US3582635A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical correlation of electronic pulses
Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corp
•
Filing: 1968-04-16
•
Granted: 1971-06-01
•
Expires: 1988-04-16
Abstract
Abstract A moving waveform density image induced in an ultrasonic light modulator by an applied electronic pulse is optically correlated with a diffraction grating formed by grooves in a transparent plate inserted in the modulator. A collimated light beam passing through the modulator transversely of both the moving waveform density image and grooved plate is optically diffracted and the diffracted light is focused by a lens upon a slit preceding a photodetector in such a manner that only a lower order of the diffracted light passes through the slit. The photodetector responds to changes in light intensity resulting from phase correlation of the density image and the grooves in the plate to provide an electrical output signal representing the correlation function. Pulses of carrier wave energy which are narrow relative to the full optical aperture of the correlator are expanded and pulses which are long relative to the full optical aperture are compressed by the device.
Inventors
- 👤 Leo Slobodin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:52
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/02; G01S13/06; G01S13/08; G01S13/10; G01S13/26; G01S13/28; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/11; G06; G06E; G06E3/00; G06E3/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
An optical correlator for processing electronic pulses comprising, a light transmissive medium for propagating ultrasonic waves, a light source for directing a beam of light through said medium, a light transmissive replica plate immersed in said medium and transversely intersecting said light beam, transducer means responsive to an applied electronic pulse for generating an ultrasonic wave which travels in said medium between said plate and light beam source in a direction generally parallel with said plate and transversely of the light beam, said plate having a refractive index different from that of said medium and a series of grooves formed therein of a width and spacing representing a stored signal history of the desired output waveform, said grooves being arranged generally normal to the direction of travel of said ultrasonic waves, and photodetector means responsive to correlation of the ultrasonic waves, and photodetector means responsive to correlation of the ultrasonic waves with the stored signal history on said plate to provide electrical output signals having a waveform construction representing the correlation function.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
An optical correlator for processing electronic pulses comprising, a light transmissive medium for propagating ultrasonic waves, a light source for directing a beam of light through said medium, a light transmissive replica plate immersed in said medium and transversely intersecting said light beam, transducer means responsive to an applied electronic pulse for generating an ultrasonic wave which travels in said medium between said plate and light beam source in a direction generally parallel with said plate and transversely of the light beam, said plate having a refractive index different from that of said medium and a series of grooves formed therein of a width and spacing representing a stored signal history of the desired output waveform, said grooves being arranged generally normal to the direction of travel of said ultrasonic waves, and photodetector means responsive to correlation of the ultrasonic waves, and photodetector means responsive to correlation of the ultrasonic waves with the stored signal history on said plate to provide electrical output signals having a waveform construction representing the correlation function.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the grooves formed in said plate are on the side away from said light source.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said plate is of a material having a higher refractive index than said medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said light transmission medium is water and said plate is glass.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said plate is in a plane substantially contiguous with said ultrasonic wave.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said light beam illuminates substantially the entire portion of said plate containing the stored signal history of the desired output waveform.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said light transmissive medium is a fluid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said applied electronic pulse is narrow relative to the length of said medium, and said output signal is an expanded replica of said applied electronic pulse.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A device as defined in claim 8 including means for applying said output signal to said transducer means whereby a processed signal is obtained at the output of said photodetector means which is a time compressed replica of said output signal corresponding substantially to said applied electronic pulse.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device as defined in claim 1 including a light stop having a slit formed therein between the photodetector means and said medium, and lens means focusing the light beam at the stop so as to pass only diffracted light which contains an optical image of the correlation function.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as defined in claim 10 wherein said photodetector means includes a Dual mode image dissector, and control means for performing mode selection.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device as defined in claim 10 wherein said photodetector means includes an image dissector for scanning said optical image by tracking said ultrasonic waves.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
A device as defined in claim 10 wherein said photodetector means includes an image dissector having a static mode with a viewing area encompassing the entire optical image and a scanning mode with a restricted viewing area encompassing only the ultrasonic waves, control means for performing mode selection, and synchronizing means causing said image dissector to track said ultrasonic waves.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
A device as defined in claim 10 wherein said photodetector means includes a beam splitter providing two distinct optical paths, a photosensitive device having a static viewing area encompassing the entire optical image in one of said paths, an image dissector having movable viewing area encompassing at any instant only a portion of the optical image in the other of said paths, and synchronized control means for directing the movement of said viewing area to scan said optical image.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
122 words
An optical correlator for processing electronic pulses comprising, a light transmissive medium for propagating ultrasonic waves, a light source for directing a beam of light through said medium, transducer means responsive to applied electronic pulses for generating ultrasonic waves which travel in said medium in a direction generally normal to said light beam, a stationary replica plate having a diffraction grating representing a stored signal history of the desired output waveform interposed in said light beam, a dual mode image dissector responsive to correlation of the ultrasonic waves with the stored signal history on said plate to provide an electrical output signal having a waveform construction representing the correlation function, and control means coupled to said image dissector for performing mode selection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
122 words
An optical correlator for processing electronic pulses comprising, a light transmissive medium for propagating ultrasonic waves, a light source for directing a beam of light through said medium, transducer means responsive to applied electronic pulses for generating ultrasonic waves which travel in said medium in a direction generally normal to said light beam, a stationary replica plate having a diffraction grating representing a stored signal history of the desired output waveform interposed in said light beam, a dual mode image dissector responsive to correlation of the ultrasonic waves with the stored signal history on said plate to provide an electrical output signal having a waveform construction representing the correlation function, and control means coupled to said image dissector for performing mode selection.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
A device as defined in claim 15 including a light stop having a slit formed therein and located between said image dissector and said replica plate, and lens means focusing the light beam at the stop so as to pass only diffracted light which contains an optical image of the correlation function.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
63 words
A device as defined in claim 16 wherein said dual mode image dissector in one mode has a static viewing area encompassing the entire optical image and in the other mode a movable viewing area encompassing at any instant only a portion of the optical image, and synchronized drive means for directing the movement of said viewing area to scan said optical image.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
74 words
In an optical correlator including an ultrasonic light modulator having a light modulator having a light transmissive medium therein for propagating ultrasonic waves, a light transmissive replica plate immersed in said medium and having a series of grooves formed therein as a diffraction grating containing a stored signal history of a desired output waveform, said plate having a thickness less than one-tenth inch and a nominal groove depth on the order of a micron.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
74 words
In an optical correlator including an ultrasonic light modulator having a light modulator having a light transmissive medium therein for propagating ultrasonic waves, a light transmissive replica plate immersed in said medium and having a series of grooves formed therein as a diffraction grating containing a stored signal history of a desired output waveform, said plate having a thickness less than one-tenth inch and a nominal groove depth on the order of a micron.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3349231A
Cited
US3432647A
Cited
US3441724A
Cited
US3355579A
Cited
US3493287A
Cited
US3482107A
Cited
US3483386A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-31 | 1974-11-30 | 1975-06-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-31 | 1978-11-30 | 1979-06-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-31 | 1982-11-30 | 1983-06-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |