The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 06, 1993
Filed:
Feb. 20, 1992
Bobby L Ulich, Tucson, AZ (US);
Kent Pflibsen, Tucson, AZ (US);
Kaman Aerospace Corporation, Bloomfield, CT (US);
Abstract
An electro-optical camera system is presented. In accordance with the present invention, a light source (e.g. laser) is modulated by an electro-optic modulator (such as a Pockels cell) and transmitted out through an optical system toward a static target scene. The light backscattered from the target scene is then focused by the same optics back through the same Pockels cell onto a two-dimensional array camera such as a CCD or a CID (charge-couple device or charge injection device). A computer determines the frequency modulation period of each pixel in the array as the frequency of the electro-optic modulator is varied. This period is inversely proportional to the range of the target in the direction defined by the pixel location. Thus, all three spatial coordinates (two angles and a range) of each target area sensed by each pixel are determined. The computer will display the array of range data using a suitable output device such as a video display unit or a printer.