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:
Jun. 17, 2003
Filed:
May. 26, 2000
Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a coherent CW laser radar apparatus, a soft target such as rain, fog, and air turbulence can be detected by using a CW laser. The coherent CW laser radar apparatus is arbandd by comprising: as an optical component, a CW laser oscillating a laser radiation having a single wavelength; a dividing means for dividing laser radiation derived from the CW laser; an optical modulator for modulating one of the laser radiation divided by the dividing means; an optical antenna for projecting the modulated laser radiation as transmitted radiation toward a target, and also for receiving scattered radiation from the target as received radiation; combining means for combining the other of the laser radiation divided by the dividing means as local radiation with the received radiation received from the optical antenna; and a photodetector for optical-heterodyne-detecting the combined radiation. Also, this coherent CW laser radar apparatus is further arbandd by employing: as an electric component, a pseudo-random modulation signal generator for supplying a pseudo-random modulation signal to the optical modulator; a variable delay device for time-delaying a portion of the pseudo-random modulation signal generated from the pseudo-random modulation signal generator; a correlating device for multiplying the output signal of the photodetector by the pseudo-random modulation signal time-delayed by the variable delay device; and signal processing means for acquiring physical information such as a distance of the target and a velocity of the target based upon a intensity and a frequency of the output signal from the correlating device, and also the delay time set by the variable delay device. In this radar apparatus, an optical path between the optical components is constituted by an optical fiber.