×

Combined LOAS and LIDAR system

  • US 6,556,282 B2
  • Filed: 09/04/2001
  • Issued: 04/29/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A combined system of a laser obstacle awareness system (LOAS) and a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system for obstacle detection and flow velocity measurement, said combined system comprising:

  • a LIDAR arrangement of optical elements for generating a first coherent beam of light at a first predetermined wavelength;

    a LOAS arrangement of optical elements for generating a second coherent beam of light at a second predetermined wavelength;

    a beam expander;

    a dichroic filter optical element for directing said first and second coherent beams of light substantially on a first common optical path towards an aperture of said beam expander, said beam expander being aligned to accept and expand said first and second coherent beams and exit said expanded first and second coherent beams along a second common optical path at an output thereof;

    at least one output optical element, said second common optical path being incident on said at least one output optical element which directs both of said expanded first and second coherent beams of light from said system, said at least one output optical element also for receiving reflections of said first and second coherent beams of light and directing said reflections to said beam expander wherein said beam reflections are collected;

    said dichroic filter optical element for separating the collected light corresponding to said first coherent beam from the collected light corresponding to said second coherent beam, the separated light corresponding to said first coherent beam being directed back to said LIDAR arrangement of optical elements, and the separated light corresponding to said second coherent beam being directed back to said LOAS arrangement of optical elements;

    a first light detector for converting light representative of the separated light corresponding to said first coherent beam to first electrical signals representative thereof;

    a second light detector for converting light representative of the separated light corresponding to said second coherent beam to second electrical signals representative thereof; and

    processing means coupled to the first and second light detectors for detecting at least one object and determining flow velocity using said first and second electrical signals.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×