Abstract: A number of etalons together are used to extract the velocity, density and temperature of a scattering medium, such as the atmosphere. An optical air data sensor system incorporates the structure and operation for outputting laser light at a volume of air so as to be scattered by molecules and aerosols in the air volume being scanned; receiving the scattered laser light via a collecting optics assembly; splitting the received scattered laser light from the input optical fiber into a plurality of scattered light emissions; collimating each of the plurality of scattered light emissions; inputting the plurality of collimated light emissions into corresponding ones of a plurality of Fabry-Perot etalons; and imaging each of the plurality of collimated light emissions from the plurality of Fabry-Perot onto corresponding ones of a plurality of non-imaging detectors.

Abstract: A system for obtaining air data for a vehicle comprises a laser device that emits laser light pulses, and transmit optics that transmits the light pulses into an external air volume adjacent to the vehicle. The system also includes receive optics that collects scattered portions of the light pulses from the external air volume, and a whispering gallery mode (WGM) frequency discriminator that receives the scattered portions of the light pulses from the receive optics. The WGM frequency discriminator includes at least one WGM resonator that outputs a selected portion of the light pulses at one or more optical signal frequencies via tuning the WGM resonator other than by an electro-optic effect. An optical detector samples the selected portion of the light pulses from the WGM frequency discriminator, and converts the sampled light pulses to scalar values. A processing unit receives and records the scalar values from the optical detector.

Abstract: A number of etalons together are used to extract the velocity, density and temperature of a scattering medium, such as the atmosphere. An optical air data sensor system incorporates the structure and operation for outputting laser light at a volume of air so as to be scattered by molecules and aerosols in the air volume being scanned; receiving the scattered laser light via a collecting optics assembly; splitting the received scattered laser light from the input optical fiber into a plurality of scattered light emissions; collimating each of the plurality of scattered light emissions; inputting the plurality of collimated light emissions into corresponding ones of a plurality of Fabry-Perot etalons; and imaging each of the plurality of collimated light emissions from the plurality of Fabry-Perot onto corresponding ones of a plurality of non-imaging detectors.

Abstract: A system for obtaining air data for a vehicle comprises a laser device that emits laser light pulses, and transmit optics that transmits the light pulses into an external air volume adjacent to the vehicle. The system also includes receive optics that collects scattered portions of the light pulses from the external air volume, and a whispering gallery mode (WGM) frequency discriminator that receives the scattered portions of the light pulses from the receive optics. The WGM frequency discriminator includes at least one WGM resonator that outputs a selected portion of the light pulses at one or more optical signal frequencies via tuning the WGM resonator other than by an electro-optic effect. An optical detector samples the selected portion of the light pulses from the WGM frequency discriminator, and converts the sampled light pulses to scalar values. A processing unit receives and records the scalar values from the optical detector.

Abstract: A pattern recognition system for use with a two-dimensional image, each point associated with a height and with contributions from various wavelengths of light. The image to be analyzed is first sensed by a sensor and stored in a memory. Signals, read from the memory, are filtered and processed to produce signals measuring each of the wavelengths and measuring the height. The resulting distributions of data are first scanned for areas containing appropriate height measurements. Each pixel of these areas is classified according to predetermined classification definitions, further reducing the areas to be processed. These areas are subjected to spatial classification according to other classification definitions. The spatial classification may be accomplished by a neighborhood processor. The areas of the image are then identified with the features to be recognized.