Patent ID: 9086486
Filing Date: 2015-07-21
Classification: B60S,G01S,G05D

Abstract:
1. A collision avoidance system comprising at least one ladar sensor having a field of view and illuminating pattern, said at least one ladar sensor housed within an envelope and mounted on a vehicle, said envelope with at least one transparent face capable of transmitting infrared laser light, said at least one ladar sensor further comprising a pulsed laser transmitter having a pulsed light output and diffusing optic and adapted to emit a laser light pulse to illuminate a scene in the field of view of said ladar sensor, and a time zero reference circuit having a time zero output, said time zero output adapted to signal the instant of emission of the laser light pulse, a regular geometric array of light sensitive detectors positioned at a focal point of a light collecting and focusing lens, and each individual light sensitive detector having an output terminal producing an electrical pulse when illuminated by a reflected portion of the laser light pulse, a readout integrated circuit comprising a regular geometric array of unit cell electrical circuits, each unit cell electrical circuit having an input connected to the output terminal of an individual light sensitive detector, and each unit cell electrical circuit adapted to amplify and detect said electrical pulse, and said unit cell electrical circuit having a detected pulse output, and a plurality of timing circuits, each timing circuit connected to a detected pulse output, and also connected to the time zero output, and said timing circuits each having an elapsed time output producing an elapsed time measurement value indicating the time delay between the emission of the laser light pulse and an electrical pulse indicated by said detected pulse output from said unit cell electrical circuit, said readout integrated circuit connected to the elapsed time outputs, and the readout integrated circuit adapted to collect and transmit said elapsed time outputs; and,