摘要:
An airborne multiple field-of-view water droplet sensor includes an illumination portion and a detection portion. The illumination portion includes a first optical beam emitter configured to output a light beam. The detection portion includes a kaleidoscope configured to channel a first portion of the backscattered light towards an inner reflective surface of a circle-to-line converter, a multiple field of view subsystem having at least a first detector configured to receive light reflected by the circle-to-line converter, and a single field-of-view subsystem configured to receive a second portion of the backscattered light, the second portion not having been reflected by the circle-to-line converter. The single field-of-view subsystem may include a dual channel circular polarization detector for distinguishing between liquid water droplets and ice crystals based on information in the single field-of-view.
摘要:
A laser-based altimeter for use on-board an aircraft comprises: a first housing including a hollow cavity and an exit aperture, and a second housing including a hollow cavity and an entrance aperture. A laser source and a plurality of first optical elements are fixedly supported in a compact configuration within the hollow cavity of the first housing. The plurality of first optical elements directs laser beams generated by the laser source from a first optical path to a second optical path which exits the first housing through the exit aperture. At least one second optical element is configured within the hollow cavity of the second housing to form a telescope with a predetermined field of view. The telescope receives at the entrance aperture reflections of the pulsed laser beams from objects within the field of view thereof and focuses the received reflections substantially to a focal point. A light detector is included for receiving and converting the focused reflections into electrical signals representative thereof. The first and second housings are fixedly secured in alignment with respect to each other to permit the second optical path of the pulsed laser beams to be adjusted within the field of view of the telescope. A mirror apparatus is the only first optical element of the plurality that is fixedly adjustable for directing the second optical path within the field of view of the telescope, the mirror apparatus being lockable in place after final adjustment. The first and second housings may be part of a common housing.
摘要:
A forward looking cross-track laser altimeter comprises: a first configuration of optical elements for guiding pulsed laser beams along a first optical path; a mirror element coupled to a scanner and disposed in the first optical path, the scanner operative to oscillate the mirror element to sweep the reflected laser beams back and forth across a line at a predetermined frequency; the scanner and mirror element configurable to reflect the pulsed laser beams along paths forward and downward at a predetermined angle to the flight path of the aircraft, wherein the pulsed laser beam paths are caused to be line swept across a ground track forward the aircraft; the mirror element for receiving returns of the pulsed laser beams from the terrain and objects on the terrain forward the aircraft and reflecting the returns along a second optical path to a light detector which produces a return signal in response thereto; a first circuit governed by the return signals for measuring times-of-flight of the returns and generating time-of-flight signals corresponding thereto; the scanner for generating a line sweep position signal; and a second circuit for generating for each return a data profile comprising range and line sweep position thereof based on the corresponding time-of-flight and position signals.
摘要:
A method of laser scanning a perimeter zone of a target site for the detection of potential threats comprises: scanning a pulsed laser beam across the perimeter zone; receiving echoes from the pulsed laser beam during the perimeter zone scan; deriving range data corresponding to the received echoes; determining position data of the received echoes in the perimeter zone; forming a scene image of a scan of the perimeter zone based on the range and position data of the received echoes thereof; repeating the steps of scanning, receiving, deriving, determining and forming for a plurality of perimeter zone scans to form scene images of each scan of the plurality; and comparing scene images of the plurality to detect a potential threat in the perimeter zone. In addition, a method of authenticating a potential threat detected in a perimeter zone of a target site comprises: detecting the potential threat and upon detection, interrogating the potential threat for a response by a wireless transmission; declaring the potential threat unauthorized if no response is transmitted wirelessly within a predetermined time interval from the interrogation; receiving the response, if transmitted, and determining if the response comprises a proper access code; and declaring the potential threat unauthorized if the received response is determined not to comprise the proper access code.
摘要:
A laser-based altimeter for use on-board an aircraft comprises: a first housing including a hollow cavity and an exit aperture, and a second housing including a hollow cavity and an entrance aperture. A laser source and a plurality of first optical elements are fixedly supported in a compact configuration within the hollow cavity of the first housing. The plurality of first optical elements directs laser beams generated by the laser source from a first optical path to a second optical path which exits the first housing through the exit aperture. At least one second optical element is configured within the hollow cavity of the second housing to form a telescope with a predetermined field of view. The telescope receives at the entrance aperture reflections of the pulsed laser beams from objects within the field of view thereof and focuses the received reflections substantially to a focal point. A light detector is included for receiving and converting the focused reflections into electrical signals representative thereof. The first and second housings are fixedly secured in alignment with respect to each other to permit the second optical path of the pulsed laser beams to be adjusted within the field of view of the telescope. A mirror apparatus is the only first optical element of the plurality that is fixedly adjustable for directing the second optical path within the field of view of the telescope, the mirror apparatus being lockable in place after final adjustment. The first and second housings may be part of a common housing.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for remote, stand-off, and high efficiency spectroscopic detection of biological and chemical substances. The apparatus including an optical beam transmitter which transmits a beam having an axis of transmission to a target, the beam comprising at least a laser emission. An optical detector having an optical detection path to the target is provided for gathering optical information. The optical detection path has an axis of optical detection. A beam alignment device fixes the transmitter proximal to the detector and directs the beam to the target along the optical detection path such that the axis of transmission is within the optical detection path. Optical information gathered by the optical detector is analyzed by an analyzer which is operatively connected to the detector.
摘要:
An apparatus for detecting icing conditions on an aircraft includes a laser system configured to direct a light signal into a cloud, a lens component configured to collect echo signals from a cloud caused by the light signal directed into the cloud, a beam splitter component configured to redirect signals received and passing through the lens component into at least first and second paths and a supercooled large droplet (SLD) detector to receive the redirected signals. The SLD includes a first signal detector component configured to perform a first color measurement on the first redirected signal, and a second signal detector component configured to perform a second color measurement on the second redirected signal. The SLD detector is configured to use the first and second color measurements to determine liquid water content and droplet diameter distribution for the cloud.
摘要:
A light detection and ranging system includes a mirror unit rotating around a scan axis. The mirror unit includes a receiving portion and a transmitting portion offset by an angle about the scan axis relative to a surface plane of the receiving portion. Respective centroids of the receiving and transmitting portions are positioned at a common point on the scan axis while the receiving and transmitting portions rotate around the scan axis. A transmitter transmits a light pulse toward the mirror unit. The transmitting portion is positioned to reflect the light pulse toward a target. A receiver is positioned to reflect the light pulse reflected from the target toward the receiver. The angle offset compensates for a change between a cone of illumination of the transmitting portion and a field-of-view of the receiving portion resulting from the rotation of the mirror unit.
摘要:
A laser-based altimeter for use on-board an aircraft comprises: a first housing including a hollow cavity and an exit aperture, and a second housing including a hollow cavity and an entrance aperture. A laser source and a plurality of first optical elements are fixedly supported in a compact configuration within the hollow cavity of the first housing. The plurality of first optical elements directs laser beams generated by the laser source from a first optical path to a second optical path which exits the first housing through the exit aperture. At least one second optical element is configured within the hollow cavity of the second housing to form a telescope with a predetermined field of view. The telescope receives at the entrance aperture reflections of the pulsed laser beams from objects within the field of view thereof and focuses the received reflections substantially to a focal point. A light detector is included for receiving and converting the focused reflections into electrical signals representative thereof. The first and second housings are fixedly secured in alignment with respect to each other to permit the second optical path of the pulsed laser beams to be adjusted within the field of view of the telescope. A mirror apparatus is the only first optical element of the plurality that is fixedly adjustable for directing the second optical path within the field of view of the telescope, the mirror apparatus being lockable in place after final adjustment. The first and second housings may be part of a common housing.
摘要:
A method of identifying an object in a laser beam illuminated scene based on material types comprises the steps of: emitting a pulsed beam of laser energy, each beam pulse comprising a plurality of different discrete wavelength emission components; illuminating a predetermined scene with the pulsed beam; receiving return laser pulses from objects within the illuminated scene, each return laser pulse comprising return components corresponding to the plurality of different discrete wavelength emission components; determining spectral reflectance values for the plurality of return components of each return laser pulse; determining a material type for each return laser pulse of the illuminated scene based on the plurality of reflectance values of the corresponding return pulse; indexing each determined material type to a position in the illuminated scene; and identifying an object in the illuminated scene based on material types and indexed positions thereof in the scene. A counterpart system for carrying out the method is also disclosed.