Fiber optically coupled laser rangefinder for use in a gimbal systems

US9121701B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc. · US

Inventors

• William E. Shaw · Marlborough, US
• Bruce Whaley · Freehold, US
• Marcus Hatch · Waltham, US
• Raymond J. Silva · Maumee, US
• Michael E. DeFlumere · Woburn, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 21, 2012
• Grant date: Sep 1, 2015
• Expiry date: Aug 21, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/08
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A fiber optically coupled laser rangefinder (LRF) for use in a gimbal system to input/extract a laser beam into/from a camera is disclosed. In one embodiment, the fiber optically coupled LRF includes a gimbal assembly. Further, the gimbal assembly includes a first fiber optic cable for receiving the laser beam from a remote transmitter assembly, a fiber optically coupled laser interface module to receive the laser beam and opposing mirrors to direct the laser beam to a target. In addition, the gimbal assembly includes a second fiber optic cable for transmitting a return laser beam to a remote receiver assembly. The opposing mirrors are further configured to direct the return laser beam from the target to the fiber optically coupled laser interface module. The fiber optically coupled laser interface module is further configured to transmit it to the receiver assembly via the second fiber optic cable.