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:
Jan. 06, 2015
Filed:
Aug. 03, 2012
George Rakuljic, Santa Monica, CA (US);
George Rakuljic, Santa Monica, CA (US);
Telaris, Inc., Santa Monica, CA (US);
Abstract
A detection apparatus and method for FMCW LIDAR employ signals whose frequencies are modified so that low-cost and low-speed photodetector arrays can be employed for range detection. The LIDAR includes a single mode swept frequency laser (SFL), whose optical frequency is varied with time, as a result of which, a target beam reflected back by the target is shifted in frequency from a reference beam by an amount that is proportional to the relative range z to the target. The reflected target beam is combined with the reference beam and detected by the photodetector array. The difference between the frequencies of the reflected target beam and the reference beam is reduced to a level that is within the bandwidth of the photodetector array by first modulating the target and/or reference beam.