RU2544305C1 - Laser location system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: location system performs spectral analysis of observed images of an area in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges, as well as spectral Fourier analysis of a thin structure of laser probing pulses reflected from the observed objects. The system comprises adjustable generation wavelength laser generators, spectral tunable filters based on acoustooptic cells, visible and infrared photodetector units based on video cameras and matrix photosensitive multielement optical signal receivers.

EFFECT: high efficiency of detection and probability of recognising optical and optoelectronic devices and surveillance means, high accuracy of determining coordinates of detected objects and association of coordinates thereof with coordinates and characteristic elements of a monitored area.

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Description

The invention relates to the field of laser ranging and quantum electronics and is intended for use in stationary and mobile ground-based complexes of laser ranging for monitoring the environment, detection and recognition of optical and optoelectronic surveillance means in a controlled area of space.

Known laser detection system for optoelectronic devices according to the patent of England [1], containing a pulsed laser generator with a laser beam forming unit, a photodetector unit with a receiving lens, a memory unit, a control unit. The disadvantages of this device include the low detection efficiency of real objects due to the low information content of this device, in which the observed object is detected by the only feature of the object - the level of the reflected optical signal in the narrow spectral range of the illuminated laser radiation.

A device for detecting optoelectronic objects [2] is known, comprising a laser radiation source, a receiving channel including a lens, a photodetector unit, a television video camera, a controlled aperture with a drive, an automatic gain control unit, an image memory unit. The disadvantages of the device include the low detection efficiency of objects, the low probability of correct detection and the inability to recognize the observed objects. These shortcomings are due to the low information content of the device in which the detection of objects is carried out according to the only observable feature - the magnitude of the reflected optical signal in the narrow spectral range of the illuminated laser radiation. A device for detecting optical and optoelectronic objects [3], containing a pulse-periodic laser, a laser modulator, an electron-optical converter with a lens, a photodetector unit, a video monitoring device, a video signal processing unit, a synchronizer, a pulsed high voltage source. One of the disadvantages of this device is the low efficiency of automatic detection of optical means due to the low information content of the device, in which objects are detected by the integrated value of the reflected optical signal in the narrow spectral range of the illuminated laser radiation. Another disadvantage of the device is the low accuracy of the binding of the detected optical means in the area relative to specific objects in this area due to the low efficiency of determining and recognizing characteristic objects of the observed area.

As a prototype, a device for detecting optical and optoelectronic surveillance devices according to the patent of the Russian Federation [4] was selected, containing two receiving optical channels of the visible range and one transmitting channel based on a laser generator of the visible wavelength range. The first receiving channel contains a receiving lens, a cut-off filter, a first photodetector based on a video camera, a memory unit. The second receiving channel contains an interference filter, a second receiving lens, an electron-optical converter, and a second photodetector based on a video camera. The device also contains a laser generator with a control unit, a composite signal shaper, a differential signal shaper, a delay block, a shutter pulse block, a code shaper, a video signal control and processing unit, and an information display unit. The disadvantages of this device include the low detection efficiency of objects due to the low information content of the device, in which the detection of objects is carried out on the basis of one single determinable feature - the integral level of the reflected signal in a narrow spectral range of the illuminated laser radiation. Object detection is carried out by a single threshold processing of the integrated video signal at the output of a video camera operating in the accumulation mode when receiving a laser reflected pulse signal. This reduces the detection efficiency of a short-time pulsed optical signal when it is recorded by a photodetector based on a video camera designed to receive continuous optical signals and operating in the accumulation mode when the accumulation time significantly exceeds the duration of the pulsed laser reflected signal. As a result, the reliability of the received information and the probability of correct detection of objects are reduced, the possibility of recognizing detected objects and determining their belonging to optoelectronic objects of the corresponding classes is excluded. Due to the low information content, this device does not realize the possibility of extracting from the received optical signals the entire volume of the information contained, and also does not realize the possibility of extracting information from the recorded distribution of the radiation intensity of the underlying surface, against which optoelectronic objects are detected. Another disadvantage of this device is the low accuracy of the coordinates of the detected object to the characteristic observable elements of the underlying surface due to the lack of instrumental alignment of the sighting axes of the two used receiving channels.

The aim of the present invention is to eliminate and overcome these drawbacks, increase the detection efficiency of optical and optoelectronic objects against the underlying surface, illuminated by natural background radiation, increase the likelihood of recognition of detected optoelectronic objects and the reliability of their assignment to the corresponding class of known objects. In the proposed laser location system (LLS), the problem of extracting the maximum amount of information from the laser illuminating radiation reflected from the detected object is solved. In this case, the object is illuminated in two wavelength ranges - in the visible and infrared ranges, in which the wavelength of the illuminating laser radiation is changed, which is ensured by the use of laser generators with radiation wavelength tuning and the use of special tunable spectral filters in the receiving channels of the proposed LLS. The increased information content of the proposed LLS is achieved by registering a thin temporal structure in the laser radiation signals reflected from the detected object in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges. In this case, a spectral time analysis of the structure of reflected and recorded laser radiation signals is carried out using fast Fourier transform processors (FFT). At the same time, in the proposed LLS, registration and spectral analysis of the intensity distribution of the pattern of the underlying surface are carried out, against which various detectable objects are located and observed in a controlled area of space. Spectral analysis of the intensity distribution of the underlying surface is carried out in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges and allows you to obtain additional useful information about the location of the detected objects and to coordinate the coordinates of the objects to the characteristic elements of the controlled volume of space (CPC). This ensures a higher detection efficiency of objects, realizes an increase in the probability of detection and recognition of objects and an increase in the reliability of determining the belonging of objects to the corresponding known class of objects. In the proposed radar system, the target axes of the active receiving and transmitting channels are precisely aligned in both wavelength ranges based on the use of special angular and specular reflectors, which really ensures high accuracy of the detected optical observation instruments to specific objects and elements of the controlled area.

Achievable new technical result is an increase in the detection efficiency and an increase in the likelihood of correct detection and recognition of objects - optical and optoelectronic devices and surveillance tools, an increase in the accuracy of determining the coordinates of detected objects and linking their coordinates to specific objects and characteristic elements of a controlled area.

The specified technical result is achieved as follows.

1. In a laser ranging system comprising optically coupled a first receiving lens mounted on a first optical axis, a first photodetector unit, the output of which is connected to a first memory unit, optically coupled a first laser beam former, a first laser generator and a control unit, mounted on a second optical axis connected to the system control unit, optically coupled to the second receiving lens and the second photo-receiving unit mounted on the third optical axis, the information display unit, subs Connected to the system control unit, three photodetector units, two memory units, two signal recording units, two receiving lenses, six controllable optical filters, five lenses, four spectral tunable filters, a location signal processing unit, a second laser generator with a control unit, and a second laser beam former, two laser deflectors, two fast Fourier transform (FFT) units, four corner reflectors with displacement units, a concave mirror, a reflective mirror with b with a moving eye, a phosphor screen, while the first spectrally tunable filter, the first lens and the first controllable optical filter, the first laser deflector are mounted on the second optical axis between the first laser shaper between the first receiving lens and the first photodetector block, the optically coupled first spectral tunable filter beam and the first laser radiation generator, on the third optical axis between the second receiving lens and the second photodetector the second spectral tunable filter, the second lens and the second controlled optical filter are optically coupled, the outputs of the second photodetector block are connected to the inputs of the first signal recording unit, the third receiving lens, the third spectral tunable filter, the third lens, and the third are optically coupled on the fourth optical axis controlled optical filter and a third photodetector unit, the output of which is connected to the second memory unit, on the fifth optical axis the second laser shaper, the second laser radiation deflector, and the second laser generator with the control unit connected to the system control unit are optically coupled, the fourth receiving lens, the fourth spectral tunable filter, the fourth lens, and the fourth controlled optical are optically coupled on the sixth optical axis a filter and a fourth photodetector unit, the outputs of which are connected to a second signal recording unit, on the seventh optical si are mounted in series optically coupled reflective mirror with a displacement unit, a fifth controlled optical filter, a concave mirror, a phosphor screen, a fifth lens, a sixth controlled optical filter and a fifth photodetector, the output of which is connected to the third memory unit, the optical input of the fifth controlled optical filter through a reflective mirrors are optically coupled to the outputs of the first and second laser beam former, the first corner reflector optically couples the optical input of the first of the first receiving lens with the optical output of the first laser beam former, the optical input of the second receiving lens through the second corner reflector is optically coupled to the output of the first laser beam, the optical output of the second laser beam former is optically coupled through the third and fourth corner reflectors with optical inputs of the third and fourth receiving lenses, the inputs of the first and second blocks of the fast Fourier transform are connected respectively to the outputs of the first of the second and second signal recording units, and the outputs are connected to the inputs of the location signal processing unit, the control inputs of the spectral tunable filters are connected to the location signal processing unit, the outputs of the first, second and third memory units and two signal registration units are connected to the inputs of the location signal processing unit, the control inputs of the controlled optical filters are connected to the location signal processing unit, the outputs of which are connected to the system control unit and to the display unit Nia information blocks move control inputs corner reflectors and the reflecting mirror moving unit connected to the system control unit, the control unit by the second laser generator is connected to the control system, the control inputs of the laser beam deflectors are connected to the system control unit.

2. In the laser location system according to paragraph 1, the first and second laser generators are made on the basis of lasers of the visible and infrared wavelength ranges with the possibility of tuning the wavelengths of the generated laser radiation.

3. In the laser location system according to paragraph 1, the first and fifth photodetector units are based on cameras of the visible wavelength range.

4. In the laser ranging system according to paragraph 1, the third photodetector unit is made on the basis of a video camera of the infrared wavelength range.

5. In the laser ranging system according to paragraph 1, the second and fourth photodetector blocks are based on multi-element two-dimensional photodetector arrays of the visible and infrared wavelength ranges.

6. In the laser location system according to paragraph 1, the spectral tunable filters are based on an acousto-optic tunable cell in which ultrasonic waves are excited that interact with the received laser radiation.

7. In the laser location system according to paragraph 1, the spectral tunable filters are based on a quantum (laser) amplifier — an active quantum filter tunable by the magnitude of the narrow-band filtering wavelength using a magnetic field.

The invention is illustrated by the block diagram of the laser location system shown in figures 1, 2 and 3.

In the block diagram of the LAN shown in figure 1, the numbers indicate the following elements:

1. The first receiving lens.

2. The first spectral tunable filter.

3. The first lens.

4. The first controllable optical filter.

5. The first photodetector based on a camera of the visible wavelength range.

6. The first block of memory.

7. The first laser beam former.

8. The first deflector of laser radiation.

9. The first laser generator of the visible wavelength range with a control unit 10.

11. The second receiving lens.

12. The second spectral tunable filter.

13. The second lens.

14 Second controlled optical filter.

15. The second photodetector based on a multi-element photosensitive matrix of the visible wavelength range.

16. The first block registration signals.

17. The first block of the fast Fourier transform.

18. The third receiving lens.

19. The third spectral tunable filter.

20. The third lens.

21. The third controlled optical filter.

22. The third photodetector based on a video camera infrared wavelength range.

23. The second block of memory.

24. The second laser beam former.

25. The second deflector of laser radiation.

26. Second infrared wavelength laser generator.

27. The control unit of the second laser generator.

28. Fourth receiving lens.

29. The fourth spectral controlled filter.

30. The fourth lens.

31. Fourth controlled optical filter.

32. Fourth photodetector based on a multi-element photosensitive matrix infrared wavelength range.

33. The second block registration signals.

34. The second block of the fast Fourier transform.

35. The first corner reflector with a moving block 36.

37. The second corner reflector with a block of movement 38.

39, 41. The third and fourth corner reflectors with blocks of movement 40, 42.

43. Reflective mirror with displacement block 44.

45. The fifth controlled optical filter.

46. Concave reflective mirror.

47. Phosphor screen.

48. The fifth lens.

49. Sixth controlled optical filter.

50. The fifth photodetector based on a video camera.

51. The third block of memory.

52. Block processing location signals.

53. The control unit of the system.

54. Information display unit.

55. A detectable object in a controlled area of space (CPC).

In figure 1, the numbering of the optical axes is carried out from top to bottom from the first to the seventh optical axis.

Figure 2 shows part of a block diagram of a laser ranging system, which shows a view along arrow A in figure 1. The relative position of the receiving radar channels (receiving lenses pos. 1, 18, 11, 28) and the transmitting radar channels (laser beam former pos. 7 and 24) is shown, as well as the location of the corner reflectors and reflective mirror relative to the receiving lenses of the receiving optical channels and to the output elements of the first and second laser beam former (pos. 7 and 24). Figure 2 also shows reflective mirrors pos.56 and 57 of the scanning device, which are not part of the LAN.

Figure 3 shows part of the block diagram of the LAN, which presents a view along arrow B in figure 2. The mutual arrangement of the two transmitting radar channels and the mutual arrangement of two laser beam former (pos. 7 and 24) and a reflective mirror 43 branching off part of the laser radiation from the outputs of these laser beam former to the optical input of the fifth controlled optical filter 45 and then in the direction of the seventh optical fiber are shown axis to the optical input of the fifth photodetector block 50.

The principle of operation of the laser location system is as follows. The laser location system (LLS) contains four receiving channels located on the first, third, fourth and sixth optical axes (receiving lenses 1, 11, 18, 28), and also contains two transmitting channels located on the second and fifth optical axes (laser beam former pos. 7 and 24). Using two transmitting channels, the controlled region of space is illuminated with laser radiation of the visible wavelength range (laser generator 9) and infrared radiation of the wavelength range (laser generator 26). The laser radiation reflected from the controlled region of space (CPC) is received by the second photodetector block pos. 15 in the visible wavelength range and the fourth photodetector block pos. 32 in the infrared wavelength range. The first pos. 5 and the third pos. 22 photodetector blocks are used for receiving and recording the intensity distribution of the underlying surface (terrain image), illuminated by natural background radiation (radiation from the sun, day or night sky and other sources). Elements of the LLS located along the seventh optical axis, poses 43-50, perform the technical function of establishing and controlling parallelism in the space of the axes of the radiation patterns of the two indicated transmitting channels. Corner reflectors pos. 35, 37 branch off part of the laser radiation from the output of the first laser shaper 7 to the optical inputs of the first and second receiving channels — to the inputs of the receiving lenses 1 and 11. Correspondingly, the corner reflectors pos. 39 and 41 branch off part of the laser radiation with the output of the second shaper of laser radiation 24 to the optical inputs of the third 18 and fourth 28 receiving lenses. The indicated functions of the corner reflectors are carried out in the functional control mode for establishing and controlling the parallelism in the space of the sighting axes of the receiving channels and the corresponding axes of the radiation patterns of the laser radiation of the transmitting channels. In the operating mode of the LAN, the normal state of the corner reflectors 35, 37, 39, 41, as well as the reflective mirror 43 corresponds to the location of these auxiliary elements outside the optical system of the LAN. The output of these elements from the optical system of the radar is carried out using the moving blocks pos.36, 38, 40, 42 and 44. In the drawings of figure 1, figure 2 and figure 3 shows the position of the corner reflectors and reflective mirror 43, corresponding to their position at performing tuning and functional control operations in the LAN.

The main function of the reception and registration of laser radiation reflected from detected objects in the CPC is performed by the second photodetector block 15 in the visible wavelength range and the fourth photodetector block 32 in the infrared wavelength range. These photodetector blocks are based on multi-element photosensitive diode arrays of the visible wavelength range (pos. 15) and infrared wavelength range (pos. 32). It is also possible to use highly sensitive matrix PMTs of the visible wavelength range. These photodetector units are photosensitive photodetectors - recorders of pulsed optical signals in the visible and near infrared wavelength ranges and record the fine temporal structure of the illuminated laser radiation reflected from the detected object. The number of independent optical signal receiving elements in the indicated matrix photodetectors (the number of photodiodes) corresponds to the number of resolution elements in the optical system of the corresponding receiving lens 11 or 28. The shape and volume of the controlled space volume (CPC) is determined by the field of view of the receiving (input) lenses 1, 11, and 18 , 28. The design of these lenses suggests the same field of view with the aim of the subsequent formation of the total image of the observed area in different spectral ranges and detected data on the background of terrain objects. The registered signals in electrical form from the outputs of the photodetector units 15, 32 are fed in parallel to the inputs of the signal registration units 16 and 33, where digitization, preliminary threshold processing, and buffer storage of the received optical signals are carried out in the form of corresponding digital information arrays. Preliminary threshold processing consists in the fact that the electrical signal is subjected to digitization, the level of which exceeded a certain set threshold. At the same time, in the signal registration blocks 16 and 33, the moment of occurrence of the pulse signal at the corresponding outputs of the photodetector array blocks 15 and 32 is fixed and determined relative to the radiation time points of the corresponding probe laser pulse in the laser generator 9 and in the laser generator 26. In the signal registration blocks 16 and 33 from the unit for processing location signals 52, digital signals of accurate time are received, which display the internal time of the radar. In the registration blocks 16 and 33, the timing of the arrival times from the outputs of the photodetector blocks 15 and 32 of the electric pulse signals is linked to the indicated signals of the internal exact time, and information about this comes from the registration blocks to the processing unit of location signals 52, in which the time moments are compared the arrival of pulsed signals with times of laser pulse emission by laser generators also in the radar's exact time system, as a result of which the delay of received signals is determined the catch relative to the emitted signals and is determined on the basis of this range to the corresponding detected object. Information about the time moment of the emission of laser pulses enters block 52 from block 53, in which a control signal is generated that enters the control blocks of the laser generators 10 and 27 to start the generation of laser radiation. Next, the registered digital signals through the corresponding interfaces are sent to the location signal processing unit 52. At the same time, the registered signals from the outputs of the registration units 16 and 33 are fed to the inputs of the first and second fast Fourier transform blocks pos. 17 and 34. Each fast Fourier transform (FFT) block represents It is a specialized processor that performs spectral analysis of incoming signals by forming a one-dimensional Fourier transform of these signals in digital form. The results of a spectral analysis of the received optical signals in digital form from the outputs of the FFT blocks 17 and 34 are sent to the processing unit for location signals 52 together with the corresponding implementations of the optical signals in digital form received earlier. Thus, the location signal processing unit 52 receives realizations of the optical signals reflected from the detected object, and simultaneously realizations of the one-dimensional Fourier spectra of these signals obtained by performing the Fourier transform on each of the received optical signals in the FFT 17 and 34. Fourier transforms are performed in FFT blocks in real time or with some time shift depending on the performance of the used processors in FFT blocks 17 and 34. In the processing unit, x 52 compares the signals received optical signal with spectra stored in the memory cells of block 52 the reference spectra of the optical signals of standard objects. Based on this comparison, the observed objects are detected and recognized, and a decision is made on whether the observed and detected objects belong to a certain class of known objects, for example, binoculars, receiving lenses of observation and optoelectronic devices, etc. According to the received realizations of the optical signals themselves, as a result of their special processing, they also obtain a number of important information about the nature of the detected objects and their reflective spectral characteristics in the corresponding spectral wavelength ranges. In this case, preliminary detection of the object is carried out based on a comparison of the level of the received optical signal in digital form with a certain threshold level. The distance to the previously detected object is measured by the time of arrival and registration of the optical signal in the photodetector block 15 and 32 relative to the time of radiation of the corresponding laser pulse in the laser generator 9 and 26. The final object is detected by comparing (analyzing) the spectrum of the corresponding pulsed optical signal from a previously detected object with a library of reference spectra stored in special memory cells of the processing unit Ki location signals. The results of detection and recognition of the detected object are displayed on the screen of the information display unit 54. The reception and registration of optical signals reflected from the detected object by the second and fourth (pos. 15, 32) photodetector units is carried out in a narrow spectral range of wavelengths corresponding to the wavelength of the illuminating laser of radiation generated by laser generators 9 and 26. I carry out narrow-band spectral filtering of the received laser radiation (optical signals) reflected from the CPC t spectral tunable filters pos.12 in the visible wavelength range and filter pos.29 in the infrared wavelength range. The wavelength and filtering band in the spectral tunable filters are controlled by the control signals supplied to these filters from the processing unit of location signals 52 in digital form. At the same time, the processing unit for location signals controls all elements (blocks) of the receiving channels, in particular, controls the transmittance of the controlled optical filters pos. 14 and 31 in the second and fourth receiving channels. These filters are used to protect the photodetector blocks from excessive intensity of the received reflected laser radiation signals, for example, when detecting closely located objects or when the radar is in the control mode when adjusting the operating parameters of the system. When the LLS is operating in the normal mode of detection and recognition of detected and observed objects, the reflection characteristics of objects are recorded and analyzed in a wide range of wavelengths of the illuminated laser radiation in the visible wavelength range and in the infrared wavelength range. Changing the wavelength of the illuminated laser radiation in the visible wavelength range is carried out by changing the generation wavelength in the laser generator 9 of the visible range according to the control signals from the control unit of this laser generator 10, which in turn is controlled by signals from the control unit of the system 53. At the same time, tuning is performed filtering wavelengths of received optical signals in a tunable spectral filter 12 of the visible wavelength range in which the wavelength is spectral filtering is set equal to the generation wavelength of the laser generator 9. Changing the wavelength of the illuminating laser radiation in the infrared wavelength range is carried out by changing the generation wavelength in the IR laser generator 26 according to the control signals from the control unit of this laser generator 27 and, accordingly, signals from the control unit of the system 53. In this case, the corresponding tuning of the wavelength of the filtering band of the optical signals in the spectral tunable fi a liter 29 of the infrared wavelength range at which the wavelength of the spectral filtering is set equal to the wavelength of the generation of laser radiation in the IR laser generator 26. For the implementation of multispectral illumination of the CPC, laser generators 9 and 26 are used with the tuning of the wavelength of the generated laser radiation in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges. As a result, information on the parameters of the reflected optical signals, the reflective characteristics of the detected objects in the wide spectral range of the illuminated laser radiation in the visible and infrared regions of the optical spectrum is accumulated in the processing unit for location signals 52. At the same time, information is generated on the parameters of the fine temporal structure of the reflected signals and the Fourier spectrum parameters of the obtained fine temporal structure for the corresponding wavelengths of the illuminated and reflected laser radiation in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges. The resulting increased volume (array) of information about the characteristics of the detected object can significantly increase the detection efficiency and the probability of recognition of objects of various technical nature.

Simultaneously with obtaining information about the reflective characteristics of detected objects located in the CPC, the proposed laser location system receives and records radiation from the underlying surface (terrain), illuminated by the natural radiation of the Sun, the radiation of the celestial sphere and any other sources of natural as well as third-party artificial radiation . The reception and registration of these background natural emissions from the CPC is carried out using the first receiving channel and the first photodetecting unit 5 in the visible wavelength range and using the third receiving channel and the third photodetecting unit 22 in the infrared wavelength range. As the photodetector blocks 5 and 22, a video camera of the visible wavelength range (pos. 5) and a video camera of the infrared wavelength range (pos. 22) are used. The reception and registration of background radiation in the visible wavelength range using the first receiving channel in the first photodetector unit 5 is as follows. The background radiation reflected from the underlying surface is captured by the first receiving lens 1. Next, the receiving lens 1, together with the first lens 3, form an image of the object and the controlled volume of the space in which the detected object is located on the photosensitive area of the photodetector unit 5 (visible range cameras). In this case, the CPC and the detected object are highlighted by natural background radiation, for example, solar radiation, and the CPC and the object are not illuminated by probing laser radiation from laser generators 9 and 26. Received background radiation on the way from the first receiving lens 1 to the photodetector unit 5 passes through a tunable spectral filter 2, the working element of which is a special crystal transparent to the radiation of the visible wavelength range in which ultrasonic waves are excited. As a result of the interaction of the transmitted optical signal (radiation) with ultrasonic waves in the specified crystal, the optical signal is dynamically filtered, in which a part of the optical spectrum of the transmitted radiation is suppressed, does not pass to the lens 3 and does not reach the optical input of the photodetector unit 5 - to the photosensitive area of the video camera 5 The wavelength of dynamic spectral filtering is determined by the control signals supplied to the control input of the spectral tunable filter 2 from the output of the location signal processing unit 52, in which the operation of the spectral tunable filters is controlled and the corresponding control signals are generated that determine the filter transmission wavelength and the filtering bandwidth of the transmitted optical signals. Thus, the tunable spectral filter 2 operates in the mode of controlled spectral filtering of the transmitted optical signal and acts as an optical spectrum analyzer of the terrain image (underlying surface) formed by the receiving lens 1 and lens 3 on the photosensitive area of the first photodetector 5. It should be noted that the spectral tunable filters perform another important function: provide a gating mode for the received laser radiation signals in the range of dstvie that the transmittance of optical signals received through the tunable wavelength filter is performed only at times applying a control electrical signal to the filter. The range gating mode is implemented when controlling the transmission time and filtering of optical signals in a spectral tunable filter using a pulsed electrical signal with a given duration. The above image of the underlying surface in a predetermined narrow spectral range due to filtering in the spectral tunable filter 2 is recorded by the first photodetector unit 5, converted into a video signal, and transmitted from the output of unit 5 to the first memory unit 6, where it is digitized and digitally stored. Further, the considered procedure for recording the image of the observed area in a given spectral range is possibly repeated several times with other changed wavelength parameters of the filtering band of the transmitted optical radiation in the spectral tunable filter 2. The wavelength of the filtering band of filter 2 is changed under the control of the signals received at the control input of the filter 2 from the output of the location signal processing unit 52. As a result, several images are accumulated in the memory unit 6 zheny area (land surface) obtained at the different wavelengths of the optical spectrum in the visible wavelength range, for example, in red, green and blue range of the visible spectrum wavelengths. The obtained information on multispectral analysis of terrain images comes from the output of the memory unit 6 to the processing unit for location signals 52 for further use in the detection and recognition of objects located in the CPC together with the previously received results of reception and registration of probe laser radiation reflected from the CPC in visible and infrared ranges from laser generators 9 and 26. Similarly, the reception and registration of background radiation from the image of the area in the CPC in the infrared wavelength range is carried out It is mounted in the third receiving channel using the third photodetector unit 22, in which an infrared wavelength video camera is used. The lens 18 together with the lens 20 form at the input of the photodetector unit 22 an image of the area with a possibly detectable object in the infrared wavelength range. The tunable spectral filter 19 operates in the controlled filtering mode of transmitted optical radiation in the infrared range and performs the function of an optical spectrum analyzer of the infrared wavelength range. The establishment of the wavelength of the filtering band of the filter 22 in the infrared range and the change of this wavelength is carried out under the influence of control signals supplied to the control input of the spectral tunable filter 22 from one of the outputs of the processing unit location signals 52. The registered image of the area from the output of the photodetector unit 22 in the memory unit 23, where it is digitized and stored. Using the photodetector unit 22, several terrain images are recorded for several wavelengths of the filtering band in the infrared wavelength range. The obtained terrain images at several predetermined set filtering wavelengths in the IR range are stored in the memory unit 23 and then transferred to the processing unit for location signals 52 for further processing and analysis together with previously obtained information.

As a result of the joint work of all four receiving channels, as well as the operation of the transmitting channels in the LLS in the processing unit for location signals 52, information is generated and accumulated on the parameters of the reflective characteristics of individual objects in the CPC obtained by recording pulses of reflected laser radiation at several different wavelengths of the illuminating laser radiation in the visible and infrared wavelengths. At the same time, information on the spectral distribution of the terrain image (underlying surface) in the CPC in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges is generated and accumulated in block 52. In this case, the spectral distribution of the terrain image is formed in some predetermined discrete wavelengths in the form of digital arrays of the implementation of terrain images obtained and recorded at fixed wavelengths of the visible and infrared ranges. Moreover, the obtained terrain images in different wavelength ranges and objects detected and registered as a result of receiving pulses of laser radiation reflected from the CPC in the second 15 and fourth 32 photodetector units have a single exact reference to the general spatial coordinate system, which is ensured by the establishment and control of the mutual parallelism in the space of the target axes of all four receiving channels, as well as two transmitting channels. Establishing the parallelism of the target axes is discussed below. The information obtained as a result of the work of the LLS is used for constant observation (monitoring) of the controlled area of space, for the detection of objects located in the CPC with various parameters of reflective characteristics in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges, as well as for recognition of detected objects and determining their belonging to the corresponding classes and types of objects, for example, belonging to optical and optoelectronic observational devices, etc. In this case, to identify the types of detected objects, an analysis of the fine temporal structure of the pulses of the illuminated laser radiation of the visible and infrared wavelength ranges reflected from these objects is used. The analysis of pulses of the indicated laser radiation is carried out by forming one-dimensional Fourier spectra using fast Fourier transform processors and comparing the obtained spectra with a library of reference spectra of standard objects stored in special memory registers of the processing unit for location signals 52. Thus, to detect objects in the CPC , and for the recognition of detected objects using a large array of information obtained on the basis of illumination of the CPC by probe laser radiation HAND in several areas of the visible and infrared ranges, and the information obtained as a result of passive reception observed image areas (land surface) in CPC illuminated natural sources of radiation, and spectral analysis of the image areas in the visible and infrared wavelengths. The use of these technical tools can significantly increase the information content of the LAN, increase the detection efficiency and the probability of correct recognition of objects in the CPC.

Based on the use of the technical means of the CPC laser location proper and the means of passive reception, registration, and spectral analysis of the images of the observed area — the underlying surface — various algorithms for detecting and recognizing objects located or masked in the CPC can be implemented. The use of spectral analysis of the image of the observed area in the CPC allows one to efficiently distinguish individual characteristic points and elements of the area in which, for example, green spaces, artificial structures in which observation optoelectronic and optical devices can be located, as well as various camouflage means, are located. These elements have different spectral characteristics in the visible and infrared ranges and are effectively determined using spectral analysis of the recorded image of the area. At the time of receiving and recording the terrain image using the first and third photodetector blocks, the CPC is not exposed to probing laser radiation. When the CPC is irradiated with probe laser radiation from laser generators 9 and 26, the main reception of reflected laser radiation is carried out in the second and fourth receiving channels using photodetector blocks 15 and 32. It is also possible to carry out reception and registration of reflected laser radiation in photodetector blocks 5 and 22 , respectively, in the visible and IR ranges when there is a sufficient level of the received reflected signal for some types of objects, for example, reflectors, corner reflectors, optical instruments, n fitted with anti-glare coatings. In order to receive pulsed narrow-band laser reflected signals in the first 5 and third 22 photodetector units, the tunable spectral filters 2 and 19 are tuned to perform filtering of wavelengths equal to the wavelengths of the generation of the corresponding laser generators of the visible range 9 for spectral filter 2 and infrared wavelength range - laser generator 26 - for a spectral tunable filter 19 of the infrared wavelength range. Moreover, to detect the presence of objects in the images recorded by the photodetector blocks 5 and 22, when illuminating the CPC with probing laser radiation, there is no need to form a special differential video signal, as is done in the prototype device, since the proposed laser location system processes images recorded by photodetector blocks 5 and 22, is carried out digitally in the processing unit location signals 52, and to detect objects it is enough to compare the levels of the specified intensities of the image signals in each resolution element (pixel) in the presence of illumination of the CPC by probing laser radiation and with passive reception and registration of the image of the area illuminated by natural background radiation. It should be noted that the photodetector blocks 15 and 32, which record the pulsed optical signals of the reflected probe laser radiation, have a higher sensitivity when receiving short pulsed optical signals and make it possible to register a thin temporal structure of the reflected laser radiation, which makes it possible to increase the detection efficiency and the probability of recognition of objects in the LAN . Registration of the reflected pulsed optical signal with photodetector units 5 and 22 allows you to obtain information about the location of the detected object relative to the characteristic elements of the area identified by the photodetector units 5 and 22, which performed spectral analysis of the image of the area highlighted by natural background radiation. This allows you to directly link the coordinates of objects detected by photodetector blocks 15 and 32 to multispectral images of the area formed using photodetector blocks 5 and 22. If it is not possible to register a pulsed optical signal from the reflected probe laser radiation in photodetector blocks 5 or 22 due to for example, a very low level of the reflected optical signal, the object is detected using photodetector blocks 15 and 33, directly adapted for receiving the pulsed laser radiation corresponding to the wavelength range, and the coordinates of the detected binding sites is performed on the basis of setting and controlling strictly parallel axes reticule all four receiving channels in the LLS. Thus, the reception and registration of the probe laser radiation reflected from the CPC makes it possible to obtain additional information about the characteristics of the detected objects and to increase the efficiency of detection and recognition of objects in the proposed LAN. It should be noted that the capabilities of the proposed LLS to obtain information about multispectral images of the observed area and the simultaneous determination of the reflective characteristics of the corresponding selected elements and detected objects against the background of the terrain images allows the proposed LLS to be used for continuous round-the-clock observation and monitoring of the controlled area of space and for operative detection and recognition of new ones elements and optoelectronic and optical means nab people and intelligence in a controlled area.

Let us further consider the mode of functional control and adjustment of the equipment of the proposed LAN.  In this mode of operation of the radar, the parallelism in the space of the target axes of all four receiving optical channels is established and controlled, as well as the parallelism of the axes of the radiation patterns of the transmitting channels of visible and infrared radiation.  For the effective operation of the proposed laser, strict parallelism is required in the space of the target axes and laser radiation patterns of all six receiving and transmitting channels that make up the laser.  In the proposed LAN in the functional control and tuning mode, the establishment in the parallelism space of the sighting axes of the receiving channels and the radiation patterns of the transmitting channels is carried out in two stages.  First, at the first stage, mutual parallelism is established in the space of the axes of the radiation patterns of two transmitting channels operating in the visible range (first transmitting channel with a laser generator 9) and in the infrared wavelength range (second transmitting channel with a laser generator 26).  At the second stage of tuning, the parallelism of the sighting axes of the first and second receiving channels of the visible wavelength range relative to the direction of the directional axis of the first transmitting channel of the visible range is established, as well as the parallelism of the sighting axes of the third and fourth receiving channels of the infrared wavelength relative to the direction of the axis of the second transmitting channel infrared.  As a result of these procedures, the target axes of all the receiving channels and the axes of the radiation patterns of the transmitting channels are mutually parallel in space.  The process of adjusting the parallelism of the indicated axes of the receiving and transmitting channels is presented using the location schemes of the elements of the LAN in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.  In FIG. 2 shows the relative position in space of all six channels that make up the LAN, two transmitting and four receiving channels.  Here is shown the end view of the LAN, namely: a view of the location of the elements of the LAN along arrow A in FIG. one.  Positions 1 and 11 in FIG. 2, receiving apertures of the first position are indicated. 1 and the second pos. 11 receiving lenses of the receiving channels of the visible wavelength range.  Position 7 denotes the output aperture of the first transmitting channel of the visible range (optical output of the first laser beam former).  Thus, two receiving channels and one transmitting channel of the visible range are located in one plane perpendicular to the plane of the drawing of FIG. 2.  Positions 18 and 28 in FIG. 2, receiving apertures of the third position are indicated. 18 and the fourth position. 28 receiving lenses of the receiving channels of the infrared wavelength range.  24 in FIG. 2 shows the output aperture of the second transmitting channel of the infrared wavelength range (optical output of the second laser beam former).  Two receiving channels and the corresponding transmitting channel of the infrared range are located in one plane located adjacent and parallel to the plane of the receiving and transmitting channels of the visible wavelength range.  In FIG. 2 also presents elements (pos. 43-50) located on the seventh axis of the drawing in FIG. 1, performing the function of controlling the parallelism of the radiation patterns of two transmitting channels in the LAN.  In FIG. 3 shows a spatial arrangement of two transmitting channels, view along arrow B in FIG. 2.  In this case, the remaining receiving channels present in FIG. 2, in FIG. 3 are not shown, since their arrangement does not affect the arrangement of elements in the circuit of FIG. 3.  Elements of poses are also presented here. 43-50, performing the above function of controlling the parallelism of the axes of the radiation patterns of the two transmitting channels of the LAN.  At the first stage, as was noted, the parallelization of the transmitting channels of the proposed LAN is carried out.  This process is illustrated in the flowcharts of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.  The parallelism of the radiation patterns of the transmitting channels is established using the elements located on the seventh optical axis of the LLS of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, 3, as follows.  Reflective mirror pos. 43 using the displacement unit 44 is installed at the output of the first and second poses. 7 and 24 of the laser beam former to the position shown in the diagram of FIG. 3, as well as conditionally shown in the diagram of FIG. 2.  In this position, the reflective mirror 43 simultaneously covers part of the output laser radiation from the optical outputs of the first 7 and second 24 laser beam former and directs these two laser radiation beams (two plane wave fronts) to the optical input of the fifth controlled optical filter 45, and then directs through it laser beams on a concave reflective mirror 46.  The latter focuses these laser beams in the plane of the phosphor plate 47.  (cm.  FIG. 3 and FIG. 2 at the same time).  When establishing and controlling the directions of radiation patterns, laser generators operate separately and alternately.  Initially, the direction of the axis is controlled and set during operation of the laser generator 9 of the visible range with the idle laser generator IR range 26.  Then, when the IR laser is operating, the direction of its axis of the radiation pattern is established, which corresponds to the direction of the previously established axis of the laser generator 9 in the absence of radiation from this laser generator.  The phosphor plate performs two functions: the functions of a reflective screen for emitting the visible wavelength range and the functions of the visualizing phosphor screen itself for emitting the infrared wavelength range.  First, using the phosphor plate 47, the position in the axis of the radiation pattern of the laser radiation is determined at the output of the beam former 7 when the laser generator is in the visible wavelength range 9 and when the laser generator 26 is turned off.  The phosphor plate in this case performs the functions of a reflective screen for emitting the visible wavelength range.  The position of the point of the focused laser beam in the plane of the phosphor plate 47 characterizes the direction in space of the axis of the beam pattern of the laser beam formed at the output of the laser beam former pos. 7 when the laser generator 9 is in the visible wavelength range.  This position of the focused bright luminous point is recorded by the fifth photodetector unit 50, which is used as a camera of the visible wavelength range.  The registered image of the plane of the phosphor plate from the output of the fifth photodetector unit 50 enters the memory unit 51, and from its output enters the processing unit location signals 52.  The lens 48 transfers the image of the phosphor plate 47 to the plane of the photosensitive area of the photodetector unit 50.  As a result, information on the coordinates of the focal point in the plane of the phosphor screen 47 is recorded in the processing unit for location signals 52, which display two flat directional angles in the space of the radiation pattern axis of the generated laser beam relative to the center axis line - the second optical axis at the optical output of the laser beam former pos. 7.  Using the laser radiation deflector 8, a small adjustment is made of the direction of propagation of the laser beam at the output of the laser beam shaper 7 and the direction of the wavefront and the radiation pattern axis at the output of the laser beam 7 are set so that the focused radiation point hits exactly the center of the phosphor screen 47 and , respectively, to the center of the photosensitive area of the photodetector unit 50.  This corresponds to the direction in the space of the axis of the laser radiation pattern at the optical output of the laser beam former 7 strictly in the direction of the second optical axis of the laser location system.  The coordinates of this luminous focused point are determined and stored in the processing unit location signals 52.  Next, the laser generator 9 turns off and turns on the laser generator 26 of the infrared wavelength range.  The course of laser radiation from the output of the laser beam former 24 to the phosphor screen 47 is similar to the considered propagation of laser radiation from the output of the laser beam former 7 in the visible range.  The phosphor screen 47 performs the function of a visualizer of infrared radiation generated by a laser generator 26.  Under the influence of intense radiation from a laser generator 26 focused into the plane of the phosphor screen 47, the latter goes into an excited state and emits luminescent radiation in the visible range with a distribution in the plane of the screen 47 corresponding to the distribution of infrared radiation entering the luminescent screen 47 as a result of focusing it concave reflective mirror 46.  The nature of focusing of visible and infrared radiation due to the use of a reflective metal concave mirror is identical.  The photodetector unit 50 registers the distribution of radiation in the plane of the luminescent screen 47 in the visible transformed wavelength range.  As a result, the coordinates of the luminous focused radiation point in the plane of the phosphor screen corresponding to the direction in the space of the beam pattern of the infrared laser beam at the output of the laser beam former 24 are formed in the processing unit for location signals 52.  Using a two-coordinate laser radiation deflector, the direction of the axis of the radiation pattern of the given radiation beam is adjusted to establish its parallelism with the radiation pattern of the laser radiation at the output of the laser beam former 7.  To establish this parallelism, the luminous point from the infrared laser beam, as well as from the visible radiation beam, is installed in the center of the phosphor screen 47 at its intersection with the seventh optical axis of the laser location system.  The control of the deviation of the laser beam of infrared radiation and, accordingly, the control of the displacement of the luminous point from the infrared laser beam in the plane of the phosphor screen 47 is carried out in the processing unit location signals 52, which receives information about the coordinates of the specified luminous point in the form of a video image (video signal) generated by the fifth photodetector unit 50.  Information about the required value of the additional deviation of the infrared laser beam generated in the processing unit for location signals 52 is supplied from block 52 to the control unit of the system 53, from which the control signal is fed to the control input of the corresponding laser radiation deflector 25, which deflects the laser radiation generated by the laser generator 26 infrared range.  Thus, as a result of these actions, the luminous points from the visible and infrared laser radiation are set in one place in the center of the phosphor screen 47, and the laser radiation patterns generated by the laser generators 9 and 26 at the output of the laser beam former 7, 24 are set parallel to space.  Controlled optical filters serve to attenuate the levels of radiation entering the phosphor plate 47 and to the optical input of the fifth photodetector unit 50.  After establishing the parallelism of these radiation patterns using the displacement unit 44, the reflective mirror 43 is removed from the optical system and does not interfere with the passage of laser beams at the outputs of the laser beam former 7 and 24.  Next, the parallelism is established and controlled in the space of the sighting axes of all four receiving channels of the visible and infrared ranges.  To perform these actions, optical reflectors of poses are introduced into the optical systems of the four receiving channels. 35, 37, 39 and 41 by means of respective displacement units 36, 38, 40, 42, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.  Corner reflectors branch a part of the laser beam (plane wave front) at the output of the laser beam former 7 and 24 to the optical inputs of the respective receiving channels — to the inputs of the receiving lenses 1, 11 and to the inputs of the lenses 18, 28.  In this case, the corner reflectors reflect the laser beams strictly in the opposite direction, as a result of which the direction of the laser beams arriving at the optical inputs of these receiving lenses turns out to be parallel to the axis of the radiation pattern of the corresponding laser beams at the outputs of the laser beam former 7 and 24.  Next, the laser radiation after the receiving lenses pass through the spectral tunable filters 2, 12 and 19, 29 and the corresponding lenses pos. 3, 12 and 20, 30 are focused on the photosensitive areas of the photodetector blocks 5, 15 and 22, 32.  The position of the focused luminous point in the plane of the photosensitive area of the respective indicated photodetector blocks corresponds to the angular coordinates of the sighting axis of the receiving channel parallel to the axis of the radiation pattern of the corresponding laser beam at the outputs of the laser beam former 7 and 24.  Information about the coordinates of these generated luminous points from the outputs of the photodetector blocks enters the memory blocks 6, 23 and the signal registration blocks 16 and 33 and then enters the processing unit location signals 52.  In block 52, for each photodetector block of the visible and infrared range, the coordinates of the generated luminous points are stored in the form of pixel numbers, onto which the corresponding points were designed, from which signals corresponding to the intensities of light pulses at these points were received.  Thus, in the processing unit of location signals 52, for each photodetector unit, the coordinates of points (pixels) in the two-dimensional plane of the photosensitive matrix or photosensitive receiving platform (video camera) are identified and registered, corresponding to the two-dimensional angular coordinates of the sight line of the receiving channel parallel to the axis of the radiation pattern of the corresponding laser beam formed at the output (optical) of the corresponding laser beam former 7 and 24.  In this case, the directions of the axes of the beam patterns of the laser beams formed at the outputs of the laser beam former 7 and 24, during the previous procedure, the settings were set parallel to each other and parallel, for example, to the second optical axis of the radar (the second optical axis from above in the drawing of FIG. one).  Therefore, the indicated specified coordinates of the points corresponding to the angular coordinates of the sighting axes of the receiving channels are the angular coordinates of the sighting axes parallel to each other and parallel to the axes of the radiation patterns of the transmitting channels of the LAN, also parallel to each other.  Thus, as a result of the first and second tuning procedures considered, first the parallelism of the axes of the radiation patterns at the outputs of the laser beam former 7 and 24 in the transmitting channels of the visible and infrared ranges was established, and then the sighting axes of the receiving channels of the visible and infrared ranges were set parallel to the corresponding axes of the radiation patterns transmitting channels of the visible and infrared wavelength ranges and, respectively, parallel to each other.  The specified parallelism of the sighting axes of the receiving channels is set programmatically in the form of recording the angular coordinates of the sighting axes in block 52, corresponding to parallel and parallel to the axes of the radiation patterns of the transmitting channels of the visible and infrared ranges.  As a result, based on the information received, in block 52, software distributes the distribution of images received (received) from various four receiving channels and four photodetector blocks into a single digital image of the observed area in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges, as well as in different wavelengths of the strip filtering in spectral tunable filters and with the ability to register a fine temporal structure of the received reflected laser probe radiation for each fixed resolution points (pixels) in the corresponding sections (elements) of the observed image of the area.  To register a single image in software in block 52, another operation is required to accurately combine and obtain a total terrain image — parallax compensation between images recorded in each of the four receiving channels and four photodetector blocks due to the spatial displacement of the positions (axis centers) of the four receiving lenses pos. 1, 11 and 18, 28.  The actual spatial arrangement of the receiving lenses of the four receiving channels is shown in FIG. 2.  Therefore, when forming a single image, for example, based on the terrain image obtained in the first receiving channel using the receiving lens pos. 1, taking into account the measured coordinate of the distance to the observed object (scene on the ground), the image offset given by the receiving lens 11 vertically with respect to the first receiving lens pos. 1, which is the basic one, compensates for the horizontal displacement of the image given by the receiving lens 18, and compensates for the horizontal displacement of the image given by the receiving lens 28 horizontally and vertically (see  FIG. 2).  The specified compensation for the displacement of the corresponding images when superimposing images on a conditionally accepted as a base image recorded by the first receiving lens 1, is carried out programmatically in the processing unit location signals 52.  In this case, the range coordinate obtained when receiving the reflected sounding pulsed laser signal in the second 15 and fourth 32 photodetector blocks is taken into account.  To clarify the coordinates of the range, it is possible to measure the range to some selected objects in the image of the area (underlying surface) recorded by the photodetector blocks 5 and 22.  In this case, these objects are identified in the signals registered in the photodetector blocks 15 or 32, and the coordinates of the range to the detected objects in the photodetector blocks 15, 32 and in the signal recording units 16, 33 are determined, after which the obtained range estimate is conventionally taken as the distance to the observed area and is used to compensate for the parallactic displacement of the image when forming the total image of the area plotted at the corresponding points x coordinates and marks from the detected objects on the ground.  When establishing the parallelism of the sighting axes of the receiving channels, controlled optical filters pos. 4, 14, 21, 31 perform the function of the necessary attenuation of the incoming laser radiation to the inputs of the photodetector blocks from the laser generators 9 and 26, which at the time of establishment of parallelism of the target axes operate in a mode with a reduced laser radiation power.  It should be noted that even at a relatively short distance to the observed objects in the CPC (about 500 meters), the parallactic shift of the images in the adjacent receiving channels (the distance between the axes is not more than one meter) is very small and can be neglected when forming the total image.  After the parallelization of the sighting axes of the receiving channels is established, the corner reflectors are removed from the optical systems of the receiving and transmitting channels by the moving blocks and do not impede the passage of the generated laser beams at the outputs of the laser beam former 7 and 24, and also do not obscure the input apertures of the receiving lenses when receiving optical signals .  On this, the mode of functional control and tuning of the LAN is completed and the LAN switches to the normal mode of operation and observation of the controlled area of space.

As a result of the standard operating mode of the proposed laser location system in the processing unit of location signals 52, the following information is generated and accumulated on the characteristics of the observed terrain in the CPC and the characteristics of objects detected against the background of the observed terrain in the CPC. In the memory registers of block 52, the intensity distributions of the area observed in the CPC are recorded, obtained in two main optical wavelength ranges: in the visible and in the infrared range. At the same time, spectral filtering of the received terrain image (underlying surface) was carried out in each of the ranges. The intensity distributions of the observed area were formed and recorded at individual spectral points in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges. At the same time, the spectral analysis of the obtained terrain images was carried out in real time using software-controlled spectral tunable filters of visible and infrared wavelength ranges. This spectral analysis was performed by illuminating the observed area with natural background radiation without laser illumination of the observed area in the CPC. In the proposed LLS, the observed area is illuminated in the CPC by probing laser radiation of the visible and infrared ranges simultaneously in two ranges or sequentially in time.

The laser radiation reflected from the CPC is received and recorded at individual spectral points of the indicated wavelength ranges when spectral filtering of the received laser probe radiation reflected from the CPC is performed using spectral tunable filters of the visible and infrared wavelength ranges. The pulses of the reflected probe laser radiation are received and recorded in each receiving photosensitive element (pixel of a photomultiplier array or photodiode) of the receiving matrix in the photodetector blocks pos. 15 and 32. In this case, the fine temporal structure of the laser pulse signal reflected from the detected object is recorded and a spectral one-dimensional Fourier transform is performed analysis of received pulsed laser signals using special blocks of fast Fourier transform in real time or with shift m in time. In the processing unit for location signals 52, an automatic comparison of the generated Fourier spectra of the received pulsed laser signals with a data bank of such spectra is performed, based on this comparison, the final detection of the observed optical and optoelectronic monitoring devices located in the CPC is carried out and identification (recognition) of detected objects is carried out. At the same time, the spatial coordinates of each detected object, as well as the coordinates (angular) of individual elements of the recorded images of the observed terrain in the CPC in various parts of the visible and infrared wavelength ranges are determined and recorded in the processing unit for location information 52. It should be noted that in the proposed LLS there is the possibility of reception and registration in the photodetector blocks 5 and 22 of the reflected probe laser radiation, respectively, in the visible and infrared ranges of the illuminated laser radiation. In this case, in the operating mode of the laser generators and the illumination of the CPC by probing laser radiation, the received laser radiation is spectrally filtered using tunable spectral filters 2 and 19 and the filtered laser signals are recorded using photodetector units 5 and 22. The resulting video information from the outputs of photodetector units 5 and 22 enters the memory blocks 6 and 23 and then enters the processing unit location signals 52. Based on the obtained multispectral images of the observed area in CPC forms the total multispectral single image of the terrain in the CPC, which is programmed with marks from detected and identified objects located in the CPC and observed against the background of the obtained multispectral images of the terrain. The specified generated image is presented to the operator on the screen of the information display unit 54. In this case, the operator is shown terrain images with detected objects at various spectral points in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges, as well as the parameters and characteristics of the detected objects and their coordinates obtained in the visible and in the infrared wavelength range, and the results of spectral Fourier analysis and comparison of the obtained spectra with a data bank for the reflective characteristics of locating an object in the visible and infrared wavelengths. As a result of obtaining and analyzing a large amount of information about the characteristics of the detected objects and the observed terrain, the CPC implements a significant increase in the detection efficiency of objects and an increase in the likelihood of correct recognition of the observed objects and the detected objects. The operator is able to determine the characteristic elements of the area by their natural reflected background radiation in the visible and infrared spectral ranges, and the operator also receives important information about the location at the specified characteristic points and terrain elements of detected objects having certain reflective characteristics in the visible and infrared ranges of the spectrum. At the same time, a high accuracy of binding the coordinates of the detected objects to the characteristic elements of the observed area in the visible and in the infrared ranges is realized. This is achieved through the use of special tools to establish parallelism in the space of the target axes of all four receiving channels and the axes of the radiation patterns of both transmitting channels, as well as as a result of parallax compensation when receiving terrain images in four parallel receiving channels, which is produced programmatically depending on the distance to detected object.

In the proposed laser location system used blocks and nodes mastered by modern industry. The spectral tunable filters used in the LANs are based on tunable acousto-optic filters (cells) operating in the visible (pos. 2, 12) and infrared (pos. 19, 29) wavelength ranges. The specified acousto-optical filter consists of an acousto-optical crystal and a piezoelectric element that excites ultrasonic waves in this crystal. Used crystals of paratellurite, lithium niobate, quartz, transparent to the used wavelength ranges. When optical radiation propagates through a crystal, it interacts with a dynamic phase structure excited in the crystal by means of ultrasonic waves. As a result of this, the conditions for the propagation of the optical signal through the crystal change for a certain spectral band of the optical signal — laser radiation. Based on this physical effect, acousto-optic tunable filters have been developed that operate in the visible, infrared, as well as in the ultraviolet wavelength ranges and isolate (filter) a narrow spectral band from optical (laser) radiation passing through the crystal. The principle of operation and characteristics of acousto-optic tunable filters, as well as acousto-optic high-speed laser radiation deflectors are described in the monograph [5] on pages 219-234 (acousto-optical tunable filters) and on pages 134-167 (laser deflectors), as well as in various publications [6]. Tunable acousto-optical filters have high efficiency, high resolution, the ability to work in a wide angular field of view. Tuning the wavelength of narrow-band filtering is implemented with high speed in dynamic mode. Acoustic-optical filters of the visible and infrared ranges of wavelengths operating in the mode of narrow-band tunable filtering of transmitted optical signals, similar in magnitude to the passband, for example, interference filters or providing a narrower spectral filtering band, and also performing functions, are used in the proposed LAN as spectral tunable filters. high-precision high-speed image spectrum analyzers in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges. These spectral tunable filters contain an acousto-optical cell based on an acousto-optic crystal with a piezoelectric exciter and a special generator of high-frequency electric signals that generates special voltages for excitation of the indicated ultrasonic waves in the crystal and is controlled by signals from the processing unit for location signals 52, which also performs a number of control functions and directly generates control signals to establish the values of the transmission (filtering) wavelengths in the spectrum GOVERNMENTAL tunable filters 2, 12, 19, 29. The baffles of the laser radiation in the visible range and infrared range 8 25 executed on the basis of acousto-optical deflection cells - Coordinate Scanning Devices optical radiation [5]. As laser generators 9, 26, a wide class of laser generators can be used with controlled tuning of the wavelength of generation of laser radiation in the visible and infrared ranges of wavelengths based on various physical principles, for example, with tuning of the generation wavelength using intracavity means, changing resonator parameters and active laser media [7].

The first pos. 5 and the third pos. 22 photodetector blocks are based on video cameras of the visible type 5 and infrared 22 wavelength ranges. These video cameras have sensitivity in a wide spectral range of visible or infrared radiation and, together with spectral tunable filters of the visible range 2 and infrared 19 range, perform the functions of spectral analyzers of the observed terrain images in the CPC. Camcorders of any type can be used, for example, based on CCDs of the visible and infrared wavelength ranges. The photodetector blocks 15 and 32 are made on the basis of matrix photosensitive optical radiation detectors of the visible and infrared wavelength ranges with parallel information retrieval having high speed and sensitivity when receiving pulsed optical signals. For the photodetector unit 15 of the visible wavelength range, it is possible to use multi-element matrix photoelectronic multipliers (PMTs) on microchannel plates, which are a multi-element detector of optical radiation of instant action with the complete isolation of individual elements for parallel electronic signal processing. The specified matrix PMT has high sensitivity in the entire visible range and, together with a spectral tunable filter, has the ability to implement narrow-band parallel filtering of the received optical signals of the visible wavelength range. [eleven]. The IR photodetector 32 is made on the basis of a multi-element photodiode array, for example an avalanche photodiode array (APD), having high sensitivity in a wide range of infrared radiation. In conjunction with the IR tunable spectral filter 29, the photodetector 32 performs the function of narrow-band spectral filtering in the infrared wavelength range. Currently, the industry has mastered the production of photodiode arrays with a size of 16 × 16 elements in a mosaic with full isolation of individual elements and parallel amplification and processing of received signals. To obtain a larger number of receiving elements, the installation of several arrays of photodiodes in parallel in one photodetector unit is used. The signal recording units 16 and 33 are made on the basis of modern integrated electronic circuits, provide parallel information retrieval from the outputs of the photodetector blocks 15 and 32, digitize the incoming electrical signals, provide a determination of the time of occurrence of pulsed electrical signals at the outputs of the photodetector blocks relative to the signals of the exact internal time of the radar, coming from block 52, which allows further in block 52 to determine the time of arrival of pulses of the received laser radiation to the optical input of the photodetector unit 15 or 32 to determine the range to the detected object. The signal recording units also carry out the buffer storage of digital arrays of information representing realizations of the pulsed signals of the reflected probe laser radiation received by the photodetector blocks 15, 32, recorded by individual photo diodes or photosensitive elements of the photodetector array of the blocks 15, 32. The resulting array of information along with some additional information about the moments the time of arrival of the signals is transmitted from the outputs of the signal registration blocks to the processing unit location ignalov 52 and a fast Fourier transform units 17 and 34. Block 52 is a high-performance computer, operatively connected at special interfaces with multiple sources of information providing processing of large arrays of special program information. At the same time, the location information processing unit 52 controls a number of devices and elements in the LAN belonging to the receiving channels, namely: it controls tunable spectral filters and controlled optical filters. System control unit 53 is a standard high-performance computer that manages the operation of several devices through special interfaces. Block 53 controls the operation of laser generators, laser radiation deflectors, and blocks of movement of corner reflectors and reflective mirrors. Blocks of fast Fourier transforms 17, 34 are a specialized processor that performs the operations of fast conversion of digitally transmitted pulsed signals using a special program. In blocks 17 and 34, it is possible to use several FFT processors for parallel processing of pulsed signals arriving simultaneously from the outputs of the photodiode arrays of the photodetector blocks 15 and 32. It is also possible to use a standard PC that performs fast Fourier transform operations according to a special program. Memory blocks 6, 23, and 51 perform the standard function of frame memory and are specialized memory devices for buffering online storage of several frames of video images from the outputs of photodetector units (cameras) 5, 22, 50. Controlled optical filters serve to protect photodetector units from high-level laser radiation intensities and are based on electro-optical controlled light modulators, for example, based on liquid crystals, and operate in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges. It is also possible to use diaphragms controlled by stepper motors that mechanically block the luminous flux in the optical system. The blocks for moving corner reflectors and reflective mirrors are made on the basis of stepper motors and mechanical elements. The phosphor screen 47 performs the function of visualizing infrared radiation to enable the registration of visible and infrared radiation by the same photodetector of the visible wavelength range of item 50 in the implementation of the functional setting mode of the LAN. The phosphor screen 47 is made on the basis of any substance having photoluminescence excitation under the influence of sufficiently strong optical radiation, as a result of which radiation of the visible wavelength range is emitted. Such substances include, for example, zinc sulphide compound. At the same time, the phosphor screen 47 functions as a reflective screen for optical radiation of the visible range from the laser generator pos.9.

The dimensions of the controlled area of space in the proposed laser location system are determined by the angular fields of view of the used receiving lenses. To increase the size of the controlled area of space, a standard scanning unit can be used in conjunction with the LLS, which ensures the extension of the sizes of the indicated controlled area of the LLS space to the dimensions of the entire upper hemisphere. Figure 2 conditionally shows the docking of such a scanning unit with the optical inputs and outputs of the proposed LAN. The scanning unit is represented by reflective mirrors 56 and 57. In this case, the reflective mirror 56 is optically coupled to the optical inputs and outputs of the receiving lenses 1, 11, 18, 28 of the radar and laser beam shapers pos.7 and 24, as shown in Fig.2. Reflective mirror 56 rotates around an axis parallel to the optical axes of the receiving and transmitting radar channels. When scanning, the reflecting mirror 57 rotates around an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the mirror 56. When scanning, together with the reflecting mirror 56, the reflecting mirror 57 directs the directional patterns of the transmitting radar channels and the sighting axes of the receiving radar channels to any point in space in the upper hemisphere. This scan unit is not included in the equipment of the proposed LAN. The device of the specified scanning unit is described in the author [10].

In the proposed LLS as a spectral tunable filter, it is possible to use a quantum amplifier developed on the basis of a photodissociation iodine laser, which is called an active quantum filter [8], [9]. This active quantum filter has extremely high sensitivity, limited by a quantum limit of sensitivity, a very narrow spectral band for receiving laser radiation in the near infrared wavelength range, and the ability to quickly adjust the wavelength of narrow-band filtering of the received optical signal using a controlled magnetic field.

Information sources

[1] British Patent GB No. 2256554 of 12/09/1992

[2] RF patent No. 2277254 of 12.24.2003.

[3] RF patent No. 2129287

[4] RF patent No. 2278399 dated 06/20/2006 (prototype).

[5] Balakshiy V.I., Parygin V.N., Chirkov L.E. Physical foundations of acousto-optics. - M .: Radio and communications, 1985 (p. 219-234); (p. 134-167).

[6] Balakshiy V.I., Mankevich S.K., Parygin V.N. Quantum Electronics, vol. 12, No. 4, 1985, pp. 743-748.

[7] Handbook of Laser Technology, ed. Napartovich A.P., M. Energy Publishing House 1991

[8] Mankevich S.K., Nosach O.Yu. RF patent №2133533 from 07.20.1999, the Method of spectral filtering of optical signals and a device for its implementation is an active quantum filter.

[9] Kutaev Yu.F., Mankevich S.K., Nosach O.Yu., Orlov EP Quantum Electronics, Vol. 30, No. 9, 2000, pp. 833-838. Laser receiver with a quantum limit of sensitivity in the near infrared range.

[10] Mankevich S.K., Nosach O.Yu., Orlov EP RF patent No. 2191406 dated 06/19/2001. The method of delivery of radiation to a moving object and device for its implementation.

[11] PTE, No. 1, 184 (1993), I.F. Yaroshenko, Multi-element PMT.

Claims (7)

1. A laser ranging system comprising optically coupled a first receiving lens mounted on a first optical axis, a first photodetector unit, the output of which is connected to a first memory unit, optically coupled a first laser beam former installed on a second optical axis, a first laser generator with a control unit connected to the system control unit, optically coupled to the second receiving lens and the second photodetecting unit, an information display unit, connected to remote to the system control unit, characterized in that three photodetector units, two memory units, two signal recording units, two receiving lenses, six controllable optical filters, five lenses, four spectral tunable filters, a location signal processing unit, a second laser generator with a control unit, a second laser beam former, two laser radiation deflectors, two fast Fourier transform (FFT) units, four corner reflectors with displacement units, a concave mirror, a reflection an optical mirror with a displacement unit, a phosphor screen, and the optically coupled first spectral tunable filter, the first lens and the first controllable optical filter, the first laser deflector are mounted on the second optical axis between the first laser beam former and the first laser radiation generator, on the third optical axis between the second receiving lens and the second photodetector The optically coupled second spectral tunable filter, the second lens and the second controllable optical filter are sequentially mounted by the unit, the outputs of the second photodetector block are connected to the inputs of the first signal recording unit, the optically coupled third receiving lens, the third spectral tunable filter, and the third lens are sequentially mounted on the fourth optical axis , the third controlled optical filter and the third photodetector block, the output of which is connected to the second memory block, to the fifth opt optically coupled to the second axis of the laser beam, a second laser beam deflector and a second laser generator with a control unit connected to the system control unit, optically coupled to a fourth receiving lens, a fourth spectral tunable filter, a fourth lens, and a fourth a controlled optical filter and a fourth photodetector unit, the outputs of which are connected to the second signal recording unit, on the optical axis of the fifth optical axis are optically coupled a reflective mirror with a displacement unit, a fifth controlled optical filter, a concave mirror, a phosphor screen, a fifth lens, a sixth controlled optical filter and a fifth photodetector, the output of which is connected to the third memory unit, the optical input of the fifth controlled optical filter by means of a reflective mirror it is optically connected with the outputs of the first and second laser beam former, the first corner reflector optically couples about the optical input of the first receiving lens with the optical output of the first laser beam former, the optical input of the second receiving lens by the second corner reflector is optically connected to the output of the first laser beam, the optical output of the second laser beam is optically coupled through the third and fourth corner reflectors with the optical inputs of the third and the fourth receiving lenses, the inputs of the first and second blocks of the fast Fourier transform are connected respectively it is connected to the outputs of the first and second signal recording units, and the outputs are connected to the inputs of the location signal processing unit, the control inputs of the spectral tunable filters are connected to the location signal processing unit, the outputs of the first second and third memory units and two signal registration units are connected to the inputs of the location processing unit signals, the control inputs of controlled optical filters are connected to the processing unit of location signals, the outputs of which are connected to the control unit of systems minutes and to block the display information control inputs moving blocks corner reflectors and the reflecting mirror moving unit connected to the system control unit, the control unit by the second laser generator is connected to the control system, the control inputs of the laser beam deflectors are connected to the system control unit. 2. The laser ranging system according to claim 1, characterized in that in it the first and second laser generators are made on the basis of lasers of the visible and infrared wavelength ranges with the possibility of tuning the wavelengths of the generated laser radiation. 3. The laser ranging system according to claim 1, characterized in that in it the first and fifth photodetector units are based on cameras of the visible wavelength range. 4. The laser ranging system according to claim 1, characterized in that in it the third photodetector unit is based on a video camera of the infrared wavelength range. 5. The laser ranging system according to claim 1, characterized in that in it the second and fourth photodetector blocks are based on multi-element two-dimensional photodetector arrays of the visible and infrared wavelength ranges. 6. The laser ranging system according to claim 1, characterized in that in it the spectral tunable filters are made on the basis of an acousto-optic tunable cell in which ultrasonic waves are excited that interact with the received laser radiation. 7. The laser ranging system according to claim 1, characterized in that the spectral tunable filters in it are based on a quantum (laser) amplifier — an active quantum filter tunable by the magnitude of the narrow-band filtering wavelength using a magnetic field.

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