Chirped coherent laser radar with multiple simultaneous measurements
First Claim
1. A laser radar system comprising:
- a first coherent laser radar section including;
a laser source that generates a first laser beam,an interferometer that splits the first laser beam into a first target beam and a first local oscillator beam, and generates a first combined target beam from a first reflected portion of the first target beam and the first local oscillator beam;
a second coherent laser radar section including;
a laser source that generates a second laser beam,an interferometer that splits the second laser beam into a second target beam, incident on the target at the same location as the first target beam, and a second local oscillator beam, and generates a second combined target beam from a second reflected portion of the second target beam and the second local oscillator beam; and
a processor configured to determine a range and a Doppler velocity of the target unambiguously from the first combined target beam and the second combined target beam.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A laser radar system using collocated laser beams to unambiguously detects a range of a target and a range rate at which the target is moving relative to the laser radar system. Another aspect of various embodiments of the invention may relate to a laser radar system that uses multiple laser radar sections to obtain multiple simultaneous measurements (or substantially so), whereby both range and range rate can be determined without various temporal effects introduced by systems employing single laser sections taking sequential measurements. In addition, other aspects of various embodiments of the invention may enable faster determination of the range and rate of the target, a more accurate determination of the range and rate of the target, and/or may provide other advantages.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A laser radar system comprising:
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a first coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a first laser beam, an interferometer that splits the first laser beam into a first target beam and a first local oscillator beam, and generates a first combined target beam from a first reflected portion of the first target beam and the first local oscillator beam; a second coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a second laser beam, an interferometer that splits the second laser beam into a second target beam, incident on the target at the same location as the first target beam, and a second local oscillator beam, and generates a second combined target beam from a second reflected portion of the second target beam and the second local oscillator beam; and a processor configured to determine a range and a Doppler velocity of the target unambiguously from the first combined target beam and the second combined target beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A laser radar system comprising:
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a first coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a first laser beam at a first chirp rate, an interferometer that splits the first laser beam into a first target beam and a first local oscillator beam, and generates a first combined target beam from a first reflected portion of the first target beam and the first local oscillator beam; a second coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a second laser beam at a fixed frequency, an interferometer that splits the second laser beam into a second target beam, incident on the target at the same location as the first target beam, and a second local oscillator beam, and generates a second combined target beam from a second reflected portion of the second target beam and the second local oscillator beam; and a processor configured to determine a range and a Doppler velocity of the target unambiguously from the first combined target beam and the second combined target beam. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A laser radar system comprising:
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a first coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a first laser beam at a first chirp rate, an interferometer that splits the first laser beam into a first target beam and a first local oscillator beam, wherein the first target beam is incident on a target, and that generates a first combined target beam from the first local oscillator beam and a first reflected portion, wherein the first reflected portion is that portion of the first target beam reflected back from the target; a second coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a second laser beam at a second chirp rate, an interferometer that splits the second laser beam into a second target beam and a second local oscillator beam, wherein the second target beam is coincident with the first target beam on the target, and that generates a second combined target beam from the second local oscillator beam and a second reflected portion, wherein the second reflected portion is that portion of the second target beam reflected back from the target; and a processor configured to unambiguously determine a range and a Doppler velocity of the target from the first combined target beam and the second combined target beam. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A laser radar system comprising:
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a first coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a first laser beam, an interferometer that splits the first laser beam into a first target beam and a first local oscillator beam, and generates a first combined target beam from a first reflected portion of the first target beam and the first local oscillator beam; a second coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a second laser beam, an interferometer that splits the second laser beam into a second target beam, incident on the target at the same location as the first target beam, and a second local oscillator beam, and generates a second combined target beam from a second reflected portion of the second target beam and the second local oscillator beam; and means for determining a range and a Doppler velocity of the target unambiguously from the first combined target beam and the second combined target beam.
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27. A laser radar system comprising:
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a first coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a first laser beam at a first chirp rate, an interferometer that splits the first laser beam into a first target beam and a first local oscillator beam, and generates a first combined target beam from a first reflected portion of the first target beam and the first local oscillator beam; a second coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a second laser beam at a fixed frequency, an interferometer that splits the second laser beam into a second target beam, incident on the target at the same location as the first target beam, and a second local oscillator beam, and generates a second combined target beam from a second reflected portion of the second target beam and the second local oscillator beam; and means for determining a range and a Doppler velocity of the target unambiguously from the first combined target beam and the second combined target beam.
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28. A laser radar system comprising:
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a first coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a first laser beam at a first chirp rate, an interferometer that splits the first laser beam into a first target beam and a first local oscillator beam, wherein the first target beam is incident on a target, and that generates a first combined target beam from the first local oscillator beam and a first reflected portion, wherein the first reflected portion is that portion of the first target beam reflected back from the target; a second coherent laser radar section including; a laser source that generates a second laser beam at a second chirp rate, an interferometer that splits the second laser beam into a second target beam and a second local oscillator beam, wherein the second target beam is coincident with the first target beam on the target, and that generates a second combined target beam from the second local oscillator beam and a second reflected portion, wherein the second reflected portion is that portion of the second target beam reflected back from the target; and means for unambiguously determining a range and a Doppler velocity of the target from the first combined target beam and the second combined target beam.
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Specification