Method and apparatus for determining a velocity

US6320651A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Daimlerchrysler AG · US

Inventors

• Sigmund Manhart · Haar, DE
• Elke Schmidt · Bad Säckingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 23, 2000
• Grant date: Nov 20, 2001
• Expiry date: Mar 23, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/58
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A velocity such as wind velocity is measured based on a Doppler shift of a backscattered or returned laser signal. The Doppler shift of the backscattered beam is determined from a change in the polarization state or intensity shift of the received or backscattered signal after it has passed through a polarization-dispersive element (PD) and through a polarization analyzer (PA). The electrical signals (I.sub.1 and I.sub.2) generated from two partial beams provided by the polarization analyzer (PA) represent an the intensity shift. The signals are processed in a computer and the resulting information is displayed, for example.