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Ladar system for detecting objects

  • US 6,844,924 B2
  • Filed: 06/28/2002
  • Issued: 01/18/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A high range-resolution ladar, comprising:

  • a chirp generator for generating a chirp waveform;

    a bias tee coupled to the chirp generator, a DC current source, and a semiconductor laser diode, the bias tee summing the chirp waveform with the DC current source to provide a current drive for the semiconductor laser diode with a bandwidth at least equal to the chirp waveform;

    the semiconductor laser diode coupled to the bias tee, for receiving the current drive and for outputting a light signal toward a target; and

    a self-mixing detector coupled to and driven by the chirp generator, where the responsivity of the detector is varied in accordance with the chirp waveform for converting the reflected light signal received from the target to an electrical signal and for mixing the converted electrical signal with the chirp waveform to produce an output electrical signal whose frequency is proportional to the range to the target.

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