Light detection and ranging system

• US 8,390,791 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Vert, Alexey Vasily, Dolinsky, Sergei Ivanovich
• Primary Examiner(s): RATCLIFFE, LUKE D
• Application Number:
  US12/627,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20110128524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 356 301- 285, 35613901-1391
• US Class Current: 356/4.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4814 of transmitters alone

Abstract

A method of light detection includes emitting a pulsed light beam from a pulsed light source; splitting the pulsed light beam with a beam splitting device into at least two light beam ray sets, wherein at least one of the ray sets collide with airborne particulates, resulting in backscattered light; which is received through an aperture(s); and detecting the received backscattered light at a detector. A light detection and ranging system is also disclosed. The present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiment(s), and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible and within the scope of the appending claims.

Claims

1. A method of light detection comprising:

emitting a pulsed light beam from a pulsed light source;

splitting the pulsed light beam with a beam splitting device into a first light beam ray set having a first detection range and a second light beam ray set having a second detection range, wherein the first detection range is selected to aim the first light beam ray set to a first portion of airborne particulates at a first distance from the beam splitting device, wherein the second detection range is selected to aim the second light beam ray set to a second portion of the airborne particulates at a second distance from the beam splitting device, the second distance being lesser than the first distance;

at least one of the first light beam ray set and the second light beam ray set colliding with airborne particulates, thereby resulting in backscattered light;

receiving the backscattered light through at least one aperture; and

detecting the received backscattered light at a detector.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulsed light beam is one of ultraviolet, infrared, and visible light.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulsed light source is one of a laser, a laser diode, and a light emitting diode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the beam splitting device is one of a diffraction grating, a lens, a semitransparent mirror, a mirror, a prism, and a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising aiming the first light beam ray set having the first detection range and aiming the second light beam ray set having the second detection range, wherein the first detection range and the second detection range are different.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first detection range and the second detection range abut or overlap.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a light emission intensity of the first light beam ray set and the second beam ray set are substantially different.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein a light emission intensity of the first light beam ray set and the second beam ray set are substantially similar.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one aperture comprises two apertures spaced apart at a distance.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the distance is in a range between about 1 μ

m and about 1000 μ

m.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one aperture is one of oblong-shaped and tapered-shaped.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the splitting the pulsed light beam further comprises splitting the pulsed light beam into at least three light beam ray sets.

13. A light detection and ranging system comprising:

a housing; and

a light detection and ranging device within the housing, the device comprising;

a pulsed light source configured to emit a pulsed light beam;

a beam splitting device configured to split the pulsed light beam into a first light beam ray set having a first detection range and a second light beam ray set having a second detection range, wherein the first detection range is selected to aim the first light beam ray set to a first portion of airborne particulates at a first distance from the beam splitting device, wherein the second detection range is selected to aim the second light beam ray set to a second portion of the airborne particulates at a second distance from the beam splitting device, the second distance being lesser than the first distance; and

a light detection subsystem comprising;

at least one aperture; and

a light detector.

14. The light detection and ranging system of claim 13, wherein the pulsed light source is configured to emit one of ultraviolet, infrared, and visible light.

15. The light detection and ranging system of claim 13, wherein the pulsed light source is one of a laser, a laser diode, and a light emitting diode.

16. The light detection and ranging system of claim 13, wherein the beam splitting device is one of a diffraction grating, a lens, a semitransparent mirror, a mirror, a prism, and a combination thereof.

17. The light detection and ranging system of claim 13, wherein the beam splitting device is configured to aim a first light beam ray set at the first detection range and aim a second light beam ray set at the second detection range, wherein the first detection range and the second detection range are different.

18. The light detection and ranging system of claim 17, wherein a light intensity of the first beam ray set and the second beam ray set are different.

19. The light detection and ranging system of claim 13, wherein the at least one aperture comprises two apertures spaced apart a distance.

20. The light detection and ranging system of claim 19, wherein the distance is in a range between about 1 μ

m and about 1000 μ

m.

21. The light detection and ranging system of claim 13, wherein the at least one aperture is one of oblong-shaped and tapered-shaped.

22. The light detection and ranging system of claim 13, further comprising a reflection device between the pulsed light source and the beam splitting device.

23. The light detection and ranging system of claim 13, wherein the pulsed light source is offset a distance from a field of view of the light detection subsystem.

24. The light detection and ranging system of claim 13, wherein the pulsed light source is within a field of view of the light detection subsystem.

25. The light detection and ranging system of claim 13, wherein the beam splitting device is configured to split a pulsed light beam from the pulsed light source in at least three ray beam sets.