Lidar sytem for detection of small flying objects
AssigneeResearch Foundation of the City University of New York
InventorViviana Vladutescu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A LiDAR system for tracking small flying objects. Multitude of individual LiDAR heads are placed on arcuate frames that intersect to define a dome. Each LiDAR head can be independently rotated with six degrees of freedom. Optical data signals are routed from each LiDAR to a central mirror disposed within the dome and then to a spectrometer for data processing. Upon detection of a possible target by one or more of the LiDAR heads, additional LiDAR heads are rotated to also focus on the possible target, thereby enhancing imaging of the target.
Claims11
A LiDAR system comprising:
- a first arcuate frame and a second arcuate frame, wherein the first arcuate frame and the second arcuate frame are disposed perpendicular one another and defining a volume of an interior dome;
- a plurality of LiDAR heads, each connected to either the first arcuate frame or the second arcuate frame by a first goniometer, a second goniometer and a rotation stage, such that each LiDAR head can be independently rotated with six degrees of freedom;
- a computer processor for independently actuating the rotation stage, the first goniometer and the second goniometer of each LiDAR head in the plurality of LiDAR heads;
- wherein the volume of the interior dome houses:
- a laser source that supplies laser light to the plurality of LiDAR heads;
- a central mirror (CM);
- a plurality of guiding mirrors (GM);
- at least one concave collecting mirror (CCM) that directs reflected laser light from the LiDAR heads to the central mirror (CM) using the plurality of guiding mirrors (GM);
- at least one spectrometer for processing the reflected laser light.
A method for detecting an object using LiDAR, the method comprising:
- detecting a target of interest using a LiDAR system comprising:
- a first arcuate frame and a second arcuate frame, wherein the first arcuate frame and the second arcuate frame are disposed perpendicular one another and defining a volume of an interior dome;
- a plurality of dynamic LiDAR heads, each connected to either the first arcuate frame or the second arcuate frame by a first goniometer, a second goniometer and a rotation stage, such that each dynamic LiDAR head can be independently rotated with six degrees of freedom;
- a computer processor for independently actuating the rotation stage, the first goniometer and the second goniometer of each dynamic LiDAR head in the plurality of dynamic LiDAR heads;
- wherein the volume of the interior dome houses:
- a supercontinuum laser source that supplies laser light to the plurality of dynamic LiDAR heads;
- a central mirror (CM);
- a plurality of guiding mirrors (GM);
- at least one concave collecting mirror (CCM) that directs reflected supercontinuum laser light from the dynamic LiDAR heads to the central mirror (CM) using the plurality of guiding mirrors (GM);
- at least one spectrometer for processing the reflected supercontinuum laser light;
- wherein, upon detection of the target of interest, the microprocessor actuates the rotation stage, the first goniometer or the second goniometer of at least one additional dynamic LiDAR head from the plurality of dynamic LiDAR heads such that the at least one additional dynamic LiDAR head emits supercontinuum laser light on the target of interest, thereby enhancing imaging of the target of interest.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.