A laser three-dimensional target simulator

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of laser imaging and target simulation, and specifically discloses a kind of laser three-dimensional target simulator;Including the first box body that inside is hollowly arranged, and the lighting mechanism and laser are arranged in the first box body inside, the back of the lighting mechanism is also equipped with DMD imaging component, the laser is arranged in the first box body;The laser is used to provide original laser energy as the physical basis of simulation echo;The lighting mechanism is used to couple, homogenization processing to the laser output by laser, form uniform light beam and irradiate to optical assembly;The optical assembly is arranged in one end of the first box body, and the lighting mechanism is connected by the transmission of optical signal and optical assembly and forms optical access connection, to solve the laser beam when being used for target simulation, due to not being homogenized etc. Processing, resulting in simulated laser irradiation target effect and actual deviation is larger, cannot satisfy the problem of high-precision laser target simulation demand.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of laser imaging and target simulation technology, and in particular to a laser three-dimensional target simulator. Background Technology

[0002] In many related technical fields such as laser detection, laser guidance, and lidar, in order to perform performance testing and functional verification of laser detection systems, laser guidance systems, and lidar systems, it is often necessary to use a laser target simulator to simulate the process of laser irradiation of a target and the generation of an echo in a real-world scenario.

[0003] However, existing laser target simulation devices have many shortcomings. On the one hand, some devices lack efficient and precise coupling and homogenization mechanisms when processing the raw laser output. The energy distribution of the laser beam directly output by the laser is usually non-uniform, and the spot quality is difficult to achieve an ideal level. This results in the laser beam used to simulate target illumination failing to accurately reproduce the energy distribution when the laser interacts with the target in the actual scene. On the other hand, existing devices also have deficiencies in optical path design and optical component combination. For example, the lack of reasonable structural design for laser beam propagation, deflection, and beam parameter adjustment makes the laser prone to problems such as high loss and beam distortion during transmission. In addition, when simulating the three-dimensional information of the target, existing simulation devices also struggle to achieve high-precision modulation and cannot accurately simulate the laser echo based on the target's three-dimensional characteristics. This leads to a large deviation between the simulation effect and the real scene, failing to provide a high-precision, near-realistic simulation environment for the testing and verification of laser detection systems, laser guidance systems, and lidar systems. This seriously affects the accuracy of performance evaluation of these systems and fails to meet the stringent requirements of modern high-precision laser target simulation. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a laser three-dimensional target simulator to solve the technical problem that when laser beams are used for target simulation, the simulated laser irradiation effect deviates greatly from the actual effect due to the lack of homogenization and other processing, thus failing to meet the requirements of high-precision laser target simulation.

[0005] This utility model embodiment provides a laser three-dimensional target simulator, including:

[0006] The first box has a hollow interior.

[0007] The lighting mechanism and laser are disposed inside the first housing. The back of the lighting mechanism is also provided with a DMD imaging component, and the laser is disposed inside the first housing.

[0008] The laser is used to provide raw laser energy as the physical basis for the simulated echo;

[0009] The illumination mechanism is used to couple and homogenize the laser output from the laser to form a uniform beam that illuminates the optical components.

[0010] The optical component is located at one end of the first housing, and the lighting mechanism is connected to the optical component through the transmission of light signals to form an optical path.

[0011] Preferably, the lighting mechanism includes:

[0012] A curved lens barrel, comprising a first lens barrel and a second lens barrel set at a preset angle;

[0013] The first lens tube has an optical fiber head at the end away from the second lens tube, and a coupling lens group and a first laser lens are provided inside the first lens tube. A light rod is also provided between the coupling lens group and the first laser lens.

[0014] The curved lens barrel has a second laser lens at the connection between the first and second lens barrels;

[0015] The second lens barrel has a third laser lens at the end furthest from the first lens barrel.

[0016] Preferably, the light bar is a hexagonal integral square bar.

[0017] Preferably, the light bar is disposed inside the first lens barrel via a mounting cylinder;

[0018] The mounting cylinder has a first mounting block and a second mounting block for mounting the light bar at both ends;

[0019] The first mounting block and the second mounting block are respectively provided with a first placement slot and a second placement slot for placing the light rod.

[0020] Preferably, the coupling lens assembly includes a first lens and a second lens that are spaced apart by laser spacers;

[0021] The light bar, the coupling mirror group, and the first laser lens are arranged on the same optical axis.

[0022] Preferably, the first housing is further provided with a second housing that is detachably connected to the first housing, the second housing being used to house some optical components and related circuits.

[0023] Preferably, the optical component includes a collimating lens, which is fixedly connected to one end of the first housing and is used to collimate the light beam processed by the illumination mechanism to simulate the laser echo of a distant target.

[0024] Preferably, the DMD imaging component is connected to the illumination mechanism via an optical interface, and the DMD imaging component is used to modulate the uniform beam according to the three-dimensional information of the target to generate a laser echo signal simulating the target.

[0025] The laser three-dimensional target simulator provided by this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0026] From an optical perspective, the illumination system design employs a hexagonal integrating light bar combined with a coupling lens group. Compared to traditional compound eye lenses or square light bars, this reduces light loss by 35% while achieving ≥94% image plane uniformity. Combined with a refractive collimating optical system, it effectively ensures efficient transmission and precise collimation of the laser beam in the 1.064μm working band, guaranteeing the authenticity of the simulated echo signal. Structurally, it uses 2A12 aerospace aluminum alloy and ZL114A cast aluminum as the main materials. Through hollowing-out weight reduction and integrated processing, while ensuring system rigidity and optical positioning accuracy, the equipment weight is controlled to 19Kg, and the dimensions are compressed to 660mm×400mm×300mm (length×width×height), balancing portability and stability. It supports use on a standalone platform or installation with a turntable, adapting to diverse testing scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the embodiments of this utility model will be briefly introduced below. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort, and these are all within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the simulator's structure;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the lighting mechanism;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the simulator;

[0031] Parts and component numbers in the diagram:

[0032] 100 - First box, 110 - Collimating lens, 120 - Second box;

[0033] 200 - Illumination mechanism; 210 - Bent lens barrel; 211 - Second laser lens; 220 - First lens barrel; 221 - First laser lens; 222 - First lens; 223 - Second lens; 224 - Laser spacer; 225 - Mounting cylinder; 226 - First mounting block; 227 - Second mounting block; 228 - First placement slot; 229 - Second placement slot light bar; 230 - Second lens barrel; 231 - Third laser lens; 240 - Fiber optic head;

[0034] 300-DMD imaging module;

[0035] 400-laser. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are merely used to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element. Unless otherwise specified, embodiments of the present invention and the various features thereof can be combined with each other, all within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0037] Example 1

[0038] Please see Figure 1This utility model provides a laser three-dimensional target simulator. The simulator includes a first housing 100 with a hollow interior, and an illumination mechanism 200 and a laser 400 disposed inside the first housing 100. The back of the illumination mechanism 200 is also provided with a DMD imaging component 300. The laser 400 is disposed inside the first housing 100. The laser 400 is used to provide raw laser energy as the physical basis for the simulated echo. The illumination mechanism 200 is used to couple and homogenize the laser output from the laser 400 to form a uniform beam that illuminates the optical component. The optical component is disposed at one end of the first housing 100, and the illumination mechanism 200 is connected to the optical component through the transmission of optical signals to form an optical path. The optical component includes a collimating lens 110.

[0039] The simulator, as the core component of the laser echo generation unit, is used in a manner closely centered around the generation and processing of laser signals.

[0040] In actual operation, the first enclosure 100 provides a closed optical environment to avoid interference from stray light from the outside, and the hollow internal structure provides sufficient space for the optical path layout of each component. The laser 400, as an energy source, is activated according to the timing control command from the synchronous delay system and outputs raw laser in the 1.064μm band, providing the physical basis for the simulated echo. After receiving the laser, the illumination mechanism 200 completes beam coupling through the internal fiber coupler (coupling efficiency ≥95%), and then the laser energy distribution uniformity is improved to more than 90% through the integrating rod homogenization process, forming a uniform beam with a diameter of 20mm, which illuminates the DMD imaging component 300 along the preset optical path. The DMD imaging component 300 adjusts the micromirror angle according to the target morphology image information to modulate the beam. The modulated light signal is then transmitted to the optical component through the optical path, and finally collimated by the collimating lens 110 to generate the echo signal simulating an infinitely distant target.

[0041] Its working principle is based on optical modulation and energy optimization technology:

[0042] The original laser output by the laser 400 has problems such as uneven energy distribution and directional deviation. The coupling function of the illumination mechanism 200 can reduce the loss of laser in transmission. The homogenization process makes the beam energy more uniform through multiple reflections and refractions, ensuring the stability of the beam characteristics received by the DMD imaging component 300. The closed design of the first housing 100 blocks external light interference and ensures the purity of the light signal in the optical path. The optical path formed by the optical component and the illumination mechanism 200 allows the modulated light signal to be transmitted along a fixed path, avoiding signal distortion caused by optical path deviation.

[0043] The simulator, through efficient coupling and homogenization, significantly improves the energy uniformity and stability of the laser beam, providing a high-quality light source for the DMD imaging component 300 to accurately modulate target features, ensuring that the generated optical signal can truly reflect the target's morphological details. On the other hand, the closed design and stable optical path design of the first housing 100 reduce environmental interference and signal loss, increasing the optical signal transmission efficiency to over 85%. The final output laser echo signal has a waveform consistency of 95% with the real target echo, providing a reliable signal source for radar performance verification and effectively supporting the accurate evaluation of radar detection accuracy and recognition capabilities.

[0044] For further details, please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 The lighting mechanism 200 includes:

[0045] The curved lens barrel 210 includes a first lens barrel 220 and a second lens barrel 230 set at a preset angle;

[0046] The first lens barrel 220 has an optical fiber head 222 at the end away from the second lens barrel 230, and a coupling lens group and a first laser lens 221 are provided inside the first lens barrel 220. A second placement slot light rod 229 is also provided between the coupling lens group and the first laser lens 221. The bent lens barrel 210 has a second laser lens 211 at the connection between the first lens barrel 220 and the second lens barrel 230. The second lens barrel 230 has a third laser lens 231 at the end away from the first lens barrel 220.

[0047] For further details, please see Figure 3 The second placement slot light bar 229 is a hexagonal integral square bar.

[0048] Specifically, from a structural design perspective, the angled bend of the lens tube 210 allows for flexible changes in the optical path direction, enabling the laser received by the first lens tube 220 to be redirected and output through the second lens tube 230. This significantly saves internal space in the first housing 100, resulting in a more compact layout of optical components and avoiding energy attenuation and interference caused by excessively long optical paths. The selection of the hexagonal integrating rod utilizes its hexahedral structure to allow the laser to undergo multiple total internal reflections within the rod, breaking up and remixing the incident non-uniform laser beam, significantly improving beam uniformity. Compared to ordinary cylindrical rods, the hexagonal cross-section reduces reflection dead angles, improving the energy distribution uniformity of the output beam by 10%-15%.

[0049] The raw laser output from laser 400 first enters the fiber optic head 222 at the end of the first lens barrel 220, and is efficiently transmitted to the coupling lens group via optical fiber. The coupling lens group uses the curvature design of the lenses to converge the diverging laser, reduce the beam divergence angle, and ensure that more energy is injected into the subsequent optical path. The converged laser enters a hexagonal integrating square bar, and undergoes multiple total internal reflections through the six inner walls of the bar (the number of reflections is proportional to the length of the square bar), transforming the originally concentrated energy spot into a uniformly distributed rectangular beam. The beam parallelism is then further calibrated by the first laser lens 221. When the laser reaches the connection between the first lens barrel 220 and the second lens barrel 230, the second laser lens 211 acts as a steering lens, and in conjunction with the angle design of the bent lens barrel 210, refracts the horizontally propagating laser into a vertical direction, achieving precise steering of the optical path. The redirected laser enters the second lens barrel 230, is recalibrated again by the third laser lens 231, and finally forms a parallel beam with a stable diameter and uniform energy, which is projected onto the DMD imaging component 300.

[0050] Overall, this structure, through the graded calibration of multiple lens groups and the homogenization treatment of hexagonal integral square bars, not only ensures the energy utilization rate of laser in the turning transmission, but also reduces external interference through the compact design of the optical path, providing a highly uniform and stable illumination source for the DMD imaging component 300, directly improving the accuracy of target feature modulation.

[0051] For further details, please see Figure 3 The second placement slot light rod 229 is disposed in the first lens tube 220 through the mounting tube 225; the two ends of the mounting tube 225 are respectively provided with a first mounting block 226 and a second mounting block 227 for mounting the second placement slot light rod 229; the first mounting block 226 and the second mounting block 227 are respectively provided with a first placement slot 228 and a second placement slot 229 for placing the second placement slot light rod 229.

[0052] Furthermore, the coupling lens assembly includes a first lens 222 and a second lens 223 arranged at intervals by a laser spacer 224; the second placement slot light bar 229 is arranged on the same optical axis as the coupling lens assembly and the first laser lens 221.

[0053] The first lens 222 and the second lens 223, spaced apart by a laser spacer 224 in the coupling lens assembly, are the core components for achieving efficient laser coupling and preliminary calibration. The first lens 222, acting as a converging element at the incident end, utilizes its convex curvature to initially converge the diverging laser output from the laser 400, reducing the initial divergence angle of the beam; typically, this can compress the divergence angle from 10° to within 3°, reducing energy diffusion during laser transmission. The second lens 223 then performs secondary shaping on the beam converged by the first lens 222. By adjusting the interval between the two lenses (precisely fixed by the laser spacer 224 with an error ≤0.01mm), the wavefront curvature of the beam tends to be consistent, forming a nearly parallel collimated beam, preparing it for subsequent entry into the hexagonal integral square bar. The laser spacer 224 not only ensures the coaxiality of the two lenses but also prevents relative displacement of the lenses due to vibration or temperature changes through a fixed interval, ensuring the stability of the coupling effect.

[0054] Specifically, the coaxial arrangement of the second placement slot light bar 229 with the coupling mirror group and the first laser lens 221 is crucial to ensuring the efficiency of optical energy transfer. This coaxial design allows the laser processed by the coupling mirror group to be incident along the central axis of the second placement slot light bar 229, avoiding edge reflection losses caused by off-axis. Simultaneously, the total internal reflection path of the laser within the second placement slot light bar 229 remains consistent with the optical axis, ensuring uniform reflection times in each region during beam homogenization and preventing localized excessively high or low energy levels. The coaxial arrangement of the first laser lens 221 with the second placement slot light bar 229 allows for precise reception of the uniform beam output from the second placement slot light bar 229, further calibrating the beam's parallelism and ensuring that the beam propagation direction remains strictly consistent with the subsequent optical path, laying a stable foundation for the optical path redirection at the elbow lens barrel 210.

[0055] Overall, this structural design, through graded coupling and shaping of lenses combined with high-precision coaxial positioning, improves the utilization rate of laser energy while ensuring the stability of beam characteristics. It provides ideal incident conditions for the homogenization of the hexagonal integral square rod, ultimately enabling the projection onto...

[0056] The beam of the DMD imaging component 300 achieves optimal uniformity and parallelism, directly improving the clarity and accuracy of target feature modulation.

[0057] In a specific embodiment of this laser 3D target simulator, regarding the second housing, the first housing 100 is made of aluminum alloy, and its outer wall has threaded holes distributed along the edge. The second housing 120 has matching through holes at corresponding positions, and the two are detachably connected by bolts engaging with the threaded holes. The second housing 120 has multiple layers of partitions inside. The lower partition is used to house the drive circuit module and power supply module, while the upper partition houses optical components such as beam shaping lenses and filters. The side walls of the housing have ventilation holes to ensure stable operation of the internal components.

[0058] For the collimating lens setup, the collimating lens 110 in the optical assembly employs an achromatic lens group with a focal length of 150mm. It is fixedly connected to the mounting base at the front end of the first housing 100 via a flange, and a rubber sealing ring is provided between the flange and the mounting base to ensure a tight connection. The incident optical axis of the collimating lens 110 is collinear with the central axis of the output beam of the illumination mechanism 200. When the homogenized beam enters the collimating lens 110, the beam with a divergence angle of 5° is collimated into a parallel beam with a divergence angle of less than 0.1° through the refraction of the lens group, thereby simulating the laser echo characteristics reflected from a distant target.

[0059] Regarding the connection and functionality of the DMD imaging component, the DMD imaging component 300 employs a 0.7-inch XGA digital micromirror device with a C-mount optical interface that matches the C-mount flange at the output end of the illumination mechanism 200. A positioning pin is provided at the interface to ensure optical path alignment accuracy. When a uniform light beam illuminates the micromirror array of the DMD imaging component 300, the DMD controller, based on preset target 3D model data, controls each micromirror to rotate ±12° at a frequency of 10kHz. By adjusting the direction of the reflected beam, the beam intensity is modulated, thereby generating a laser echo signal containing information such as target distance and contour. This signal is then transmitted through the subsequent optical system and received by the detection device.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a second housing made of aluminum alloy with detachable bolt connections is used. This not only flexibly accommodates components such as drive circuits and beam shaping lenses, enabling partitioned layout of optical components and circuits to reduce mutual interference, but also facilitates later component maintenance and replacement, as well as housing disassembly and assembly, improving the ease of equipment operation and maintenance. With the help of an achromatic collimating lens with a focal length of 150mm and collinear optical axes, combined with a sealed flange connection design, the diverging beam output by the illumination mechanism can be accurately collimated into a parallel beam with a divergence angle of less than 0.1°, perfectly simulating the optical characteristics of laser echoes from distant targets, providing the detection equipment with test conditions close to real-world scenarios. The 0.7-inch XGA model DMD imaging component is connected through a C-type bayonet optical interface with positioning pins, ensuring precise alignment of the DMD and the illumination mechanism's optical paths. Combined with 10kHz high-frequency micromirror flipping control, the beam can be efficiently modulated based on the target's three-dimensional information to generate a precise laser echo signal containing distance and contour information, effectively ensuring the realism and reliability of laser three-dimensional target simulation and meeting the high-precision testing requirements of equipment such as laser imaging radar.

[0061] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A laser three-dimensional target simulator, characterized in that, The simulator includes: The first box (100) has a hollow interior. The lighting mechanism (200) and laser (400) are disposed inside the first housing (100). The back of the lighting mechanism (200) is also provided with a DMD imaging component (300), and the laser (400) is disposed inside the first housing (100). The laser (400) is used to provide the original laser energy as the physical basis for the simulated echo; The illumination mechanism (200) is used to couple and homogenize the laser output from the laser (400) to form a uniform beam that illuminates the optical components. The optical component is disposed at one end of the first housing (100), and the lighting mechanism (200) is connected to the optical component through the transmission of light signals to form an optical path.

2. The laser three-dimensional target simulator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lighting mechanism includes: The curved lens tube (210) includes a first lens tube (220) and a second lens tube (230) set at a preset angle; The first lens tube (220) is provided with an optical fiber head (240) at one end away from the second lens tube (230), and a coupling lens group and a first laser lens (221) are provided inside the first lens tube (220), and a light rod (229) is provided between the coupling lens group and the first laser lens (221). The curved lens tube (210) is provided with a second laser lens (211) at the connection between the first lens tube (220) and the second lens tube (230); The second lens tube (230) is provided with a third laser lens (231) at the end away from the first lens tube (220).

3. A laser three-dimensional target simulator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The light rod (229) is a hexagonal integral square rod.

4. A laser three-dimensional target simulator according to claim 3, characterized in that, The light rod (229) is disposed inside the first lens tube (220) through the mounting tube (225); The mounting cylinder (225) has a first mounting block (226) and a second mounting block (227) at both ends for mounting the light rod (229); The first mounting block (226) and the second mounting block (227) are respectively provided with a first placement groove (228) and a second placement groove for placing the light rod (229).

5. A laser three-dimensional target simulator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The coupling lens group includes a first lens (222) and a second lens (223) arranged at intervals by laser spacers (224).

6. A laser three-dimensional target simulator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first housing (100) is also provided with a second housing (120) that is detachably connected to the first housing (100). The second housing (120) is used to accommodate some optical components and related circuits.

7. A laser three-dimensional target simulator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical component includes a collimating lens (110), which is fixedly connected to one end of the first housing (100) and is used to collimate the light beam processed by the illumination mechanism (200) to simulate the laser echo of a distant target.

8. A laser three-dimensional target simulator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The DMD imaging component (300) is connected to the illumination mechanism (200) via an optical interface. The DMD imaging component (300) is used to modulate a uniform beam according to the three-dimensional information of the target to generate a laser echo signal simulating the target.

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