초록 ▼

A range and bearing-finding system is disclosed. A diverging encoded laser beam is transmitted to a target, and a return reflection of the encoded beam received. The transmitted beam is sampled, and a plurality of predetermined time delays are applied to the sampled laser beam. The sampled laser bea

A range and bearing-finding system is disclosed. A diverging encoded laser beam is transmitted to a target, and a return reflection of the encoded beam received. The transmitted beam is sampled, and a plurality of predetermined time delays are applied to the sampled laser beam. The sampled laser beam with each of the predetermined time delays is correlated with the return reflection until a sampled laser beam having a time delay providing the highest correlation is found, the time delay indicating laser travel time to and from the target. Range is determined from this time delay. Bearing of the target is found by using a quadrant protector to receive the return reflection. The process for finding bearing uses the correlation process used to find range.

대표청구항 ▼

Having thus disclosed construction of my invention and the manner of its use, it should be apparent that incidental changes may be made thereto by those skilled in the relevant arts that fairly fall within the scope of the following appended claims, wherein we claim: 1. A method for determining at

Having thus disclosed construction of my invention and the manner of its use, it should be apparent that incidental changes may be made thereto by those skilled in the relevant arts that fairly fall within the scope of the following appended claims, wherein we claim: 1. A method for determining at least range to a target comprising: sending a laser beam signal to said target, obtaining a replica of a sent said laser beam signal including a temporal index indicating time of transmission of said laser beam signal, developing a predetermined number of copies of said replica of said laser beam signal, applying a different, predetermined time delay to each copy of said predetermined number of copies, each said time delay corresponding to a discrete different range to a said target, receiving a return reflection of said laser beam signal from said target, said return reflection being delayed with respect to said temporal index by travel time to and from said target, comparing a received said return reflection of said laser beam signal to each of delayed said predetermined number of copies in order to find a said copy having a highest correlation with said received return reflection, using said predetermined time delay associated with a found said copy having a highest correlation with said received return reflection to calculate range to said target. 2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sending a laser beam signal further comprises diverging said laser beam signal into a cone so that said return reflections are receivable from a said target being within said cone, and configuring said optical receiver to have a field of view generally matching an optical angle of said cone. 3. A method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising increasing reflectivity of said target, for increasing power of said return reflection. 4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sending a laser beam signal to a target further comprises forming said laser beam into a predetermined pulse train sequence. 5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said forming said laser beam signal into a predetermined pulse train sequence further comprises configuring said pulse train sequence as a pseudo-random code. 6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said obtaining a replica of a sent said laser beam signal further comprises: sampling laser light of said laser beam signal with a light sensor as it is transmitted to obtain said replica, storing said replica of said laser beam signal. 7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said sampling said laser beam signal further comprises positioning a photodetector to receive a portion of said laser beam signal. 8. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said positioning a photodetector to receive a portion of said laser beam signal further comprises positioning said photodetector to receive a specular reflection from a lens through which said laser beam signal passes. 9. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said positioning a photodetector to receive a portion of said laser beam signal further comprises positioning said photodetector so as to receive said portion of said laser beam signal from within a lens through which said laser beam signal passes, as by incorporating said photodetector in said lens or mounting said photodetector directly to said lens. 10. A method as set forth in claim 2 further comprising using said optical receiver to focus said return reflection onto a photodetector, for providing range information about said target. 11. A method as set forth in claim 10 further comprising using said optical receiver to focus said return reflection onto a quadrant photodetector, for providing bearing information about said target in addition to said range information about said target. 12. A method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising using said range information and said bearing information to simultaneously calculate range and bearing of said target. 13. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said applying a different, predetermined time delay to each said copy of said predetermined number of copies further comprises sequentially applying a said time delay to each said copy wherein each said time delay differs by about 25 nanoseconds. 14. A method as set forth in claim 13 further comprising simultaneously correlating all delayed said copies with a said return reflection of a said laser beam signal from which said copies are obtained. 15. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein if a correlation between said return reflection and a one of said predetermined number of delayed copies of said replica is not found, then transmitting another said laser beam signal and sequentially delaying another set of said predetermined number of copies of a said replica of said another laser beam signal beginning with a next said time delay from an ending said time delay associated with said copy of the prior-transmitted said laser beam signal. 16. A method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising transmitting a sufficient number of independent, discrete laser beam signals and developing a corresponding number of sequentially delayed sets of said predetermined number of copies wherein each said set differs from a preceding set and a following set by said about 25 nanosecond time delay so as to provide a maximum range of about 5 kilometers. 17. A method for determining at least range to a target comprising: sending a laser beam signal to said target, obtaining a replica of a sent said laser beam signal including a temporal index indicating time of transmission of said laser beam signal, developing a predetermined number of copies of said replica of said laser beam signal, applying a different, predetermined time delay to each copy of said predetermined number of copies, each said time delay corresponding to a discrete different range to a said target, receiving a return reflection of said laser beam signal from said target, said return reflection being delayed with respect to said temporal index by travel time to and from said target, comparing a received said return reflection of said laser beam signal to each of delayed said predetermined number of copies in order to find a said copy having a highest correlation with said received return reflection, using said predetermined time delay associated with a found said copy having a highest correlation with said received return reflection to calculate range to said target. 18. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein said obtaining a replica of said laser beam signal further comprises sampling laser light of said laser beam signal with a light sensor. 19. A method as set forth in claim 18 wherein said sending a laser beam signal further comprises diverging said laser beam signal into a cone so as to increase an angular field of said laser beam signal, and wherein said receiving a return reflection further comprises configuring an optical receiver to have a field of view generally matching said angular field. 20. A method as set forth in claim 19 further comprising using said optical receiver to focus said received return reflection on a quadrant detector, for determining bearing of said target. 21. A method as set forth in claim 20 wherein said applying a different, predetermined time delay to each copy further comprises sequentially differing each said copy by about 25 nanoseconds. 22. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein if a correlation is not found between said return reflection and a one of said predetermined number of delayed copies, then transmitting another said laser beam signal and sequentially delaying another set of said predetermined number of copies of a said replica of said another laser beam signal beginning with a next said time delay from an ending said time delay associated with a said copy of the prior-transmitted said laser beam signal. 23. A method as set forth in claim 22 further comprising transmitting a sufficient number of independent, discrete laser beam signals and developing a corresponding number of sequentially delayed sets of said predetermined number of copies wherein each said set differs from a preceding set and a following set by said about 25 nanosecond time delay so as to provide a range of about 5 kilometers.