Messerschmitt-bolkow-blohm Gmbh

Ernst A Seiffarth

Thorsteinn Halldorsson

Konrad Altmann

Sigmnund Manhart

An optical sensor device for recognizing optical irradiation and detecting its direction is constructed as a spherical-shell section from dielectric, optically transparent material. The irradiation penetrating into the spherical-shell section is reflected back and forth between the exterior and the interior surface or between a mirror and a thin shell via an air gap or vacuum gap, and is thus deflected to the shell edge. Since signals of different intensities are received at the irradiation detector at the beam edge according to the direction of incidence, the direction of incidence of the irradiation can be determined from the relationship of the signals.

Optical sensor device using a dielectric transparent spherical-shell

A device for the recognition and directional detection of optical radiation, especially laser radiation, i.e., a so-called laser warning sensor. The laser warning sensor comprises several optical input systems to which a light guide path leading to a detector is assigned. In the individual light guide paths, polarizing devices for the linear polarization of the incident optical radiation are provided which determine for each light guide path at its end facing the detector, a specific direction of polarization which is different from the direction of polarization of the other light guide paths. The radiation leaving the ends of the light guide paths combined in a bundle is conducted to a detector designed as a polarimeter. From the direction of polarization determined in the polarimeter, the direction of the incident laser radiation is determined in an evaluation circuit.

Laser radiation warning sensor utilizing polarization

A device for detecting the presence and direction of a pulsating or intensity-modulated laser radiation, in which the direction of radiation is exactly determined measures time intervals. A system with two detector elements is provided, with the first element producing a starting signal immediately when the laser radiation is incident, and the second element producing a stop signal which is delayed in time relative thereto. The second detector element is connected to a plurality of unequally long optical delay lines, each coupled to an optical collecting aperture having a specific orientation and a limited field of sight, with the individual fields of sight overlapping one another.

Growing community of inventors

Taufkirchen, Germany

Ernst A Seiffarth