The present invention relates to rangefinders and, in particular, it concerns rangefinders for use in a guided missile.
By way of introduction, rangefinders are typically installed behind a window of a missile seeker head. The window is generally formed from a heat resistant material such as sapphire. Additionally, it is advantageous for the laser and detector of the range finder to share the same optical channel in order to make the rangefinder compact. However, up to 10% of the outgoing laser pulses are reflected back by the seeker head window to the detector. These reflections can destroy the detector or at the very least saturate the sensor.
Additionally, back-scattering from atmospheric aerosols can saturate the sensor and/or distort the range computations of the rangefinder.
There is therefore a need for an accurate rangefinder which prevents the detector from being saturated or destroyed by reflections from the missile window or aerosols.
The present invention is a rangefinder construction and method of operation thereof.
According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided, a range finder system for determining a range of an object, comprising: (a) a source of laser radiation configured for transmitting a plurality of pulses; (b) a first detector; (c) a second detector; (d) an optical arrangement configured for directing the pulses along an outgoing path and receiving the pulses reflected by the object along a return path, wherein: (i) the first detector is deployed to be responsive to the pulses traveling along the outgoing path; and (ii) the second detector is deployed to detect the pulses traveling along the return path; and (e) a controller configured for: (i) shorting a connection within the second detector so as to render the second detector insensitive to the reflections of the pulses from less than a minimum range; and (ii) determining the range of the object based upon a time-of-flight of at least one of the pulses based upon output signals of the first detector and the second detector.
In accordance with an additional feature of the present invention, the controller is configured for shorting the connection within the second detector for at least 20 nanoseconds.
In accordance with an additional feature of the present invention, there is also provided a shared electronic channel having a channel input and a channel output, the shared electronic channel being configured for amplifying signals, wherein the first detector has a first detector output operationally connected to the channel input and the second detector has a second detector output operationally connected to the channel input, wherein the controller is operationally connected to the channel output.
In accordance with an additional feature of the present invention, the shared electronic channel is also configured for filtering signals.
In accordance with an additional feature of the present invention, there is also provided a switch having a first switch input, a second switch input and a switch output, the first switch input being electrically connected to the switch output in a first operative position of the switch, the second switch input being electrically connected to the switch output in a second operative position of the switch, the first detector output being electrically connected to the first switch input, the second detector output being electrically connected to the second switch input, the switch output being electrically connected to the channel input.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is a range finder system for determining a range of an object, comprising: (a) a source of laser radiation configured for transmitting a plurality of pulses; (b) a first detector; (c) a second detector; (d) an optical arrangement configured for directing the pulses along an outgoing path and receiving the pulses reflected by the object along a return path, wherein: (i) the first detector is deployed to be responsive to the pulses traveling along the outgoing path; and (ii) the second detector is deployed to detect the pulses traveling along the return path; (e) a shared electronic channel having a channel input and a channel output, the shared electronic channel being configured for amplifying signals, wherein the first detector has a first detector output operationally connected to the channel input and the second detector has a second detector output operationally connected to the channel input; and (f) a controller operationally connected to the channel output, the controller being configured for determining the range of the object based upon a time-of-flight of at least one of the pulses based upon output signals of the first detector and the second detector.
In accordance with an additional feature of the present invention, the shared electronic channel is also configured for filtering signals.
In accordance with an additional feature of the present invention, there is also provided a switch having a first switch input, a second switch input and a switch output, the first switch input being electrically connected to the switch output in a first operative position of the switch, the second switch input being electrically connected to the switch output in a second operative position of the switch, the first detector output being electrically connected to the first switch input, the second detector output being electrically connected to the second switch input, the switch output being electrically connected to the channel input.
In accordance with an additional feature of the present invention, the controller is further configured for shorting a connection within the second detector so as to render the second detector insensitive to the reflections of the pulses from less than a minimum range.
In accordance with an additional feature of the present invention, the controller is configured for shorting the connection within the second detector for at least 20 nanoseconds.
In accordance with an additional feature of the present invention, the switch is set to the first operative position prior to the source of laser radiation transmitting each of the pulses, the switch being set to the second operative position after the first detector detects each of the pulses.
The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The present invention is a rangefinder construction and method of operation thereof.
The principles and operation of a rangefinder according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and the accompanying description.
Reference is now made to
Optical arrangement 18 is configured for directing pulses 24 along an outgoing path 26 and receiving pulses 24 reflected by the object along a return path 28. Optical arrangement 18 includes a partially-transparent mirror 30, a reflecting element 32 and a lens system 34. Lens system 34 is shown in
A part of each pulse 24 is reflected by window 22 back along return path 28 toward return pulse detector 16. This “back reflection” off of window 22, which can be up to 10% of the incident radiation, can be very problematic, potentially destroying, or at the very least saturating, return pulse detector 16. To overcome the problem of the “back reflection”, the present invention teaches rendering return pulse detector 16 insensitive to this “back reflection”, as will be described below with reference to
Pulses 24 that are transmitted by window 22 continue to the object. Pulses 24 are reflected by the object back to rangefinder system 10 along return path 28 via window 22 and lens system 34. Return pulse detector 16 is deployed to receive and detect pulses 24 traveling along return path 28. It is seen that optical arrangement 18 defines a partially shared optical channel, shared by outgoing path 26 and return path 28 between reflecting element 32 and window 22.
Reflecting element 32 which is disposed in return path 28 is small enough so as not to disrupt too many pulses 24 travelling along return path 28.
Electronic arrangement 20 is configured for driving source of laser radiation 12 and processing signals from start detector 14 and return pulse detector 16. Electronic arrangement 20 is described in more detail with reference to
Reference is now made to
Shared electronic channel 36 includes a filter 44 for filtering signals and an amplifier 46 for amplifying the filtered signals. Filter 44 is typically a 5 pole filter of 20 MHz per pole. Amplifier 46 is typically a variable gain digital amplifier. The gain of amplifier 46 is increased as a function of time after each pulse is transmitted by source of laser radiation 12. This is because the returned pulse intensity falls according to the inverse square of the distance to the reflecting object and it is preferable to maintain the amplified pulse amplitude in the optimal range for subsequent processing. In other words, if the output voltage of amplifier 46 has a range from 0 to 10 volts and you want to keep the pulse peak in the range of 4 to 8 volts to avoid reaching saturation, you need the amplification to be 4 times greater at 200 meters than for 100 meters because the distance has doubled and the received signal power has fallen off to 25%.
Shared electronic channel 36 is described as “shared” in that the same electronic components are used for filtering and amplifying the output signals of start detector 14 and return pulse detector 16. In other words, shared electronic channel 36 is a single electronic channel for filtering and amplifying output signals of start detector 14 and return pulse detector 16. Using a single channel increases the accuracy of the determination of the range of the object, as will be explained below. If two separate electronic channels are used, one for start detector 14 and one for return pulse detector 16, differences between the calibration and performance of each channel would create errors in the final calculated range of the object. This is mainly due to manufacturing differences and temperature differentials between the two channels. Therefore, by using a single electronic channel errors created by differences between channels do not exist and therefore the calculation of the range of the object is more accurate. Shared electronic channel 36 has a channel input 48 and a channel output 50. Start detector 14 has an output 52. Return pulse detector 16 has an output 54. Output 52 and output 54 are operationally connected to channel input 48. The term “operationally connected” is defined herein to include connection via a temporary connection such as switch 38.
Switch 38 is an electronic switch controller by controller 42. The switching of switch 38 by controller 42 is described in more detail with reference to
Converter 40 is operationally connected to channel output 50. Converter 40 receives the filtered and amplified outputs of start detector 14 and return pulse detector 16. Converter is configured for converting the output of amplifier 46 from an analogue signal to a digital signal.
Controller 42 is operationally connected to converter 40, switch 38, source of laser radiation 12 and return pulse detector 16. Controller 42 is configured for determining the range of the object based upon a time-of-flight of pulses 24 based upon output signals of start detector 14 and return pulse detector 16. Controller 42 knows whether the pulse it receives is from start detector 14 or return pulse detector 16 based upon the operative position of switch 38. Pulses 24 are distinguished from noise by defining a pulse as having an amplitude above a given threshold value.
Reference is now made to
Start detector 14 detects the new pulse as the new pulse travels along outgoing path 26 (block 76). When the beginning of the new pulse is detected by start detector 14, controller 42 renders return pulse detector 16 insensitive to reflections of the new pulse from less than a minimum range, by shorting a connection within return pulse detector 16. The term “less than a minimum range” is defined to include the possibility of excluding even reflections from outside rangefinder system 10, for example, but not limited to reflections from atmospheric aerosol. However, the “minimum range” can be chosen to exclude only reflections from window 22 inwards. Return pulse detector 16 is rendered insensitive to radiation almost immediately upon shorting. The shorting is performed for at least 20 nanoseconds, which corresponds to a distance traveled by the new pulse of approximately 6 meters (block 78). The shorting time is dependent upon the optical path from source of laser radiation 12 to window 22 and back to return pulse detector 16 taking into account the duration of the pulses. The shorting out can be longer to take into account reflection from atmospheric aerosol external to rangefinder system 10.
After the 20 nanosecond shorting period, controller 42 removes the shorting of return pulse detector 16 and switches switch 38 to operative position P2 (block 80), in preparation for shared electronic channel 36 to process an output signal 70 of return pulse detector 16 in relation to the new pulse returning along return path 28. After the shorting is removed, it takes between 150 nanoseconds and 180 nanoseconds for the voltage to build up across the return pulse detector 16 in order for return pulse detector 16 to start sensing (block 82).
When controller 42 determines that output signal 70 drops below a predetermined value or there has an elapse of time greater than a predetermined value, controller 42 then switches switch 38 to operative position P1 (block 84) and then triggers source of laser radiation 12 to fire another new pulse.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather, the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and sub-combinations of the various features described hereinabove, as well as variations and modifications thereof that are not in the prior art which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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166575 | Jan 2005 | IL | national |