Light ranging with moving sensor array
OwnerIzak Jan van Cruyningeninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A light ranging device is mounted on a moveable platform, for example an airplane. The light ranging device may include an illumination source for providing a pulse of light, beam shaping optics to form a beam of light directed at a target, and collection optics for providing reflected light of the beam to a light-sensitive sensor array. A processor may determine range to the target based on spatial displacement of received light on the sensor array compared to expected position of the light due to platform movement.
Claims24
A light ranging system for measuring distances from a moving platform to a target, comprising:
- an illumination source couplable to a moveable platform, the illumination source capable of being pulsed to form a pulse of light to be directed towards said target;
- a light-sensitive sensor array;
- collection optics to image reflections of said light from a target onto said sensor array during movement of the platform, whereby position of said image on said sensor array corresponds to distance between said platform and said target.
(canceled)
A method useful in determining range from a moveable platform to an object, comprising:
- transmitting a pulse of a sheet of light from a light source towards a target;
- moving a platform carrying the light source and an array of sensors;
- receiving a reflection of the sheet of light from the target;
- and
- providing the received reflection of the sheet of light to the array of sensors.
(canceled)
(canceled)
A method of useful in determining range to an object, comprising:
- transmitting a pulse of a sheet of light from a moving platform, the sheet of light defining an axis substantially transverse to a direction of movement of the platform;
- receiving a reflection of the sheet of light by a sensor array coupled to the moving platform;
- and
- determining a range to at least one object providing the reflection of the sheet of light based on locations of pixels of the sensor array which receive the reflected light.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.