Electromagnetic Pulse Detection Matrix With Periodic Signal Accumulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for detecting electromagnetic pulses, such as those used in laser-guided munitions, face challenges in maintaining precision across the entire field of vision and suffer from a suboptimal signal-to-noise ratio, leading to inefficiencies in target localization and detection.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a signal matrix detector and processing unit to calculate subtraction and accumulation signals, with thresholding and localization techniques, to enhance the detection of electromagnetic pulses, improving precision and signal-to-noise ratio by aligning the integration time with the pulse repetition frequency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a matrix detector with multiple pixels is used to improve localization accuracy, then the instantaneous field of view and spatial precision are improved, but the signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates due to shorter integration time per pixel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by synchronizing the integration time of the matrix detector with the pulse repetition frequency of the electromagnetic pulses. The detector integrates signals over multiple pulse periods, accumulating energy at specific time intervals that correspond to the periodic emission pattern. This allows the system to maintain short per-pixel integration times for high spatial resolution while accumulating signal energy over multiple periods to improve the signal-to-noise ratio through coherent integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-synchronizing the detector integration windows with the expected pulse arrival times based on the known pulse repetition frequency. The system prepares integration windows in advance that are timed to coincide with the periodic pulse emissions, allowing optimal signal capture before the pulses arrive. This preliminary timing alignment ensures that each pixel integrates signal energy efficiently during the correct time windows, improving detection sensitivity without requiring longer integration times.
2Reliability
If the integration time is increased to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, then the detection reliability is improved, but the temporal resolution and ability to detect pulsed signals deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by using periodic action to synchronize the integration process with the pulsed signal structure. Instead of using a single long integration window that would blur temporal information, the system uses multiple shorter integration windows spaced at intervals matching the pulse repetition frequency. Each window captures energy from a specific pulse, and the results are accumulated coherently. This approach maintains temporal resolution by keeping individual integration windows short while improving signal-to-noise ratio through the cumulative effect of multiple synchronized measurements.
3Device complexity
If a quadrant detector is used to simplify the detection system, then the device complexity is reduced, but the localization precision and field of view uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the detection function across multiple independent pixels in a matrix array rather than using a single quadrant detector. Each pixel in the matrix independently processes the electromagnetic signal, allowing for precise spatial localization through pixel coordinate identification. This segmented approach replaces the complex mechanical or optical switching required by quadrant detectors with a simpler parallel pixel array, maintaining low device complexity while achieving superior localization precision through the inherent spatial resolution of the matrix structure.
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 enables more efficient detection of electromagnetic pulses with improved precision and increased signal-to-noise ratio, allowing for accurate target localization and guidance, even at the edges of the field of vision, while maintaining a wide instantaneous field of view.
Implementation Method 1
a matrix signal detector and a signal processing unit, the signals comprising the electromagnetic pulses
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for detecting a stream of electromagnetic pulses emitted, according to a predefined occurrence law, in a scene observed using a detection system (22) comprising a matrix detector (30) and a unit (32) for processing signals comprising the electromagnetic pulses. The method includes the following steps: acquiring and transmitting the signals from the matrix detector (30) to the processing unit (32); for each pixel of the detector (30): calculating a subtraction signal between two signals acquired during two consecutive time windows of the same length, calculating a signal for accumulating the subtraction signals spaced apart in time by an interval defined by the predefined occurrence law, and thresholding the accumulation signal, the laser pulse being detected if the accumulation signal is greater than a predetermined threshold for at least one pixel; and locating the electromagnetic pulse detected in the observed scene from the coordinates of the pixel including the detected electromagnetic pulse.