University of California

Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

David Wayne Morley

Mark E Dunham

Dennis N Mansell

Peter Durkin

Gregory Newton Whitfield

An optical identification system for identifying a vehicle. The system comprises a laser source for generating a transmitted beam and a reflector in optical communication therewith. The reflector is operative to reflect the transmitted beam to thereby generate a reflected beam. The system further includes a shutter in optical communication with the reflected beam and operative to modulate the polarization of the reflected beam with identification information thereby generating a modulated reflected beam. The optical identification system of the present invention further includes a detector in optical communication with the modulated reflected beam. The detector is operative to pass the modulated reflected beam and decode the identification information modulated thereon.

Modulated-retroreflector based optical identification system

A low-noise FET amplifier is connected to amplify output charge from a che coupled device (CCD). The FET has its gate connected to the CCD in common source configuration for receiving the output charge signal from the CCD and output an intermediate signal at a drain of the FET. An intermediate amplifier is connected to the drain of the FET for receiving the intermediate signal and outputting a low-noise signal functionally related to the output charge signal from the CCD. The amplifier is preferably connected as a virtual ground to the FET drain. The inherent shunt capacitance of the FET is selected to be at least equal to the sum of the remaining capacitances.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Fe, NM, United States of America

David Wayne Morley