Patent ID: 8665122

Claim:
A system for detection and imaging of objects ( 16 ) in the course of speed boats and other marine vessels and for warning about objects that may constitute a risk to the navigational safety, said vessels preferably exhibiting a navigation and communication system ( 28 ), said system comprising a scanning unit ( 10 ) for laser illumination of objects ( 16 ) within the field of view of the system, including a control unit ( 11 ) and an operator panel ( 12 ), characterized in that the scanning unit ( 10 ) includes: a light source ( 30 ), preferably an eye-safe IR laser provided to emit a laser beam ( 33 ) within the field of view of the system, an optics/sensor- and pulse processing unit ( 21 ) including optical detectors ( 34 , 38 ) for monitoring the output power of the laser beam ( 33 ) and generation of trigger pulses for measurement of distances to objects ( 16 ), for reception/detection of radiant energy reflected from objects ( 16 ), including measurement of distance to the reflecting object(s) ( 16 ) based on the time delay between emitted and reflected light, including energy and peak power of the pulses, a first ( 19 ) and second ( 20 ) scanning mechanism, said scanning unit ( 10 ) being arranged to generate a regular pattern of laser spots on a water surface, where partly overlapping laser spots ( 17 ) are generated along radial scan lines ( 18 ) from the vessel by means of the first scanning mechanism ( 19 ) and by rotating the scan lines about a vertical axis by means of the second scanning mechanism ( 20 ) so that the entire or parts of the water surface around the vessel is covered with overlapping laser spots.