Patent · US Expired

Systems and methods for optically detecting and identifying objects in an environment

US6875993B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
20References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 12, 2001
Grant dateApr 5, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 26, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S7/4815
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Laser optical sensing systems and methods for detecting object characteristics are disclosed. The system includes a laser source with at least two emission apertures from which laser signals are emitted. The system also includes at least one detector, which is operationally responsive to the laser source. The system can also include a microprocessor that is operationally coupled to the detector(s) for processing signal data, a memory accessible by the microprocessor for storing object characteristics (e.g., unique signals), and a software module accessible by the microprocessor for enabling system training and detection operations. The laser source emits into an environment at least two laser signals, one from each emission aperture. The detector detects the laser signals after the signals pass through the environment, which is occupied by an object, and the microprocessor determines object characteristics based on the matching of laser signals received by the detector(s) and characteristics stored in memory.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.