Abstract: An arrangement working according to the laser radar principle comprises a pulsed laser range finder (LEM) for scanning a given field of view and for the pictorial presentation of the course of a perceived obstacle for the pilot on a display, whereby a respective array of semiconductor laser diodes or, respectively, of receiving detectors is provided as a transmitter and as a receiver of the laser range finder and the scanning of the field of view occurs with a mesh network-like pattern. As a result of these measures, the expense for the individual components of the arrangement is minimized and a simple, compact structure is achieved. The arrangement is suitable for obstacle warning for aircraft, particularly for low-flying helicopters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus detects and identifies targets using a laser and operating in accordance with Doppler radar techniques. A laser sensor comprises a laser transmitter and an optical superheterodyne receiver and detects characteristic surface vibrations of targets and derives, from the laser echo signals, after frequency conversion and demodulation, low frequency oscillations having the frequencies of the vibration spectrum, from which, through comparison with patterns of known targets, provides detection and identification of the target.

Abstract: A scene is recorded simultaneously by two optical channels having different fields of view and different magnifications, whereby a picture detail from the narrow field of view is mixed into the image of the overall scene and the mixed image is portrayed on a single image portrayal device. The picture detail can follow the relative motion of an object on the basis of a tracking event. Higher detail recognition is provided for one person operation at a higher range without loss of the overall portrayal.

Abstract: An optical receiving system for thermal radiation is useable, with slight modification, for the simultaneous, low-loss reception of laser radiation and is nevertheless still composed of standard, common modules. To this end, a geometrical out-coupling of the laser radiation out of the shared receiving channel following a scanner and the geometrical separation of the thermal and laser radiations is provided, whereby the out-coupled laser radiation, separated from the thermal radiation, is directed via a simple optical assembly onto a preferably shared sensor. For the utilization of the common reception channel and, thus, of the reception optics as well for the emission of the laser radiation, the transmission radiation can be coupled into the separated laser reception channel via a polarization separating filter. By so doing, the transmission optics is eliminated, whereby good optical conditions for the transmission radiation are established without deterioration of the common reception channel.

Abstract: A transversely excited gas laser, includes: an elongated gas-filled discharge chamber having an optical axis; a main cathode electrode and a main anode electrode extended along the optical axis in the discharge chamber defining a main discharge space between the main cathode and the main anode electrodes through which the optical axis extends, the main electrodes bordering two sides of the main discharge space leaving two other sides open; two pairs of auxiliary electrodes each being extended parallel to the optical axis in vicinity of a respective one of the open sides of the main discharge space and mutually spaced apart by a given distance, each of the auxiliary electrodes including a conductor and a dielectric shell surrounding the conductor, each of the auxiliary electrodes being spaced from all of the other electrodes by a set breakdown distance; and a driving unit connected to the electrodes, the driving unit supplying different potentials to the main cathode and main anode electrodes producing a main

Abstract: A test device for determining the extinction value of a laser range finder having a laser transmitter and a laser receiver characterized by the device having an optical shield for shielding an unattenuated laser beam from the transmitter, a filter chamber containing attenuation filters being disposed in the optical beam path, a scatter unit having a dispersion disk having a scattering range for diffusely scattering the laser light, an optical coupling unit for coupling light into the laser receiver and at least one light waveguide line of a specific length having one end disposed in the scatter range of the dispersion disk and the other end for releasing the light traveling in the waveguide into an optical beam so that the laser light pulses from the transmitter are both attenuated and scattered prior to being coupled into the receiver. The test device enables checking the system sensitivity of laser range finders.

Abstract: An adjustment and test device for a laser ranging system or laser range finder which device is adapted for obtaining the parallel alignment of optical axes of the transmitter and receiver with respect to one another and with respect to the optical reference axis, characterized by a test unit, an optical adapter unit and a mechanical adapter unit. The test unit has a housing, a collimator, which comprises a collimator lens, a beam splitting cube with a reticule, a device for illuminating the reticule and a device for observing the illuminated reticule, and an arrangement for mounting the collimator in said housing for adjustment of the optical axis of the collimator in the housing. The optical adapter unit has an independent housing and has an arrangement for optically coupling the test unit to the laser ranging system which includes at least one movable optical coupling element for interconnecting an optical axis of the laser ranging system to the collimator axis.