Back to results
US 9,544,510 B2Granted
Three-dimensional reconstruction of a millimeter-wave scene by optical up-conversion and cross-correlation detection
AssigneePhase Sensitive Innovations, Inc.
InventorsJanusz Murakowski, Garrett Schneider, Shouyuan Shi, Christopher A. Schuetz, Dennis W. Prather
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method may be used to create images, e.g., three-dimensional images, based on received radio-frequency (RF), e.g., millimeter wave, signals carrying image data. The RF signals may be modulated onto optical carrier signals, and the resulting modulated optical signals may be cross-correlated. The resulting cross-correlations may be used to extract image data that may be used to generate three-dimensional images.
Claims31
A method of imaging, including:
- receiving radio-frequency (RF) radiation from a scene with a plurality of antennas arranged in a first pattern to generate a plurality of RF signals bearing image information;
- modulating the plurality of RF signals bearing image information onto a corresponding plurality of optical signals to obtain a corresponding plurality of modulated optical signals;
- conveying the plurality of modulated optical signals to an optical correlation engine configured to produce interference among the modulated optical signals;
- optically measuring cross-correlations among the modulated optical signals by detecting the interference with a plurality of photo-detectors;
- computationally processing the measured cross-correlations to generate an image.
2 more elements
A radio-frequency (RF) imaging apparatus, including:
- a plurality of antenna elements arranged in a first pattern and configured to receive RF radiation from a scene and to generate a corresponding plurality of RF signals;
- a plurality of electro-optic modulators corresponding to the plurality of antenna elements, a respective electro-optic modulator configured to modulate an optical carrier with a respective one of the plurality of RF signals to generate a plurality of modulated optical signals;
- a plurality of optical channels configured to carry the plurality of modulated optical signals;
- a plurality of optical-channel outputs;
- a correlation engine optically coupled to the plurality of optical-channel outputs and configured to produce interference among the modulated optical signals;
- a plurality of photodetectors configured to measure cross-correlations among the modulated optical signals by recording the interference among the modulated optical signals;
- a computational processing device configured to generate an image based upon the measured cross-correlations.
4 more elements
A radio-frequency (RF) imaging apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of antennas configured to receiver RF radiation from a scene and generate a plurality of RF signals bearing image information;
- a plurality of electro-optic modulators corresponding to the plurality of the antennas and configured to modulate an optical carrier with respective ones of the plurality of RF signals and generate a plurality of modulated optical signals;
- a plurality of optical channels to carry the modulated optical signals;
- a plurality of photo-detectors optically coupled to the plurality of optical channels and configured so that each photo-detector receives at least a portion of at least two of the plurality of modulated optical signals, whereby the photo-detectors are configured to measure cross-correlations among the modulated optical signals;
- a computational processing device configured to generate an image based on the measured cross-correlations.
2 more elements
An imaging apparatus, including:
- means for modulating a plurality of radio-frequency (RF) signals bearing image information onto a corresponding plurality of optical signals to obtain a corresponding plurality of modulated optical signals;
- means for obtaining cross-correlations of the plurality of modulated optical signals;
- and
- means for processing the cross-correlations to generate an image.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.