# US 8,786,835 B1 · System, apparatus and method for detecting presence and range of an object

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- Number: US 8,786,835 B1
- Document ID: US8786835B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 13/429,585
- Filed: 2012-03-26
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-26
- Assignees: Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Applicants: Pete F. Reardon; Steve Preston; Kevin E. Keene; Wayne P. Parades
- Inventors: Pete F. Reardon; Steve Preston; Kevin E. Keene; Wayne P. Parades
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786835B1

## CPC

- G09B 9/003: {for military purposes and tactics}
- F41G 3/26: Teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying {(shooting games A63F9/02; light- or radiation-emitting guns F41A33/02; targets therefor F41J; responders, transponders for radar, sonar, lidar G01S13/767, G01S15/74, G01S17/74)}
- G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning}
- G01S 7/4818: {using optical fibres}
- G01S 17/88: Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
- G09B 9/006: {for locating or ranging of objects}
- A63F 2300/8076: Shooting
- G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B)
- F41G: WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING (optical aspects thereof G02B)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A multifunctional detector for emitting and receiving optical signals in order to determine the presence, location, and range movement of a player within a field of regard is disclosed. The detector generally includes a laser module operable for emitting an optical signal; an optional fiber optical delay line; a microcontroller/processor; a faceted scanning mirror pattern having multiple facets with each facet being tilted downward to allow for unique depressions for reflecting and scattering optical signals emitted by the laser module; a spinner/motor for driving and rotating the faceted mirror pattern; an optional combiner for separating emitted optical signals from the laser module or combining reflected optical signals from an reflective source; and a transceiver with an integrated APD receiver for receiving reflected optical signals combined from the combiner and transmitting reflected optical signal data to a central controller or other players. A method of using the detector is also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A detection system operable for detecting a player's presence, location and range within in an area, comprising:
a central controller;
at least one reflective source for reflecting at least one optical signal emitted from a laser;
a detector for scanning a field of regard in signal communication with the central controller, the detector comprising
a laser operable for emitting optical signals;
a mirrored spinner; a rotatable faceted scanning mirror pattern disposed on and positioned about a rotational axis of the mirrored spinner, said faceted scanning mirror pattern being arranged in a hexagonal configuration with every other facet having a different angle of inclination for scattering the emitted optical signals in correspondingly different scan arcs;
a lens through which the emitted optical signals which were scattered may be directed for producing a plurality of scan lines;
a microcontroller connected to and operable for controlling the laser and the mirrored spinner;
a combiner for separating and transmitting the emitted optical signals from the laser and for receiving and combining the reflected optical signals from the reflective source;
a transceiver for receiving the reflected optical signals combined from the combiner, converting the reflected optical signals into reflected optical signal data and transmitting the reflected optical signal data to the microcontroller, and
at least one reflective source for reflecting at least one optical signal emitted from a laser,
wherein the emitted optical signals from the laser are emitted along an optical path and reflected by the at least one reflective source along the optical path back to the detector, and
wherein the microcontroller receives and decodes the reflected optical signals and determines the presence, location and range of the reflective source,
wherein the microcontroller collects range data relative to the reflective source and categorizes each range data to a specific angle away from predefined wall limits of a room and determines the best form of tracking the reflective source by analyzing the rate of change or height to range of the reflective source.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The detection system of claim 1, wherein the faceted mirror pattern comprises a polygonal configuration.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The detection system of claim 1, wherein the faceted mirror pattern comprises a hexagonal configuration.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The detection system of claim 1, wherein every other facet of the faceted mirror pattern is angled downward thereby creating three depressions for high angular displacement range finding capabilities.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The detection system of claim 1, further comprising a fiber optic delay line connected to the laser module, wherein the fiber optic delay line reduces blast noise caused by the laser module.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The detection system of claim 1, further comprising a mirrored spinner operable for carrying the faceted mirror pattern.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The detection system of claim 6, further comprising a motor operable for rotationally driving the mirrored spinner, said motor being connected to and controlled by the microcontroller.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The detection system of claim 1, wherein the laser module is a gated continuous wave laser and the emitted optical signals are a gated continuous laser beam.