Fiber optic micro-doppler ladar system and operating method therefor
US5847816A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 14, 1997 |
| Grant date | Dec 8, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 14, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/50
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A micro-doppler ladar system for identifying and analyzing a target of interest includes a transmitter and coherent receiver pair, each of which includes a fiber optic power amplifier, and a controller. Preferably, the transmitter includes a master oscillator for generating a primary laser beam, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) for generating a VCO signal having a predetermined, repetitive frequency pattern, a frequency shifting circuit for varying the frequency of the primary laser beam responsive to the VCO signal to thereby produce a frequency-varying primary laser signal, and the optical fiber amplifier, which amplifies the frequency-varying primary laser signal to thereby produce a transmit laser beam. In addition, the coherent receiver, which responds to backscattered light produced by the interaction of the transmit laser beam with the target of interest, includes an optical fiber pre-amplifier for amplifying the backscattered light to thereby produce an amplified return laser beam, and a phase locked loop receiving the primary laser beam and the amplified return laser beam for generating an electrical signal indicative of range, velocity and a characteristic signature …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.