Patent · US Expired

Short range LIDAR apparatus having a flat spatial response

US7274448B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
13References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 2005
Grant dateSep 25, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 22, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02A90/10
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A flat spatial response LIDAR apparatus for detecting particles within a short range is provided. The apparatus includes a light source projecting a light beam which is back-scattered by the particles to be detected. The back-scattered light is received, detected and analyzed. A spatial filter spatially filters the received back-scattered light in order to flatten the spatial response of the apparatus, so that a same concentration of particles at any distance within the short range will generate a signal of substantially the same intensity. This is for example accomplished by a properly profiled mask disposed in front of the detector, or a plurality of spatially distributed waveguides. As a result, the LIDAR apparatus can compensate for the 1/r2 dependence, or other dependences of the back-scattered light on the distance r.

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