Light-speed hitpoint sensor
AssigneeThe Johns Hopkins University
InventorLeo R. Gauthier, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a hitpoint sensor for a surface of interest, the hitpoint sensor having an optical fiber which is wound around or otherwise covering the surface, and a data processor connected to the ends of the optical fiber. When a collision with the surface occurs, light is generated which passes through the optical fiber. The ends of the fiber are connected to the data processor which uses arrival time information of the light signals arriving at the processor to determine the impact location on the surface. There are several modes in which the processor can operate to make this calculation.
Claims15
A device for estimating the location of an impact on a surface, the device comprising:
- an optical fiber, said fiber covering said surface, and said impact produces within said fiber a pair of signals;
- a data processor, said data processor receiving said pair of signals, and producing an impact location signal;
- and
- means for producing a time of impact signal, and wherein said data processor receives said time of impact signal,
- wherein said means for producing a time of impact signal is a Blast Initiation Detector;
- wherein said data processor calculates the ratio of the arrival times for said pair of signals.
A method for determining the location of an impact on a surface, said method comprising:
- positioning optical fiber to cover said surface;
- producing, upon said impact, a pair of output signals within said fiber;
- receiving and processing said pair of output signals at a data processor, to calculate the location of the impact;
- producing a time of impact signal, and receiving and processing said time of impact signal;
- and
- calculating the ratio of the arrival times for said pair of signals.
A system for determining the location of an impact on a surface, said system comprising:
- means for producing a pair of signals within an optical fiber as a result of the impact;
- means for calculating, from said pair of signals, the location of the impact;
- means for producing a time of impact signal, and means for processing said time of impact signal;
- and
- means for determining the ratio of the arrival times for said pair of signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.