Detecting, tracking, and decoding pulse repetition frequency laser energy from laser designators

An imaging device comprising:

• an imager including imaging FPA operatively connected to a first ROIC for imaging;
• and
• a pulse repetition frequency decoder operatively connected to the first ROIC, the decoder including:
• a two-dimensional InGaAs FPA of photodetectors configured to convert laser signals into electrical signals;
• and
• a second ROIC operatively connected to the InGaAs FPA to decode pulsed codes in electrical signals from the InGaAs FPA, wherein the first and second ROICs are operatively connected to correlate the position of decoded laser spots in images from the imaging FPA at least one module includes machine readable instructions configured to instruct the at least one module to:
• receive signals from the first ROIC for a series of images over time of pulsed energy reflected from at least one target, each image including a plurality of pulses related to different first and second pulse codes;
• detect the pulses in an image of received images;
• output pulse detection information including XY pixel coordinates and arrival time information associated with the respective detected pulses;
• associate the pulse detection information with the first and second pulse codes;
• and generate output position information for the at least one target in space, the output position being based on the XY pixel coordinates and associated with the corresponding first and second pulses, wherein the at least one module is operatively connected to receive image data from the second ROIC and includes supporting electronics for correlating image data from the second ROIC and decoded laser data from the first ROIC so the first and second ROICs can be operatively connected to correlate the position of decoded laser spots in images from the imaging FPA.

A pulse repetition frequency detector, tracker, and decoder system comprising:

• a two-dimensional InGaAs FPA of photodetectors configured to convert laser signals into electrical signals;
• a ROIC operatively connected to the InGaAs FPA to condition electrical signals from the InGaAs FPA;
• and
• a module operatively connected to the ROIC to decode pulsed codes in the conditioned electrical signals and to provide output for tracking decoded laser spots in two-dimensional space, wherein the module is operatively connected to the ROIC and includes machine readable instructions configured to instruct the module to:
• receive signals from the ROIC for a series of images over time of pulsed energy reflected from the at least one target, each image including a plurality of pulses related to different first and second pulse codes;
• detect the pulses in an image of the received images;
• output pulse detection information including XY pixel coordinates and arrival time information associated with the respective detected pulses;
• associate the pulse detection information with a laser designator source;
• generate output position information for the at least one target in space, the output position being based on the xy pixel coordinates and associated with the laser designator source;
• determine whether a distance between the associated XY pixel coordinates associated with one of the detected pulses relative to pulse detector information associated with a previously received detected pulse having the same pulse code is within a predetermined threshold value;
• and
• if so, validate pulse detector information associated with that one of the detected pulses.