Multiple coherent beam combination systems sharing a common receiver

Abstract

A targeting receiver operates with beam emitters. Each emitter generates coherent beams directed towards a target as a composite beam having an associated signature. For each composite beam, the target reflects a proportion of radiation intensity as a reflected radiation component. A receiver telescope collects target-reflected radiation and directs the radiation to a spatial filter. The reflected radiation includes radiation components, at least some of which are combined as a combined radiation composed of the reflected radiation components. Intensity of the combined radiation indicates the intensity of the composite beams impinging on the target. The spatial filter filters the reflected radiation by selectively passing the combined radiation. Each component of the combined radiation is identifiable by the signature associated with the composite beam corresponding to the component of the combined radiation. In certain embodiments, a distinguishing module is associated with the receiver and distinguishes the components based on the signature.