receiving said laser data and said laser gating signal, wherein said laser computer determines a laser range from said laser data and said laser gating signal. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for laser range finding during inclement weather conditions utilizing a radar transceiver and a laser transceiver comprising the steps of:
-
issuing a radar chirp from said radar transceiver in the direction of an anticipated target; receiving a plurality of reflected radar signals; issuing a laser light pulse from said laser transceiver in the direction of said anticipated target; receiving a plurality of reflected laser light signals; selecting one of said plurality of reflected radar signals as a target reflection; determining a radar range from said target reflection and said radar chirp; determining a laser gating signal from said radar range; setting a laser gating window to said laser gating signal plus a gate width; applying said window to said reflected laser signals to determine a selected laser signal that passes through said window; converting said selected laser signal to a laser range; and displaying said laser range. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of determining an accurate range to a target during adverse weather conditions comprising the steps of:
-
sending a first radar signal from a radar transceiver toward said expected location of said target; receiving a first set of reflected radar signals from said target; determining from said transmitted and reflected radar signals an approximate range to said target; sending a laser signal from a laser transceiver toward an expected location of a target; receiving a first set of reflected laser signals in said laser transceiver; determining from said transmitted laser signal and said first set of reflected laser signals a set of potential target ranges; and selecting from said set of potential target ranges a range closest to said approximate range to said target as said accurate range. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A vessel docking aid system for providing approach speed and range information to operating personnel comprising:
-
a first sensor unit having a radar transceiver and a laser transceiver therein, mounted on one of said dock or said vessel; a second sensor unit having a second radar transceiver and a second laser transceiver therein; and at least one computer coupled to said sensor units for analyzing data transmitted from said first and second transceivers, said computer receiving reflection signals from both said radar and laser transceivers and determining radar target ranges and a laser target ranges therefrom, said computer utilizing said determined radar target range to select one of said laser ranges as an accurate laser target range. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. An apparatus for range finding comprising:
-
a first transceiver adapted to send a first signal toward a target and receive at least one reflected signal from said target and produce first data representative of said transmitted and reflected first signals; a second transceiver adapted to transmit a second signal toward an expected target, receive at least one reflected signal and produce second data representative of said transmitted and reflected second signals; and a computer coupled to said first transceiver and to said second transceiver receiving said first data and said second data, wherein said computer determines a first range to said target from said first data and utilizes said first range to provide a gating window to determine a second range to said target from said second data. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. An apparatus for range finding comprising:
-
a first transceiver adapted to send a signal toward a target and receive at least one reflected signal from said target and produce first data representative of said transmitted and reflected first signals; a first computer coupled to said first transceiver having a processor determining a first range from said first data and computing a gating signal; a second transceiver adapted to transmit a signal toward said target, receive at least one reflected second signal and produce second data representative of said transmitted and reflected second signals; and a second computer coupled to said second transceiver receiving said second data and said gating signal, wherein said second computer determines a second range from said second data and said gating signal from said first computer. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
-
-
30. A method for range finding during inclement weather conditions utilizing a first transceiver and a second transceiver comprising the steps of:
-
issuing a first signal from said first transceiver in the direction of an anticipated target; receiving a plurality of reflected first signals; issuing a second signal from said second transceiver in the direction of said anticipated target; receiving a plurality of reflected second signals; selecting one of said plurality of reflected first signals as a first target reflection; determining a first range from said first target reflection and said first signal; determining a first gating signal from said first range; setting a second gating window to said first gating signal plus a gate width; applying said window to said reflected second signals to determine a selected second signal that passes through said window; converting said selected second signal to a second range; and displaying said second range.
-
-
31. A vessel docking aid system for providing approach speed and range information to operating personnel comprising:
-
a first sensor unit having a first transceiver and a second transceiver therein, mounted on one of said dock or said vessel; a second sensor unit having a third transceiver and a fourth transceiver therein; and at least one computer coupled to said first and second sensor units for analyzing data transmitted from said first and second transceivers, said computer receiving reflection signals from said first, second third and fourth transceivers and determining first target ranges from said first and third transceivers and first target ranges therefrom, said computer utilizing said determined first target range to select one of said second ranges as an accurate second target range.
-
Specification