Patent ID: 7064817
Filing Date: 2006-06-20
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. A method for aligning a laser transmitter system and a receiver optical system comprising: a) placing an attenuator-and-reflector assembly on a receiver optical system; b) reflecting a first portion of an output laser beam from a laser transmitter system into said attenuator-and-reflector assembly: c) attenuating said first portion of said output laser beam to a power level insufficient to damage said receiver optical system and a reflector assembly of said attenuator-and-reflector assembly; d) reflecting said first portion of said output laser beam to change direction so as to direct said first portion of said output laser beam into said receiver optical system; e) inputting said first portion of said output laser beam into said receiver optical system; f) directing a second portion of said first portion of said output laser beam onto a means for capturing an image located at a back focal plane of said receiver optical system to generate an image of said second portion; g) determining a position and an intensity profile of said image of said second portion of said output laser beam using said means for capturing an image; and h) adjusting at least one optical element of said laser transmitter system when said image of said second portion of said output laser beam does not impinge upon a desired region of a plurality of pixels of said means for capturing an image.