Ladar Receiver Segmentation for Wide Field of View
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing LADAR systems face challenges in achieving high optical gain while maintaining a wide field of view, which is essential for applications like helicopter-aided landing that require increased ranging performance without exceeding size, weight, and power constraints.
Innovation Solution
The system divides the overall field of view into smaller segments, each covered by a separate receive element with a larger effective aperture, allowing for increased optical gain and improved range performance through electrical signal combination or switching, using a combination of optical components and electronic circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single wide field of view receiver is used, then the field of view is wide, but the optical gain is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the wide field of view into multiple smaller fields of view by using multiple receive elements (e.g., six receive elements for a 60-degree FOV). Each receive element has a narrower FOV but larger effective aperture, achieving higher optical gain while collectively covering the required wide field of view through spatial arrangement and electrical combining of signals.
2Measurement precision
If laser power is increased to meet range requirements, then ranging performance improves, but size, weight, and power constraints are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing laser power, the patent segments the receiver into multiple elements with larger effective apertures. This increases the collected light energy passively without additional power consumption, meeting range requirements while maintaining size, weight, and power constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the effective aperture parameter of the receiver by using multiple elements with larger individual apertures. This parameter change increases the system's light collecting capability and ranging performance without requiring increased laser power.
3Measurement precision
If multiple receive elements are used to increase optical gain, then range performance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the outputs of multiple receive elements through electrical combining (summation or switching) to form a composite signal. This combining approach achieves the desired optical gain and range performance while keeping the overall receiver design relatively simple and compact.
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
This approach enhances the LADAR system's performance by increasing the effective aperture and range while maintaining a compact design, suitable for applications like rotorcraft surveillance and collision avoidance, providing a 3-D image of the landing zone with accurate object size and distance information.
Implementation Method 1
a detector or group of detectors coupled to an individual optical component
Data Source
AI summary
A system comprising a laser for transmitting a beam of light towards a target area; a controller for controlling the output of the laser; a receiver for collecting reflected pulses of light reflected from the target area, the receiver comprising a plurality of receive elements, each of the receive elements having a different field of view; a combiner for combining the outputs of the receive elements into one composite signal of the target area; an interface circuitry for converting the composite signal into an image; display unit displaying output from interface circuitry.