초록 ▼

One aspect of the invention relates to a laser ranging system. In this version of the invention, a guided missile is provided with laser that directs laser radiation in the general direction of a target that is subsequently reflected from the target back to the missile. A receiving lens is mounted o

One aspect of the invention relates to a laser ranging system. In this version of the invention, a guided missile is provided with laser that directs laser radiation in the general direction of a target that is subsequently reflected from the target back to the missile. A receiving lens is mounted on the missile that receives the reflected laser radiation. A ferrule containing optical fibers divided into a plurality of pixels that receive the reflected laser radiation from the receiving lens, wherein each pixel in the plurality of pixels is provided a different pointing angle by arranging the fibers within the pixel such that the centroid of the field of view of the fibers is different from the centroids of the field of views of the other fibers in the other pixels. A plurality of optical sensors coupled to the optical fibers, each optical sensor being dedicated to a separate pointing angle and adapted to generate an electrical signal whose amplitude is responsive to the amplitude of the reflected radiation for the pointing angle that the optical sensor is dedicated to.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A laser guidance system comprising:a laser that transmits a beam of laser radiation to a target area; a collecting lens for receiving reflected laser radiation from the target area and directing the received laser radiation onto an image plane; at least two optical fibers within a collection ferr

1. A laser guidance system comprising:a laser that transmits a beam of laser radiation to a target area; a collecting lens for receiving reflected laser radiation from the target area and directing the received laser radiation onto an image plane; at least two optical fibers within a collection ferrule, the end orientation angle of at least one of the optical fibers being different than the other optical fibers, wherein the optical fibers are arranged to pass the received radiation to at least two optical detectors that convert laser radiation into electrical signals whose amplitude is proportional to the amplitude of the laser radiation, the detectors being associated with different end orientation angles; a computer that uses the electrical signals from the optical detectors to determine the direction of the received laser radiation. 2. A laser guidance system as in claim 1 further comprising a ferrule positioned on the image plane of the collecting lens, the ferrule including optical fibers having different end orientation angles.3. A laser guidance system as in claim 2 wherein the ferrule is divided into pixels, each pixel being populated with at least one optical fiber, wherein the end orientation angles of the optical fibers is different for each pixel.4. A laser guidance system as in claim 1 wherein the computer calculates the direction of the received laser radiation by interpolating the amplitude of the electrical signals from the optical detectors.5. A method for guiding a vehicle toward a target, the method comprising:receiving incoming laser radiation from the target at collection lenses on the vehicle; projecting the incoming laser radiation onto at least two optical fibers within a collection ferrule, at least one of the optical fibers having a different end orientation angle relative to the other optical fibers; passing the incoming laser radiation through the optical fibers to at least two optical detectors, one for each end orientation angle, each detector generating an electrical signal having an amplitude proportional to the amplitude of the incoming laser radiation; and passing the electrical signals to a computer on board the vehicle that determines the direction of the incoming laser radiation by comparing the electrical signals. 6. A method as in claim 5 further comprising arranging the optical fibers into pixels, each pixel being associated with a different end orientation angle.7. A method as in claim 6 further comprising focusing the incoming laser radiation such that it falls on more than one pixel for each end orientation angle.8. An apparatus for determining the direction to a target, the apparatus comprising:a lens that receives laser radiation emanating from the target and directs it onto an image plane; a ferrule disposed in the image plane that contains a plurality of optical fibers arranged into pixels corresponding to end orientation angles, the end orientation angles being relative to each other wherein at least two pixels have different end orientation angles with respect to each other; a plurality of optical detectors coupled to the optical fibers, each optical detector being associated with one of the end orientation angles and adapted to generate an electrical signal responsive to the amount of laser radiation received from the optical fibers coupled to it; and electronic circuitry that determines the direction to the target based on the electrical signals produced by the optical detectors. 9. An apparatus as in claim 8 the electronic circuitry determines the direction to the target by interpolating the amplitude of the electronic signals generated responsive to the amplitude of laser radiation received at each of the end orientation angles.10. An apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising a second lens, having a different end orientation angle from the first lens, that receives laser radiation emanation from the target and directs it onto a second image plane, wherein the second image plane contains a plurality of optical fibers arranged into pixels corresponding to a second set of end orientation angles, at least one of the second set of end orientation angles being common with at least one end orientation angle in the first set of end orientation angles.11. A guided missile having a laser guidance system comprising:a laser that directs laser radiation in the general direction of a target that is subsequently reflected from the target back to the missile; a receiving lens mounted on the missile that receives the reflected laser radiation; a ferrule containing optical fibers divided into a plurality of pixels that receive the reflected laser radiation from the receiving lens, wherein each pixel in the plurality of pixels is provided a different end orientation angle, relative to each other wherein at least two pixels have different end orientation angles with respect to each other by arranging the fibers within the pixel such that the centroid of the field of view of the fibers is different from the centroids of the field of views of the other fibers in the other pixels; and a plurality of optical sensors coupled to the optical fibers, each optical sensor being dedicated to a separate end orientation angle and adapted to generate an electrical signal whose amplitude is responsive to the amplitude of the reflected radiation for the end orientation angle that the optical sensor is dedicated to.