Other

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.

Lightworks Ii, LLC

Ball Corporation

Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies, Inc.

Light Works

Christian J Grund

Jerome H Lemelson

Robert M Pierce

Ronald P Earhart

Carl S Weimer

Robert Fondiller

Rex M Craig

Steve Dobler

Bevan D Staple

Michael D Braun

Paul J M Suni

Ian J Gravseth

John H Marquardt

Timothy J Carrig

Xiaopei Huang

The present technology is directed to apparatuses, systems, and methods for improving the performance of non-contact vibrometers in the presence of platform motion and speckle noise. In addition, systems and methods are described that allow intentional frequency displacement of heterodyne and/or homodyne vibrometer returns to enable disambiguation of the sign of the vibration direction in the presence or absence of platform motion.

Method and apparatus for offset frequency separation and drop out mitigation in non-contact vibrometry

Methods, systems, and devices are provided that may facilitate multibeam coherent detection and/or speckle mitigation. For example, some embodiments provide for multiple simultaneous independent speckle realizations in light reflected from an actively illuminated target while also may simultaneously provide reference beams inherently aligned to each speckle. These tools and techniques may facilitate coherent detection of light returned from a target. In some cases, this may provide the basis for substantial speckle mitigation. With the addition of illumination phase or frequency modulation and/or intelligent algorithmic methods, some designs may utilize the multiple speckle returns to actively mitigate speckle noise, and can further be used to separately measure speckle phase to implement interferometric resolution surface tilt measurement and/or surface imaging. These tools and techniques may be utilized for other purposes related to multibeam coherent detection and/or speckle mitigation.

Methods, systems, and devices for multibeam coherent detection and speckle mitigation

A method and system to determine a match between a known and unknown signal is provided. The method and system first conditions an unknown signal by anti-aliasing and digitizing the unknown signal. The condition signal is then compared on a bit by bit basis to at least one known signal to determine a match. A threshold detector determines that the conditioned signal matches the at least one known signal when the number of bit matches exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Method and apparatus to determine a match between signals

The present invention pertains to systems and methods for the capture of information regarding scenes using single or multiple three-dimensional LADAR systems. Where multiple systems are included, those systems can be placed in different positions about the imaged scene such that each LADAR system provides different viewing perspectives and/or angles. In accordance with further embodiments, the single or multiple LADAR systems can include two-dimensional focal plane arrays, in addition to three-dimensional focal plane arrays, and associated light sources for obtaining three-dimensional information about a scene, including information regarding the contours of the objects within the scene. Processing of captured image information can be performed in real time, and processed scene information can include data frames that comprise three-dimensional and two-dimensional image data.

Systems and methods of scene and action capture using imaging system incorporating 3D LIDAR

Field widening lens methods and systems are provided. The field widening lens includes a non-planar primary mirror and a secondary mirror. In addition, separate input and output ports are provided. The field widening lens further provides for an optical path difference for rays within the lens that is essentially zero for any ray within the field of view of an optical system including the field widening lens, regardless of the angle at which the ray entered the lens.

Field widening lens

A pulse data recorder system and method are provided. Upon the arrival or occurrence of an event or signal, the state of a digital switch is set. Upon receiving a pulse from a readout clock, the state of the switch is stored in a buffer memory, and the state of the switch is reset. As the readout clock is run, a time history of the state of the switch is obtained. The pulse data recorder can feature a plurality of unit cells, for use in imaging or other multiple pixel applications.

Method using a switch and memory to count events

Pulse data recorder in which a value held by a bit of a memory is determined by a state of a switch

Lidar systems and methods are provided. The lidar system includes an optical autocovariance receiver and one or more chemical composition sensors or processors, in addition to a Doppler signal processor for obtaining relative wind speed information. The additional processors may include a high spectral resolution lidar signal processor and/or a differential absorption lidar processor that receive input signals from the optical autocovariance receiver. Receivers that may be incorporated into the lidar system, in addition to the optical autocovariance receiver, include a depolarization receiver, a Raman receiver, and/or an Etalon receiver.

Optical autocovariance lidar

The present invention pertains in general to a single, integrated flash LADAR system and method. The system includes data processing hardware and software, a passive two-dimensional camera, a three-dimensional camera, a light source, and a common optical path. One or more star trackers can also be included. In addition, auxiliary components, such as an inertial measurement unit and a global positioning system receiver can be included. The system can be closely integrated with a critical algorithm suite that operates in multiple modes, in real-time to enable landing, docking, and navigation functions, such as Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC), Altimetry, Velocimetry, Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN), Hazard Detection and Avoidance (HDA), and dust penetration.

Flash LADAR system

A remote sensing optical system and method is disclosed that permits detection and discrimination of aerosols. The system outputs a plurality of wavelengths and is equipped with a polarization sensitive receiver capable of measuring the scattered energy in two orthogonal polarization states. By normalizing the depolarization to the total energy received and calculating the ratio of normalized depolarization at different wavelengths it is possible to use this ratio to discriminate materials having wavelength dependent depolarization properties. One use is the discrimination of bioaerosols such as anthrax from other airborne particular matter.

Wavelength normalized depolarization ratio lidar

A self-mixing sensor usable for remotely measuring speed, vibrations, range, and length is provided in a manner making the device practical for economic implementation while retaining accuracy. In one embodiment, the device is configured to avoid mode hopping, such as by providing for relatively high loss for all modes other than the desired mode. Preferably this is accomplished by utilizing laser types that have a high degree of side mode supression, such as DFB lasers or through active or passive control of the amount of light permitted to reenter the laser.

Self-mixing sensor apparatus and method

An interactive instructional system includes a microprocessor-controlled base station for use by an instructor and/or a computer and a plurality of input devices each for use by a student. The base station and input devices communicate over a communication link or network employing wires, optical fibers, radio links, infrared links or the like. Each input device is in the form of a multiple keyswitch operated device which the student may operate to respond to a question posed by the instructor, computer or base station during a lecture. Each input device is also provided with an identifier code. Responses by the student are transmitted to the base station in messages, each of which further includes an identifier code thereby identifying the answering device or student. The base station receives the students' responses from the input devices and generates information for display to the instructor, including selected class and individual statistics, the base station using the identifier code to associate each response to a student. The base station may provide the information to the instructor so that, during a lecture or course, instructional material and techniques can be adjusted based on the feedback information as to how well the class and individual students are learning the subject matter. Since this system can be used continuously during a lecture or course (instead of relying on tests only a few times during a course), the instructor can continuously tailor the course to the learning speed of the class.

Interactive educational system and method

An electronic system for automatically identifying objects employing microminiature electronic circuitry supported by each object and containing three operable subsystems, (a) a means for converting shortwave energy from a local energy field to electrical energy, (b) a means for generating coded electrical signals and (c) a means for shortwave transmitting such signals as codes to a local receiver. The system also includes a shortwave receiving means and an electronic computer operable to process and analyze the coded signals received by the receiver from the electronic circuitry energized when in the energy field. The computer generates control signals which are recorded and are utilized in tracking the objects.

Radio frequency controlled interrogator-responder system with passive

A scanning and monitoring system employing automatic image analysis of an image field, object or group of objects over a period of time together with the detection and analysis of one or more other variables, such as generated by sensors sensing changes in or degrees of magnetism, magnetic spin, self radiation, induced radiation, color, temperature, internal structure such as grain or crystalline structure, flow and/or other variables relating to selected objects in an image field under analysis and/or selected portions of such image field. Image information derived from the analysis of reflected light, X-ray, sonic, magnetic spin or nuclear magnetic resonance or other variable or a combination of such variables, is sensed, converted to signals such as analog video signals which are digitized and automatically computer analyzed with time wherein the time variable is recorded by means of codes and used in the automatic analysis. Information is computed defining such variables as changes in position attitude, size, shape, number, distribution, velocity, direction of travel, spin or rotation, color, surface structure, etc. of a selected object or objects in an image field or fields under study or surveillance and such information is recorded and/or used to drive or operate a display, alarm or speech generator, printer or other device such as a control for a motor or operating device which is operable to control or change one or more variables associated with the field being scanned and analyzed.

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Christian J Grund