Multi-directional active sensor

• US 8,294,879 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Silny, John F., Coleman, Gary D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ratcliffe, Luke
• Application Number:
  US12/966,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20120120382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 356 301- 285
• US Class Current: 356/4.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4818 using optical fibres

Abstract

A multi-directional sensor system includes a light source configured to generate a beam of electromagnetic radiation; and a transmitter configured to transmit the beam of electromagnetic radiation to a target. The transmitter may include (i) a plurality of optical fibers, wherein one or more of the optical fibers are configured to receive the beam of electromagnetic radiation, and (ii) a surface on which one end of each of the plurality of optical fibers terminate in a different direction and/or orientation thereof to emit electromagnetic radiation. A detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation responsive to electromagnetic radiation transmitted to the target. A method of sensing is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A multi-directional sensor system, comprising:

a light source configured to generate a beam of electromagnetic radiation;

a transmitter configured to transmit the beam of electromagnetic radiation to a target, said transmitter comprising;

(i) a plurality of optical fibers, wherein one or more of the optical fibers are configured to receive the beam of electromagnetic radiation, and

(ii) a surface on which one end of each of the plurality of optical fibers terminate in a different direction and/or orientation thereof to emit electromagnetic radiation;

a detector configured to detect electromagnetic radiation responsive to electromagnetic radiation transmitted to the target; and

a processor configured to;

(i) control the light source, or (ii) process the output from the detector, or both,

(iii) cause the light source to emit the electromagnetic radiation beam with an encoded pulse, wherein each beam or fiber optic of the transmitter has a different encoded pulse sequence, wherein the encoding comprises a plurality of unique bit sequences; and

(iv) determine, from received encoded pulses detected in a received beam, a corresponding transmitted beam or fiber optic of the transmitter,

wherein each transmitter fiber is associated with a unique bit sequence.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

beam shaping optics configured to optically shape the beam of electromagnetic radiation from the light source.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a switching element configured to select one of the optical fibers for receiving the beam of electromagnetic radiation.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the transmitter is substantially spherical or hemispherical shaped.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive electromagnetic radiation responsive to electromagnetic radiation transmitted to the target and direct the received electromagnetic radiation to the detector.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the receiver includes one or more optical fibers.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein one or more of the optical fibers of the receiver are integrated in a fiber optic bundle in the transmitter.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein one end of each of the plurality of optical fibers of the receiver is arranged on the surface of the transmitter in a different direction and/or orientation on the surface of the transmitter to receive electromagnetic radiation.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the opposing end of each of the plurality of optical fibers of the receiver terminates at the detector.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein the receiver comprises a lens.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the light source is a laser.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the detector is further configured to detect one or more of refracted, diffracted, interference, and secondary electromagnetic radiation received from the target.

13. A multi-directional sensor system, comprising:

a light source configured to generate a beam of electromagnetic radiation;

a transmitter configured to transmit the beam of electromagnetic radiation to a target, said transmitter comprising;

(i) a plurality of optical fibers, wherein one or more of the optical fibers are configured to receive the beam of electromagnetic radiation, and

(ii) a surface on which one end of each of the plurality of optical fibers terminate in a different direction and/or orientation thereof to emit electromagnetic radiation;

a detector configured to detect electromagnetic radiation responsive to electromagnetic radiation transmitted to the target; and

a processor configured to;

(i) control the light source, or (ii) process the output from the detector, or both,

(iii) select a plurality of, optical fibers to transmit electromagnetic radiation in a selected sequence of the optical fibers; and

(iv) determine, from the detected electromagnetic radiation, a target location corresponding to received electromagnetic radiation

(v) cause the light source to emit the electromagnetic radiation beam with an encoded pulse, wherein each beam or fiber optic of the transmitter has a different encoded pulse sequence; and

(vi) determine, from received encoded pulses detected in a received beam, a corresponding transmitted beam or optical fiber of the transmitter.

14. The system according to claim 13, whether the sequence comprises:

a first sequence of beams transmitted from a plurality of fibers; and

a second sequence of beams transmitted from the same plurality of fibers in an opposite order.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

beam shaping optics configured to optically shape the beam of electromagnetic radiation from the light source.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a switching element configured to select one of the optical fibers for receiving the beam of electromagnetic radiation.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the surface of the transmitter is substantially spherical or hemispherical shaped.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive electromagnetic radiation responsive to electromagnetic radiation transmitted to the target and direct the received electromagnetic radiation to the detector.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the receiver includes one or more optical fibers.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein one or more of the optical fibers of the receiver are integrated in a fiber optic bundle in the transmitter.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein one end of each of the plurality of optical fibers of the receiver is arranged on the surface of the transmitter in a different direction and/or orientation on the surface of the transmitter to receive electromagnetic radiation.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the opposing end of each of the plurality of optical fibers of the receiver terminates at the detector.

23. The system according to claim 18, wherein the receiver comprises a lens.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the detector is further configured to detect one or more of refracted, diffracted, interference, and secondary electromagnetic radiation received from the target.

25. A method for sensing electromagnetic radiation, comprising:

generating a beam of electromagnetic energy with a light source;

transmitting the beam of electromagnetic energy to a target by;

(i) receiving, via one or more optical fibers, the beam of electromagnetic radiation from the light source; and

(ii) transmitting electromagnetic energy from a surface which one end of each of the plurality of optical fibers terminate in a different direction and/or orientations thereof to emit electromagnetic radiation so as to achieve a desired angular coverage; and

at least detecting electromagnetic radiation responsive to electromagnetic radiation transmitted to reflected from the target;

controlling the light source, processing the output from the detector, or both;

causing the light source to emit the electromagnetic radiation beam having an encoded pulse, each beam or fiber optic of the transmitter having a different encoded sequence; and

determining, from a detected encoded pulse received in a received beam, a corresponding transmitted beam or fiber optic of the transmitter,

wherein the encoding comprises using bit sequences, and

wherein each transmitter fiber is associated with a unique bit sequence.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

selecting one of the optical fibers of the transmitter for receiving the beam of electromagnetic radiation.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said at least detecting electromagnetic radiation reflected from the target further comprises detecting one or more of refracted, diffracted, interference, and secondary electromagnetic radiation received from the target.

28. A method for sensing electromagnetic radiation, comprising:

generating a beam of electromagnetic energy with a light source;

transmitting the beam of electromagnetic energy to a target by;

(i) receiving, via one or more optical fibers, the beam of electromagnetic radiation from the light source; and

(ii) transmitting electromagnetic energy from a surface which one end of each of the plurality of optical fibers terminate in a different direction and/or orientations thereof to emit electromagnetic radiation; and

detecting electromagnetic radiation responsive to electromagnetic radiation transmitted to the target;

selecting a plurality of, and sequences thereof to transmit electromagnetic radiation; and

determining, from received electromagnetic radiation, a target location corresponding to received electromagnetic magnetic radiation.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said at least detecting electromagnetic radiation reflected from the target further comprises detecting one or more of refracted, diffracted, interference, and secondary electromagnetic radiation received from the target.

30. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:

selecting one of the optical fibers of the transmitter for receiving the beam of electromagnetic radiation.