Patent ID: 6693561
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: G01S,H04B

Abstract:
A system for searching for targets over an extended range in a marine environment, comprising:a) an abovewater-mounted transceiver for directing a light beam along an optical path forwardly of the transceiver toward water, and for detecting return target reflections reflected off any targets over a field of view; b) means for scanning at least one of the light beam and the field of view over the extended range, including a deviation prism mounted in the optical path for movement relative to the transceiver, the prism having an axis, a non-deviating portion located on the axis for enabling at least one of the light beam and the return target reflections to continuously pass as undeviated light forwardly of the transceiver along the axis, and a deviating portion located off the axis for deviating said at least one of the light beam and the return target reflections to direct deviated light forwardly of the transceiver off the axis; and c) a drive for moving the prism to alternately direct the deviated light from one side of the axis to an opposite side of the axis.