Laser Radar Coherence Length Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional laser radar devices face a decrease in heterodyne efficiency and measurement precision of wind speed when the coherence length shortens due to environmental fluctuations, causing it to be shorter than the width of the FFT gate.

Innovation Solution

A laser radar device with a setting changer that calculates the coherence length based on the received signal's spectrum and adjusts the range gate width to match the coherence length, ensuring the FFT gate width and pulse width are adjusted accordingly to maintain optimal heterodyne efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the width of the FFT gate is increased to enhance SNR, then the Signal-to-Noise ratio is improved, but the heterodyne efficiency decreases when the coherence length is shorter than the gate width

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSignal-to-Noise ratioVSAvoidheterodyne efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic adjustment of the FFT gate width based on real-time coherence length measurements. The system continuously monitors environmental conditions and adapts the gate width parameter to match the current coherence length, ensuring optimal heterodyne efficiency under varying atmospheric conditions while maintaining adequate SNR through appropriate gate width selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operational parameter (FFT gate width) based on the measured coherence length. By calculating the coherence length from the spectral width and adjusting the gate width to match it, the system optimizes the balance between SNR and heterodyne efficiency. This parameter adaptation allows the system to maintain high measurement precision across different environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the coherence length shortens due to environmental fluctuations, then the adaptability to environmental changes is improved, but the measurement precision of wind speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoherence length adaptationVSAvoidwind speed measurement precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a feedback mechanism where the coherence length is continuously calculated from the received signal spectrum and used to adjust the FFT gate width. This closed-loop control ensures that the system automatically adapts to environmental changes while maintaining optimal measurement conditions, thereby preserving wind speed measurement precision despite variations in coherence length.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary calculation of the coherence length from the spectral width before conducting wind speed measurements. By determining the appropriate gate width in advance based on the measured coherence length, the system prepares optimal measurement conditions that maintain high precision even when environmental conditions cause coherence length variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 configuration enhances heterodyne efficiency and measurement precision of wind speed even under fluctuating environmental conditions by reducing noise power and improving Signal-to-Noise ratio.

Implementation Method 1

laser light being radiated in the atmosphere from a laser light radiator that radiates laser light in the atmosphere and reflected by a measurement target existing in the atmosphere to be returned

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

a spectrum calculator that performs frequency analysis on a received signal outputted from the laser light receiver by a unit of a range gate to calculate a spectrum of the received signal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFrequency analysis:

Implementation Method 3

a setting changer that calculates a coherence length based on a spectrum of the received signal calculated by the spectrum calculator, and performs a setting change to shorten a width of the range gate in case where the coherence length is shorter than the width of the range gate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCoherence length calculation:

Implementation Method 4

The laser radar device performs heterodyne detection on the scattered light and transmitted pulsed light to find a Doppler shift that occurs with the movement of the aerosol

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeterodyne detection: Heterodyne

Implementation Method 5

performs heterodyne detection on the scattered light and transmitted pulsed light to find a Doppler shift that occurs with the movement of the aerosol

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDoppler shift: Doppler Effect

Data Source

PatentEP2899567B1Laser radar device
Publication Date: 2017.05.17 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP2899567B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2899567B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(b)
  • EP2899567B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

There is provided a coherence length measurement device 10 that calculates a coherence length Lc based on a spectrum v calculated by an FFT device 9 and performs, in case where the coherence length Lc is shorter than an FFT gate width Gw, a setting change to shorten the FFT gate width Gw and a pulse width Pw, and the FFT device 9 performs frequency analysis on a received signal outputted from an A/D converter 8 by a unit of an FFT gate following the setting change to calculate the spectrum v of the received signal.