Laser Obstacle Ranging and Display
First Claim
1. Fiber laser, for detecting at least one object, comprising:
- at least one signal diode, said at least one signal diode generating at least one beam of light;
a circulator, optically coupled with said at least one signal diode, for directing said at least one beam of light in at least one of at least two different directions;
an erbium doped fiber (EDF), optically coupled with said circulator, for amplifying said at least one beam of light thereby producing at least one amplified one beam of light;
a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM), optically coupled with said EDF;
a delay line, optically coupled with said WDM;
a narrow band reflector, optically coupled with said delay line, for reflecting only said at least one amplified beam of light back through said EDF a second time, thereby producing at least one double amplified beam of light;
a first fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said WDM, for pumping said EDF;
an input combiner, optically coupled with said circulator;
an erbium-ytterbium co-doped fiber (EYDF), optically coupled with said input combiner, for amplifying said at least one double amplified beam of light, thereby producing at least one triple amplified beam of light;
a second fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said input combiner, for pumping said EYDF;
an output combiner, optically coupled with said EYDF; and
a third fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said output combiner, for pumping said EYDF,wherein said WDM and said at least one signal diode are located on opposite sides of said EDF,wherein said output combiner outputs said at least one triple amplified beam of light.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus, for detecting at least one object and preventing receiver burn-out, mounted on a vehicle, including a laser and at least one receiver, the receiver being coupled with the laser, the laser for transmitting a beam of light and the receiver for detecting reflections of the beam of light from the object, the laser including at least one signal diode, a commutator, a power supply signal diode driver, a circulator, an erbium doped fiber (EDF), a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM), a narrow band Bragg reflector, a first fiber pump diode, an output combiner and a second fiber pump diode, the commutator being coupled with each signal diode and the power supply signal diode drive, the circulator being optically coupled with each signal diode, the EDF and the output combiner, the WDM being optically coupled with the EDF, the narrow band Bragg reflector and the first fiber pump diode and the second fiber pump diode being optically coupled with the output combiner, each signal diode generating a beam of light distinct from one another, the power supply signal diode driver for supplying energy to each signal diode, the circulator for directing the beam of light in at least one of at least two different directions, the EDF for amplifying the beam of light thereby producing an amplified beam of light, the narrow band Bragg reflector for reflecting only the amplified beam of light through the EDF a second time, thereby producing a double amplified beam of light and the first fiber pump diode and the second fiber pump diode for pumping the EDF, wherein the WDM and each of the signal diodes are located on opposite sides of the EDF, wherein the output combiner outputs the beam of light, wherein the commutator enables each signal diode, one at a time, to draw a predetermined amount of energy from the power supply signal diode driver, wherein one signal diode generates a low energy beam of light and another one generates a high energy beam of light, wherein the low energy beam of light is transmitted by the output combiner before the high energy beam of light, and when the low energy beam of light is detected by the receiver, and the energy level of the low energy beam is above a predetermined threshold, the high energy beam of light is not transmitted.
182 Citations
84 Claims
-
1. Fiber laser, for detecting at least one object, comprising:
-
at least one signal diode, said at least one signal diode generating at least one beam of light; a circulator, optically coupled with said at least one signal diode, for directing said at least one beam of light in at least one of at least two different directions; an erbium doped fiber (EDF), optically coupled with said circulator, for amplifying said at least one beam of light thereby producing at least one amplified one beam of light; a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM), optically coupled with said EDF; a delay line, optically coupled with said WDM; a narrow band reflector, optically coupled with said delay line, for reflecting only said at least one amplified beam of light back through said EDF a second time, thereby producing at least one double amplified beam of light; a first fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said WDM, for pumping said EDF; an input combiner, optically coupled with said circulator; an erbium-ytterbium co-doped fiber (EYDF), optically coupled with said input combiner, for amplifying said at least one double amplified beam of light, thereby producing at least one triple amplified beam of light; a second fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said input combiner, for pumping said EYDF; an output combiner, optically coupled with said EYDF; and a third fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said output combiner, for pumping said EYDF, wherein said WDM and said at least one signal diode are located on opposite sides of said EDF, wherein said output combiner outputs said at least one triple amplified beam of light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 83)
-
-
64. Fiber laser, for detecting at least one object, comprising:
-
at least one signal diode, said at least one signal diode generating at least one beam of light; a preamplifier stage, coupled with said at least one signal diode, for amplifying said at least one beam of light; at least one additional preamplifier stage, coupled with said preamplifier stage, for additionally amplifying said at least one amplified beam of light; and a booster stage, coupled with said at least one additional preamplifier stage, for amplifying said at least one additionally amplified beam of light, said preamplifier stage comprising; a circulator, optically coupled with said at least one signal diode, for directing said at least one beam of light in at least one of at least two different directions; an erbium doped fiber (EDF), optically coupled with said circulator, for amplifying said at least one beam of light thereby producing at least one amplified one beam of light; a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM), optically coupled with said EDF; a delay line, optically coupled with said WDM; a narrow band reflector, optically coupled with said delay line, for reflecting only said at least one amplified beam of light back through said EDF a second time, thereby producing at least one double amplified beam of light; and a first fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said WDM, for pumping said EDF, said booster stage comprising; an input combiner, optically coupled with said at least one additional preamplifier stage; an erbium-ytterbium co-doped fiber (EYDF), optically coupled with said input combiner, for amplifying said at least one double amplified beam of light, thereby producing at least one triple amplified beam of light; a second fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said input combiner, for pumping said EYDF; an output combiner, optically coupled with said EYDF; and a third fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said output combiner, for pumping said EYDF, wherein said WDM and said at least one signal diode are located on opposite sides of said EDF, wherein said output combiner outputs said at least one triple amplified beam of light. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 84)
-
-
67. Fiber laser, for detecting at least one object, comprising:
-
at least one signal diode, said at least one signal diode generating at least one beam of light; a preamplifier stage, coupled with said at least one signal diode, for amplifying said at least one beam of light; a splitter, coupled with said preamplifier stage, for splitting said at least one amplified beam of light into a plurality of amplified beams of light; and at least one booster stage, each said at least one booster stage being coupled with said splitter, for amplifying respectively each one of said plurality of amplified beams of light, said preamplifier stage comprising; a circulator, optically coupled with said at least one signal diode and with said splitter, for directing said at least one beam of light in at least one of at least two different directions; an erbium doped fiber (EDF), optically coupled with said circulator, for amplifying said at least one beam of light thereby producing at least one amplified one beam of light; a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM), optically coupled with said EDF; a delay line, optically coupled with said WDM; a narrow band reflector, optically coupled with said delay line, for reflecting only said at least one amplified beam of light back through said EDF a second time, thereby producing at least one double amplified beam of light; and a first fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said WDM, for pumping said EDF, each one of said at least one booster stage comprising; an input combiner, optically coupled with said splitter; an erbium-ytterbium co-doped fiber (EYDF), optically coupled with said input combiner, for amplifying said at least one double amplified beam of light, thereby producing at least one triple amplified beam of light; a second fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said input combiner, for pumping said EYDF; an output combiner, optically coupled with said EYDF; and a third fiber pump diode, optically coupled with said output combiner, for pumping said EYDF, wherein said WDM and said at least one signal diode are located on opposite sides of said EDF, wherein each said respective output combiner outputs a respective one of said plurality of amplified beams of light.
-
-
68. Method, for detecting at least one object, comprising the procedures of:
-
scanning a volume of interest, from a moving vehicle, using a pulsed beam of light at a certain field-of-view (FOV); detecting the motion of said vehicle; adjusting said FOV according to detected motion of said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
-
Specification