The Boeing Company

David Christien Soreide

Jonathan Martin Saint Clair

Mitchell D Voth

William D Sherman

Robert Paul Higgins

Ordie Dean Butterfield

Gary Alan Ray

Paul Frederic Sjoholm

David A Leep

Tyler M Anderson

Donald Allen Spurgeon

Tai Anh Lam

Glenn Scott Bushnell

John A Bell

Bentley Edwin Northon

Ronald N Murata

Steven M Barton

James Ridgeway Gillis

Patrick T Baker

Robert Roland Keever

Ronald L Hagman

Troy D Daiber

James W Tseng

Russell W Stark

Gary D Douglas

A method and apparatus comprising a group of passive sensor systems, an active sensor system, and a processor unit. The group of passive sensor systems is configured to generate first sensor information from light in an environment around the group of passive sensor systems. The active sensor system is configured to send signals, receive responses from the signals, and generate second sensor information from the responses. The processor unit is configured to control the active sensor system to send the signals in a direction toward an object using the first sensor information and generate information about the object using the second sensor information.

Object detection system for mobile platforms

A laser Doppler vibrometer architecture and detection technique that can remotely identify targets based on their natural vibration frequencies using a scanning Fabry-P&#xe9;rot interferometer. The proposed systems and methods can have stand-off distances longer than the coherence length of the laser by using spectroscopic detection methods instead of coherent heterodyne detection using a local oscillator. Pulsed lasers can be used which have high power output. In addition, by not using an acousto-optic modulator, the speed of the detectable target is not limited. Also the mixing efficiency of the return signal can be improved.

Remote target identification using laser Doppler vibrometry

Systems and methods for measuring a distance to an object. An exemplary method includes directing light beams from three or more continuous-wave lasers onto a target, and also frequency shifting the light beams split off from the lasers to generate local oscillator beams. When the reflected sensor beam (reflected off the target) and the local oscillator beams are combined, the method further includes determining optical phases of heterodynes produced by combining the light beams within the reflected sensor beam and the local oscillator beams, and determining synthetic phases by taking the difference between the optical phases of the heterodynes. The method further includes determining synthetic wavelengths based on the differences between the frequencies of the lasers. The method further includes determining a distance to the target based on the synthetic phases and the synthetic wavelengths.

Laser ranging sensors and methods that use a ladder of synthetic waves having increasing wavelengths to calculate a distance measurement

Methods and apparatus are disclosed herein to determine relative positioning between moving platforms. An example method includes sending a first signal via a first moving platform to be received by a second moving platform. The example method includes receiving, at the first platform, a second signal sent by the second moving platform and aligning the first signal and the second signal. The example method includes determining, at the first moving platform, a first duration of time between the sending of a first pulse and the receiving of a second pulse. The example method includes determining, at the second moving platform, a second duration of time between the sending of the second pulse and the receiving of the first pulse. The example method includes determining a distance of the first moving platform relative to the second moving platform based on the first and second durations of time.

Methods and apparatus to determine relative positioning between moving platforms

A laser metrology system may include a modulated measurement beam, a beam splitter for splitting the measurement beam into a local oscillator beam and a transmitted beam, an optical assembly for projecting the transmitted beam to a measured area on a surface of a target structure and for receiving a reflected beam from the measured area, a beam combiner for combining the reflected beam and the local oscillator beam into a detection beam, a detector for processing the detection beam, the detector including a micro-lens for projecting the detection beam, a photodetector for carrying out coherent detection of the detection beam and detector electronics in communication with the photodetector for generating informational data from the detection beam, and a range processor for computing dimensional data about the measured area from the informational data.

Laser metrology system and method

A non-contact biometric sensing device is described. The device includes a processing device, a user interface communicatively coupled to the processing device, a display communicatively coupled to the processing device, a laser doppler vibrometer sensor communicatively coupled to the processing device, and an infrared camera communicatively coupled to the processing device. The processing device is programmed to utilize mechanical motion data received from the laser doppler vibrometer sensor and thermal distributions data from the infrared camera to calculate biometric data, when signals originating from the laser doppler vibrometer sensor and the infrared camera are reflected back towards the device from a target.

Systems and methods for non-contact biometric sensing

Systems and methods for determining the position of an object in a coordinate system. An exemplary system includes three or more laser ranging sensors each configured to direct a sensor beam of continuous-wave light toward a target. Light reflecting off the target interferes with the sensor beam creating an interference beam. The interference beam is combined with local oscillator beams in each laser ranging sensor to create a synthetic wave beam. Each of the laser ranging sensors also includes an array of photodetectors that sense the synthetic wave beam, and is able to measure a distance to the target based on output from the array of photodetectors. The system further includes a controller that receives a distance measurement from each of the laser ranging sensors, and calculates a position of the target in the coordinate system based on the distance measurements.

Position determination using synthetic wave laser ranging

A method and apparatus comprising a sensor array, a primary lens, and a moveable lens array. The sensor array comprises sensors arranged in an array in which the sensors are configured to generate image data. The primary lens is configured to direct light towards the sensor array. The moveable lens array comprises a number of lenses. The moveable lens array is moveable to a plurality of positions between the primary lens and the sensor array. Each lens in the number of lenses is configured to focus the light.

Scanning zoom system

A Doppler velocimeter apparatus that may have a coherent light source for generating a beam of coherent light. A modulating subsystem may receive and modulate at least a first portion of the beam of coherent light to form a first beam portion, the first beam portion forming a frequency offset and being a modulated, coherent optical signal. An optical element may receive the first beam portion and direct the first beam portion at a subject, the first beam portion being reflected from the subject to form a reflected beam that has a frequency that is modified in relation to the motion of the subject. A processing subsystem may receive a second portion of the beam of coherent light, and also the reflected beam, and uses the second beam portion and the reflected beam to determine a Doppler shift of the reflected beam.

System and method for motion based velocity discrimination for doppler velocimeters

Systems and methods to control projection of a pattern are provided. A particular method includes receiving first three-dimensional coordinates that specify one or more locations on a surface of a workpiece where the one or more locations correspond to a part definition to be projected onto the surface. The method also includes computing scan angles for a scanning system based on the first three-dimensional coordinates. The scan angles specify angles used by the scanning system to direct a beam of light to project the part definition onto the surface. The method also includes sending control signals to the scanning system based on the scan angles.

Controlling a projected pattern

Systems and methods are provided for targetless optical measurement and optical information projection. A non-contact optical measurement device is provided for determining at least one of position and orientation of a workpiece. A projector is provided for projecting a part definition on the workpiece. Advantageously, beams from the non-contact optical measurement device and the projector pass through common optics.

Method and apparatus for combining a targetless optical measurement function and optical projection of information

A Doppler velocimeter apparatus and method of forming same. In one implementation a coherent light source is used for generating a beam of coherent light. An optical fiber receives the beam of coherent light. The optical fiber has an output face that is generally flat, thus enabling a first portion of the beam of coherent light to be reflected back on the optical fiber and to form a frequency offset, while a second portion of the beam of coherent light exits the optical fiber. A mechanism is used to move the output face of the optical fiber in an oscillating fashion so that the first portion of coherent light reflected back on the optical fiber produces an oscillating waveform that forms a frequency offset. An optical element receives the second portion of light from the face of the optical fiber and transmits it to a subject, and then receives a reflected optical signal back from the subject. The reflected optical signal, when mixed with the oscillating frequency offset, produces a Doppler shift that is dependent on the motion of the subject. A processing subsystem processes the mixed signal and determines the Doppler shift of the reflected signal.

A method of calibrating angle drift of a laser radar system is provided, in one aspect of the present invention. The method includes, providing a plurality of virtual fiducials into an xy scanner; and providing a plurality of auxiliary laser sources into the xy scanner. The method also includes, routing a plurality of auxiliary laser beams from the plurality of auxiliary laser sources into the xy scanner; and calibrating an angular position of a plurality of laser directing means. The methods provides creating a calibration signal for updating the angular position of a plurality of scanning mirrors.

Method and system for correcting angular drift of laser radar systems

Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for accurately measuring frequency-and/or-phase-related parameters of a sinusoidal signal that varies non-linearly in frequency or phase. A sinusoidal signal is sampled over a finite period of time at a plurality of sample points. The sampled signals are pre-processed, and a Fourier transform is performed on the pre-processed sampled signals. Phases of the pre-processed sampled signals are extracted from the Fourier transform, and a measurement indicative of frequency of the sinusoidal signal is determined from slope of the phases of the pre-processed sampled signals. Range to a target may be determined using the exemplary signal processing described above on laser radar interference signals.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

David Christien Soreide