Laser obstacle ranging and display

Abstract

Apparatus, for detecting at least one object and preventing receiver burn-out, mounted on a vehicle, including a laser and at least one receiver, the receiver being coupled with the laser, the laser for transmitting a beam of light and the receiver for detecting reflections of the beam of light from the object, the laser including at least one signal diode, a commutator, a power supply signal diode driver, a circulator, an erbium doped fiber (EDF), a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM), a narrow band Bragg reflector, a first fiber pump diode, an output combiner and a second fiber pump diode, the commutator being coupled with each signal diode and the power supply signal diode drive, the circulator being optically coupled with each signal diode, the EDF and the output combiner, the WDM being optically coupled with the EDF, the narrow band Bragg reflector and the first fiber pump diode and the second fiber pump diode being optically coupled with the output combiner, each signal diode generating a beam of light distinct from one another, the power supply signal diode driver for supplying energy to each signal diode, the circulator for directing the beam of light in at least one of at least two different directions, the EDF for amplifying the beam of light thereby producing an amplified beam of light, the narrow band Bragg reflector for reflecting only the amplified beam of light through the EDF a second time, thereby producing a double amplified beam of light and the first fiber pump diode and the second fiber pump diode for pumping the EDF, wherein the WDM and each of the signal diodes are located on opposite sides of the EDF, wherein the output combiner outputs the beam of light, wherein the commutator enables each signal diode, one at a time, to draw a predetermined amount of energy from the power supply signal diode driver, wherein one signal diode generates a low energy beam of light and another one generates a high energy beam of light, wherein the low energy beam of light is transmitted by the output combiner before the high energy beam of light, and when the low energy beam of light is detected by the receiver, and the energy level of the low energy beam is above a predetermined threshold, the high energy beam of light is not transmitted.

1 .- 67 . (canceled) 
     
     
         68 . Method, for detecting at least one object, comprising the procedures of:
 scanning a volume of interest, from a moving vehicle, using a pulsed beam of light at a certain field-of-view (FOV);   detecting the motion of said vehicle;   adjusting said FOV according to detected motion of said vehicle.   
     
     
         69 . The method according to  claim 68 , wherein said procedure of adjusting comprises adjusting said FOV according to a detected linear velocity of said vehicle using an increasing function. 
     
     
         70 . The method according to  claim 68 , wherein said procedure of adjusting comprises adjusting said FOV according to a detected angular velocity of said vehicle using a decreasing function. 
     
     
         71 . The method according to  claim 68 , wherein said detected motion is selected from the list consisting of:
 the angular velocity of said vehicle;   the angular acceleration of said vehicle;   the linear velocity of said vehicle; and   the linear acceleration of said vehicle.   
     
     
         72 . The method according to  claim 68 , wherein said pulsed beam of light is at a certain line-of-sight (LOS), further comprising the procedure of adjusting said LOS in the direction of said motion according to a detected angular velocity of said vehicle using an increasing function. 
     
     
         73 . The method according to  claim 68 , wherein said pulsed beam of light is at a certain pulse repetition rate (PRR), and wherein said pulsed beam of light originates from a light source, further comprising the procedure of adjusting said PRR of said pulsed beam of light according to said detected motion. 
     
     
         74 . The method according to  claim 73 , wherein said procedure of adjusting comprises adjusting said PRR according to a detected linear velocity of said vehicle using an increasing function. 
     
     
         75 . The method according to  claim 73 , wherein said procedure of adjusting comprises adjusting said PRR according to a detected angular velocity of said vehicle using a decreasing function. 
     
     
         76 . The method according to  claim 73 , further comprising the procedures of:
 detecting the motion of said light source with respect to said vehicle;   adjusting the PRR of said pulsed beam of light according to said detected motion.   
     
     
         77 . The method according to  claim 76 , wherein said procedure of adjusting comprises adjusting said PRR according to a detected linear velocity of said light source with respect to said vehicle using an increasing function. 
     
     
         78 . The method according to  claim 76 , wherein said procedure of adjusting comprises adjusting said PRR according to a detected angular velocity of said light source with respect to said vehicle using a decreasing function. 
     
     
         79 . The method according to  claim 68 , wherein said pulsed beam of light is at a certain output peak power and wherein said pulsed beam of light originates from a light source, further comprising the procedure of adjusting said output peak power of said pulsed beam of light according to said detected motion. 
     
     
         80 . The method according to  claim 79 , wherein said procedure of adjusting comprises adjusting said output peak power according to a detected linear velocity of said vehicle using an increasing function. 
     
     
         81 . The method according to  claim 79 , further comprising the procedures of:
 detecting the motion of said light source with respect to said vehicle;   adjusting said output peak power of said pulsed beam of light according to a detected motion of said light source.   
     
     
         82 . The method according to  claim 81 , wherein said procedure of adjusting comprises adjusting said output peak power according to a detected linear velocity of said light source with respect to said vehicle using an increasing function. 
     
     
         83 .- 84 . (canceled) 
     
     
         85 . The method according to  claim 68 , further comprising the procedures of:
 providing an indication to a user, said indication being related to said at least one object; and   adjusting said indication to said user according to said detected motion of said vehicle.   
     
     
         86 . The method according to  claim 68 , further comprising the procedures of:
 determining an updated location of said at least one object; and   presenting said updated location to a user.   
     
     
         87 . The method according to  claim 86 , wherein said procedure of presenting comprises selectively presenting said updated location to said user in accordance with a nature of said at least one object. 
     
     
         88 . The method according to  claim 86 , wherein said procedure of presenting comprises presenting said updated location to said user only when said at least one object is a possibly hazardous obstacle to said vehicle.