Abstract: A system for guiding a drone to an intended destination using a remote guidance system, independent of a global positioning system installed on the drone and independent of radio guidance. The system uses a two-way optical communication channel between the guidance system and the drone. The drone and the guidance system each have a light source emitting a beam of encoded light, such as a modulated laser beam, and having an extended field of illumination, and a detector receiving the impinging light beam. The guidance system can detect the angular location of the drone emission, and can transmit instructions optically to the drone, while the drone can receive flight path instructions from the guidance system. The drone can be launched from a position that is not in the line of sight of its intended destination and guided optically from the launch position to its intended target destination.

Abstract: A laser designator system using modulated CW laser diodes and a conventional high pixel count image sensor array, such as CCD or CMOS array. These two technologies, diode lasers and imaging sensor arrays are reliable, widely used and inexpensive technologies, as compared with prior art pulsed laser systems. These systems are distinguished from the prior art systems in that they filter the laser signal spatially, by collecting light over a comparatively long period of time from a very few pixels out of the entire field of view of the image sensor array. This is in contrast to the prior art systems where the laser signal is filtered temporarily, over a very short time span, but over a large fraction of the field of view. By spatially filtering the signal outputs of the individual pixels, it becomes possible to subtract the background illumination from the illuminated laser spot.

Abstract: A system for the surveillance of terrain and the detection of intrusions over a plane extending into that terrain. A curtain array of light beams is projected along the plane and reflections from the terrain are detected by a sensor array essentially spatially coincident with the array of light sources. The times of flight of the beams are determined, and these characterize the form of the terrain being surveilled. The initial background reflection pattern is acquired and stored by the system. A sudden change in this detected background pattern can be defined as arising from an unexpected reflection, indicative of an intrusion. Signal processing systems are described utilizing modulated laser beams and detection at a frequency at least twice that of the modulation, such that reflected signals arising from the ON and the OFF periods of the laser modulation can be subtracted to eliminate the background signals.

Abstract: A laser designator system using modulated CW laser diodes and a conventional high pixel count image sensor array, such as CCD or CMOS array. These two technologies, diode lasers and imaging sensor arrays are reliable, widely used and inexpensive technologies, as compared with prior art pulsed laser systems. These systems are distinguished from the prior art systems in that they filter the laser signal spatially, by collecting light over a comparatively long period of time from a very few pixels out of the entire field of view of the image sensor array. This is in contrast to the prior art systems where the laser signal is filtered temporarily, over a very short time span, but over a large fraction of the field of view. By spatially filtering the signal outputs of the individual pixels, it becomes possible to subtract the background illumination from the illuminated laser spot.

Abstract: A laser designator system using modulated CW laser diodes and a conventional high pixel count image sensor array, such as CCD or CMOS array. These two technologies, diode lasers and imaging sensor arrays are reliable, widely used and inexpensive technologies, as compared with prior art pulsed laser systems. These systems are distinguished from the prior art systems in that they filter the laser signal spatially, by collecting light over a comparatively long period of time from a very few pixels out of the entire field of view of the image sensor array. This is in contrast to the prior art systems where the laser signal is filtered temporarily, over a very short time span, but over a large fraction of the field of view. By spatially filtering the signal outputs of the individual pixels, it becomes possible to subtract the background illumination from the illuminated laser spot.

Abstract: A system for the surveillance of terrain and the detection of intrusions over a plane extending into that terrain. A curtain array of light beams is projected along the plane and reflections from the terrain are detected by a sensor array essentially spatially coincident with the array of light sources. The times of flight of the beams are determined, and these characterize the form of the terrain being surveilled. The initial background reflection pattern is acquired and stored by the system. A sudden change in this detected background pattern can be defined as arising from an unexpected reflection, indicative of an intrusion. Signal processing systems are described utilizing modulated laser beams and detection at a frequency at least twice that of the modulation, such that reflected signals arising from the ON and the OFF periods of the laser modulation can be subtracted to eliminate the background signals.

Abstract: A laser designator system using modulated CW laser diodes and a conventional high pixel count image sensor array, such as CCD or CMOS array. These two technologies, diode lasers and imaging sensor arrays are reliable, widely used and inexpensive technologies, as compared with prior art pulsed laser systems. These systems are distinguished from the prior art systems in that they filter the laser signal spatially, by collecting light over a comparatively long period of time from a very few pixels out of the entire field of view of the image sensor array. This is in contrast to the prior art systems where the laser signal is filtered temporarily, over a very short time span, but over a large fraction of the field of view. By spatially filtering the signal outputs of the individual pixels, it becomes possible to subtract the background illumination from the illuminated laser spot.