Method and apparatus for detecting a moving projectile
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- pivotally coupling a housing to a post;
transmitting a defined beam of eyesafe laser energy by a window disposed on an upper end of the post, said beam having an azimuth angle of 360°
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receiving reflected energy from said beam onto a detector stored in the housing, the detector having a two-dimensional array of detector elements and, in response, forming a two-dimensional image representing a contiguous 360°
azimuthal view on the detector;
analyzing information in said received energy by an electronic circuit contained in the housing so as to detect the presence of a moving projectile; and
tilting, using a weight disposed on a lower end of the post, the post relative to the housing such that angular movement of the housing allows the beam to remain in a generally horizontal orientation.
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Abstract
An apparatus includes a transmitter portion which transmits a defined beam of eyesafe laser energy, a receiver portion which receives reflected energy from the beam, and a further portion which analyzes information in the received energy so as to detect the presence of a moving projectile.
43 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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pivotally coupling a housing to a post; transmitting a defined beam of eyesafe laser energy by a window disposed on an upper end of the post, said beam having an azimuth angle of 360°
;receiving reflected energy from said beam onto a detector stored in the housing, the detector having a two-dimensional array of detector elements and, in response, forming a two-dimensional image representing a contiguous 360°
azimuthal view on the detector;analyzing information in said received energy by an electronic circuit contained in the housing so as to detect the presence of a moving projectile; and tilting, using a weight disposed on a lower end of the post, the post relative to the housing such that angular movement of the housing allows the beam to remain in a generally horizontal orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus comprising:
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a gimbal that pivotally couples a housing to a post having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end being coupled to a weight; a transmitter portion which transmits a defined beam of eyesafe laser energy through a window disposed on the upper end of the post, said beam having an azimuth angle of 360°
;a receiver portion which receives reflected energy from said beam onto a detector stored in the housing, the detector having a two-dimensional array of detector elements and, in response, forming a two-dimensional image representing a contiguous 360°
azimuthal view on the detector; anda further portion which analyzes information in said received energy by an electronic circuit contained in the housing so as to detect the presence of a moving projectile. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method comprising:
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pivotally coupling a housing to a post; transmitting a defined beam of eyesafe laser energy by a window disposed on an upper end of the post, said beam having an azimuth angle of 360°
;receiving reflected energy from said beam onto a detector stored in the housing, the detector having a two-dimensional array of detector elements and, in response, forming a two-dimensional image representing a contiguous 360°
azimuthal view on the detector;detecting the presence of a moving projectile by detecting a Doppler shift in said received energy by an electronic circuit contained in the housing; and tilting, using a weight disposed on a lower end of the post, the post relative to the housing such that angular movement of the housing allows the beam to remain in a generally horizontal orientation.
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20. A method comprising:
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pivotally coupling a housing to a post; transmitting a defined beam of eyesafe laser energy by a window disposed on an upper end of the post throughout a predetermined beam azimuth angle; receiving reflected energy from said beam onto a detector in the housing, the detector having a two-dimensional array of detector elements and, in response, forming a two-dimensional image representing a contiguous field of regard on the detector; analyzing information in said received energy by an electronic circuit contained in the housing simultaneously throughout the field of regard so as to detect the presence of a moving projectile; and tilting, using a weight disposed on a lower end of the post, the post relative to the housing such that angular movement of the housing allows the beam to remain in a generally horizontal orientation; wherein the field of regard defines a contiguous azimuthal extent that is to be analyzed for the presence of a moving projectile and wherein the beam azimuth angle is substantially equivalent to the field of regard.
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21. An apparatus comprising:
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a gimbal that pivotally couples a housing to a post having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end being coupled to a weight; a transmitter portion that transmits a defined beam of eyesafe laser energy through a window disposed on the upper end of the post, said beam having a beam azimuth angle; a receiver portion that receives reflected energy from said beam onto a detector stored in the housing, the detector having a two-dimensional array of detector elements and, in response, forming a two-dimensional image representing a contiguous field of regard on the detector simultaneously throughout the field of regard; and a further portion that analyzes information in said received energy by an electronic circuit contained in the housing so as to detect the presence of a moving projectile; wherein the field of regard defines a contiguous azimuthal extent that is to be analyzed and wherein the beam azimuth angle is substantially equivalent to the field of regard.
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Specification