Techniques for improving sensitivity of a long range sensing of air data parameters
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsKaizhong Gao, Thomas Dobbins, Matthew ArchMiller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Sensitivity of the OADS is increased by increasing the surface area through which optical energy reflected and/or scattered from a region of atmosphere is collected and analyzed to determine one or more air data parameters. By adding more optical receivers, OADS sensitivity is increased. This technique is less complicated, and thus less expensive, than using two or more optical emitters and two or more optical receivers. Thus, the OADS may be used to more accurately characterize air data parameter(s) of a region of atmosphere of the Earth at altitudes up to more than one hundred thousand feet above the surface of the Earth.
Claims20
An optical air data system (OADS) with improved sensitivity, the OADS comprising:
- a pulsed laser configured to emit an optical signal including pulses;
- an optical emitter optically coupled to the pulsed laser, and using the optical signal including pulses, configured to emit only one transmit optical beam along a transmit line of sight to a region of atmosphere;
- at least two optical receivers, wherein each of the at least two optical receivers is configured to receive a different return optical signal which is a reflected and/or scattered from the region of atmosphere along a unique receive line of sight;
- a rotatable platform configured to rotate around a first axis and to rotate around a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis, wherein the optical emitter and each optical receiver are mounted on the rotatable platform, and wherein the rotatable platform is further configured to direct the transmit line of sight to the region of atmosphere;
- an optical processing circuitry including at least one optical sensor and configured to convert each of at least two return optical signals in to at least one electrical signal representative of at least one characteristic of one or more return optical signals;
- and
- electrical processing circuitry configured to receive the at least one electrical signal from the optical processing circuitry and, using the at least one electrical signal, generate at least one air data parameter about the region of atmosphere.
A method for improving sensitivity of an optical air data system, the method comprising:
- orienting a transmit line of sight towards a region of atmosphere;
- receiving an optical signal including pulses;
- emitting only one transmit optical beam, including pulses, along the transmit line of sight to the region of atmosphere;
- receiving at least two different return optical signals, wherein each return optical signal is received along a unique receive line of sight, wherein each return optical signal is derived by scattering and/or reflection, of the only one transmit optical beam, from the region of atmosphere;
- converting each of the at least two different return optical signals into at least one electrical signal representative of at least one characteristic of one or more return optical signals;
- and
- using the at least one electrical signal, generating data about one or more air data parameters about the region of atmosphere.
An apparatus for improving sensitivity of an optical air data system (OADS), the apparatus comprising:
- an optical emitter optically coupled to a pulsed laser, and using an optical signal including pulses, configured to emit only one transmit optical beam along a transmit line of sight to a region of atmosphere;
- at least two optical receivers, wherein each of the at least two optical receivers is configured to receive a different return optical signal which is a reflected and/or scattered from the region of atmosphere along a unique receive line of sight;
- wherein the optical emitter and each optical receiver are mounted on a rotatable platform configured to rotate around a first axis and to rotate around a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis so as to direct the transmit line of sight to the region of atmosphere;
- an optical processing circuitry including at least one optical sensor and configured to convert each of at least two return optical signals in to at least one electrical signal representative of at least one characteristic of one or more return optical signals;
- and
- electrical processing circuitry configured to receive the at least one electrical signal from the optical processing circuitry and, using the at least one electrical signal, generate at least one air data parameter about the region of atmosphere.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.