Ladar Pulse Encoding for Interference Differentiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing use of ladar systems in fields like automobile vision poses a challenge in differentiating own ladar returns from those of other ladar systems, leading to noisy light signals and the need for technology that can distinguish between own and interfering pulses in real-time.
Innovation Solution
Ladar transmitters can be designed to encode their pulses using a delay between successive pulses, allowing receivers to distinguish between own and interfering pulses. This encoding method, referred to as a sparse burst code, uses short time intervals and low pulse sequences to maintain effective energy and computational efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ladar systems transmit pulses in crowded environments, then data communication capability is improved, but pulse differentiation becomes difficult leading to noisy signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using coded pulse sequences with specific temporal patterns. Each ladar system transmits pulses according to a predetermined code pattern (periodic sequence), allowing receivers to identify and differentiate pulses from specific transmitters based on the unique temporal coding pattern, even in crowded environments with multiple simultaneous transmissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by varying temporal parameters (pulse intervals, delays, and sequencing patterns) to encode transmitter identity information. By changing these temporal parameters according to specific codes, the system enables reliable pulse differentiation without requiring additional hardware resources.
2Measurement precision
If delay encoding is applied to differentiate pulses, then pulse differentiation accuracy is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing coded pulse sequences with known temporal patterns before transmission. The receiver is pre-configured with knowledge of these codes, allowing it to proactively identify and differentiate pulses based on their temporal patterns without requiring complex real-time analysis, thus minimizing processing time while maintaining high differentiation accuracy.
3Productivity
If sparse burst code encoding is used, then computational efficiency is improved, but pulse sequence complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the pulse sequence into distinct bursts with specific spacing patterns. Each burst contains a defined number of pulses with characteristic intervals, creating a segmented temporal structure that is relatively simple to generate and recognize computationally, while still providing sufficient complexity to enable unique identification across multiple transmitters.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed solution enables ladar systems to effectively differentiate own pulses from interfering ones, even in noisy environments, while maintaining low latency and computational efficiency, thereby improving the reliability of ladar systems in crowded environments.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitter that includes a laser source transmits a laser output such as a ladar pulse into a nearby environment
Implementation Method 2
a ladar receiver will receive a reflection of this laser output from an object in the nearby environment, and the ladar receiver will process the received reflection to determine a distance to such an object
Data Source
AI summary
A ladar system capable of operating in a ladar mode and an optical communication mode is disclosed. When operating in the ladar mode, a ladar transmitter and ladar receiver cooperate to transmit ladar pulses that are used for ranging to targets in a field of view. When operating in an optical communication mode, ladar pulses are used to transmit data messages to locations in the field of view that are determined to have devices that are capable of receiving the optically communicated data messages.