Optical air data system

US7495774B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• MICHIGAN AEROSPACE CORPORATION · US

Inventors

• Paul Byron Hays · Ann Arbor, US
• Michael Thomas Dehring · Westminster, US
• Jane Camile Pavlich · Ann Arbor, US
• Peter Tchoryk, Jr. · Ann Arbor, US
• Charles J. Richey · Ann Arbor, US
• Anthony Beckman Hays · Jackson, US
• Gregory Joseph Wassick · Petersburg, US
• Greg Ritter · Hamburg, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 27, 2006
• Grant date: Feb 24, 2009
• Expiry date: Jun 26, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02A90/10
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A first beam of light from a laser is split by a beam splitter into a reference beam and at least one second beam of light, the latter of which is directed into an atmosphere. Light from the at least one second beam of light scattered by molecules or aerosols in the atmosphere is collected by at least one telescope as at least one light signal. The at least one light signal and the reference beam are simultaneously processed by a common interferometer, and resulting fringe patterns are imaged onto a detector and processed by a data processor to determine at least one associated air data product.