LASER SYSTEM FOR THE DETECTION OF OPTOELECTRONIC OBJECTS (OEO)

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to instrument manufacture and can be used as a display unit for the detection of optoelectronic objects when ingressing within a visibility thereof. The technical result of the present invention is to increase the efficiency of detecting optoelectronic objects, including under dynamic conditions of observation. This result is achieved by the fact that a photosensitive detector is provided with a narrow-band interference filter having a pass band which is equal to the spectrum line width of a frequency-pulsed laser, and the electric circuit of said photosensitive detector comprises in series connected a threshold laser emission intensity device, an audible-signalling device and a coordinate-determination unit comprising an angular position sensor, an emission pulse counter and a digital device.

Description: LASER SYSTEM FOR THE DETECTION OF OPTOELECTRONIC OBJECTS (OEO) BACGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to instrument manufacture and can be used as a display unit for the detection of optoelectronic objects when ingressing within a visibility thereof. II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The closest prior art has been described in a laser marker PEQ-1A ["James International Defense Review", 1996, No. 2, pp. 19-20] comprising a night sight (LVNVS), including a laser and a photosensitive detector (FD). This instrument makes it possible that a target-oriented laser emission (more exactly, a laser spot on the target) be visible during the hours of darkness, which increases the probability of a successful target designation. Major drawbacks associated with the prior art device reside in a limited field of vision; impossibility to operate under dynamic conditions of observation; restricted capabilities to operate during daylight (especially, solar) hours; the lack of independence of the design (from the point of view of detuning from electric power and cooling units); large mass-and-dimensional parameters. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to increase the efficiency of detecting optoelectronic objects, including under dynamic conditions of observation. This object can be achieved in accordance with the present invention by: replacing a prior art laser with electrical power and cooling units by a small-sized semiconductor frequency-pulsed laser (FPL) having a miniature storage battery (3 V) and a radiator; replacing a prior art photosensitive device by a small-sized light guide having a sensitivity of up to 10 "3 μA/lux; locating said laser and photosensitive device (a light- emitting diode) on a rotary platform being hinged on the platform centre such that their optical axes are parallel to each other; introducing additional components into the electrical circuit of said photosensitive device (FD), namely a threshold laser emission intensity device, an emission pulse counter, a sensor of an angular position of said FD and FPL, a unit for determining coordinates of an optoelectronic object (OEO) and an audible- signalling device, wherein, firstly, all these components are connected in series and, secondly, an output of said FPL being connected to an input of said FPL emission pulse counter, an output of said threshold laser emission intensity device being connected to an input of said FD, outputs of a rotating platform and a hinge being connected to an input of said FD and FPL angular position sensor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other advantages and features of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment, which is intended to explain and not to limit the invention, and is illustrated in the drawings in which: FIGURE 1 shows a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIGURE 1 , the present invention comprises a frequency-pulsed laser (1 ) with an objective lens, a photodetector (2) with an objective lens, a narrow-band interference filter (3), an optoelectronic object (4), a platform (5) rotating about the vertical axis, a hinge (6) of vibration-rotational motion of said FPL and FD, a threshold laser emission intensity device (7), a FPL emission pulse counter (8), a FD and FPL angular position sensor (9), an OEO coordinate-determination unit (10), an audible-signaling device (11 ). The present device operates as follows. FPL emission pulses, through an objective lens, "look over" the space around an object to be protected at the expense of the beam scanning by the horizon from 0 to 360 during rotation of a platform (5) about the vertical axis, and by an azimuth angle during vibration-rotational motion of a hinge (6). In so doing, an emission spot of this laser may be changed at the expense of the axial displacement of an objective lens. When realizing relationships for angular speeds of rotation of the platform (ω h ) and vibration-rotational motion in the vertical plane (ω v ): ω = θ • v and ω v = (θ • θ v • v)/2π, wherein: θ h , θ v = divergence of the FPL emission in the horizontal and vertical plane, respectively; v = FPL pulse recurrence frequency; an upper half-space is closely (without gaps) filled up around an object to be protected per time π 2 /v • θ n • θ v , which amounts to (provided θ h = 10 "2 radian, θ v = 10 ~1 radian, v = 10 4 Hz) approximately one second. When the OEO finds itself in the upper half-space and the laser light is set to bear on an object to be protected (that is, the FPL objective lens is within the OEO visibility), the laser light of the FPL will flash, that is to say, be reflected in a strictly reverse direction. In case where a distance between optical axes of the FPL and FD objective lenses is less than a cross-section radius of the incoming beam Δ < λ/D • I + D/2, wherein: λ = FPL emission wavelength; D = an aperture of the optoelectronic object; I = the distance between the FD and the OEO; then a part of emission from the OEO will fall, through the objective lens and the interference filter, on the FD (2). To cut off all the false flashes from foreign light sources, the FD objective lens is provided with a narrow-band interference filter having a pass band which is equal to the spectrum line width of said FPL. A light signal obtained is converted at the FD into electric one and applied to a threshold laser emission intensity device (7), where comparison of the electric signal value with that of the threshold signal (which is preset at a level of electric signals incoming from false targets) takes place. In case of excess of the electric signal above the threshold signal, said signal is applied to an emission pulse counter (8) and an angular position sensor (9), where, upon receipt of information on the number of the FPL pulses passed and of a signal from the angular position sensor, angular coordinates of the platform (5) and the hinge (6) are determined within a coordinate-determination unit (10) at the moment of arrival of a flashing signal. Thus, angular coordinates of the optoelectronic object are determined followed by their displaying at a display unit. Upon determination of the OEO coordinates, the electric signal is applied to an audible-signaling device which produces an alarm signal to be used for the protection of the object concerned. Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment, the invention is not limited to the details thereof, and various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the invention as further defined in the appended claims.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: A laser system for detecting optoelectronic objects (OEO) comprising a frequency-pulsed laser (FPL) and a photodetector (FD) with objective lenses having parallel optical axes, characterized in that, in order to increase the efficiency of detecting OEO, an objective lens of said FD is provided with a narrow-band interference filter having a pass band which is equal to the spectrum line width of said FPL, the electric circuit of said FD comprises in series connected a threshold laser emission intensity device, an emission pulse counter with an angular position sensor, a coordinate-determination unit and an audible- signalling device, an output of said FPL being connected to an input of said FPL emission pulse counter, an output of said threshold laser emission intensity device being connected to an input of said FD, outputs of a rotating platform and a hinge being connected to an input of said FD and FPL angular position sensor, wherein said FPL and FD are located on the platform rotating about the vertical axis to enable vibration-rotational motion in the vertical plane such that ω h = θ h • v, ω v = (θ h • θ v • v)/2π, and a distance between optical axes of the FPL and FD objective lenses Δ < λ/D • I + D/2, wherein: ω h = an angular rotational speed of the platform about the vertical axis; ω v = an angular speed of vibration-rotational motion in the vertical plane; θ h , θ v = divergence of the FPL emission in the horizontal and vertical plane, respectively; v = FPL pulse recurrence frequency; λ = FPL emission wavelength; D = an aperture of the optoelectronic object; I = a distance from a FD entrance pupil to the optoelectronic object.

Inventors: MIKHAILENKO SERGEI ANATOLIEVIC, SLIPCHENKO NIKOLAI NIKOLAEVICH, MIKHAILENKO, SERGEI ANATOLIEVICH, SLIPCHENKO, NIKOLAI NIKOLAEVICH
Applicants: MIKHAILENKO SERGEI ANATOLIEVIC, SLIPCHENKO NIKOLAI NIKOLAEVICH, MIKHAILENKO, SERGEI ANATOLIEVICH, SLIPCHENKO, NIKOLAI NIKOLAEVICH
Application year: 1997
Main classification: G02B26
IPC codes: G01S17