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US4722596A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Acousto-optic analyzer with dynamic signal compression

Assignee: Unisys Corp
•
Filing: 1986-05-13
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Granted: 1988-02-02
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Expires: 2006-05-13
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Abstract

Abstract An acousto-optic spectrum analyzer in which the dynamic range is effectively extended by detecting the frequency bands wherein the photo-detectors are saturated and providing a filter to suppress those frequencies. With this pre-filter, the entire spectrum appears to be within the dynamic range of the photo detectors. The actual spectrum can be reconstructed using the response of the suppression filter and the photo detector output.

Inventors

  • 👤 Joseph H. Labrum
  • 👤 F. Avery Bishop

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 17:52
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R23/00; G01R23/16; G01R23/17

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim 64 words
An acousto-optic analyzer with improved dynamic range comprising, an acousto-optic cell, a photodetector array adapted to receive signals from said acousto-optic cell, and signal convolver means connected between said photodetector array and said acousto-optic cell and operative to alter the operation of said acousto-optic cell when said photodetector array is driven into saturation by said acousto-optic cell so that the saturation condition is terminated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 64 words
An acousto-optic analyzer with improved dynamic range comprising, an acousto-optic cell, a photodetector array adapted to receive signals from said acousto-optic cell, and signal convolver means connected between said photodetector array and said acousto-optic cell and operative to alter the operation of said acousto-optic cell when said photodetector array is driven into saturation by said acousto-optic cell so that the saturation condition is terminated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 17 words
The analyzer recited in claim 1 wherein, said signal convolver means includes microprocessor means and convolver means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 24 words
The analyzer recited in claim 1 wherein, said acousto-optic cell includes Bragg cell means having the input thereof connected to said signal convolver means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 15 words
The analyzer recited in claim 1 wherein, said signal convolver is an analog signal convolver.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
The analyzer recited in claim 1 including, input means connected to supply input signals to said signal convolver means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 13 words
The analyzer recited in claim 5 wherein, said input means comprises antenna means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 22 words
The analyzer recited in claim 2 including, digital to analog converter (DAC) means connected between said microprocessor means and said convolver means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 16 words
The analyzer recited in claim 1 wherein, said photodetector array comprises a self-scanning photo detector array.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
The analyzer recited in claim 1 including, optical means disposed between said acousto-optical cell and said photodetector array.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
The analyzer recited in claim 9 wherein, said optical means comprises a Fourier transform lens which focuses the signals from said acousto-optic cell onto said photodetector array.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 32 words
The analyzer recited in claim 10 wherein, said optical means and said photodetector array are arranged so that the photodetector array is located at the Fourier transform plane of said optical means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 31 words
The analyzer recited in claim 2 wherein, said photodetector array produces electrical signals representative of the signals received from said acousto-optic cell and supplies said electrical signals to said microprocessor means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 23 words
The analyzer recited in claim 5 including, analog to digital converter (ADC) means connected between said input means and said signal convolver means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 24 words
The analyzer recited in claim 13 including, second analog to digital converter (ADC) means connected between said signal convolver means and said acousto-optic cell.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 19 words
The analyzer recited in claim 1 including, source means for supplying a coherent light beam to said acousto-optic cell.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 27 words
The analyzer recited in claim 2 wherein, said microprocessor means is operative to produce a least one of a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and a Hamming function.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 39 words
The analyzer recited in claim 2 including, input means connected to supply input signals to said convolver means, and said microprocessor supplies filter signals to said convolver means to suppress at least a selected portion of said input signals.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 128 words
A method of optical adaptive filtering comprising the steps of: supplying a coherent light beam to an acousto-optic cell, supplying control signals to said acousto-optic cell to selectively control the light beam which passes through the acousto-optic cell, detecting the light beam which has passed through the acousto-optic cell and producing signals indicative of certain amplitude levels of the light beam which has passed through the acousto-optic cell, producing filter signals which are determined by the signals indicative of the certain amplitude levels of the light beam, and convolving said filter signals with said control signals to alter said control signals whereby the light beam which passes through said acousto-optic cell is altered so that the signals indicative of certain amplitude levels of the light beam are eliminated.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 128 words
A method of optical adaptive filtering comprising the steps of: supplying a coherent light beam to an acousto-optic cell, supplying control signals to said acousto-optic cell to selectively control the light beam which passes through the acousto-optic cell, detecting the light beam which has passed through the acousto-optic cell and producing signals indicative of certain amplitude levels of the light beam which has passed through the acousto-optic cell, producing filter signals which are determined by the signals indicative of the certain amplitude levels of the light beam, and convolving said filter signals with said control signals to alter said control signals whereby the light beam which passes through said acousto-optic cell is altered so that the signals indicative of certain amplitude levels of the light beam are eliminated.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method recited in claim 18 wherein, said filter signals are produced so as to be uniform wherein said convolving step alters said control signal uniformly.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method recited in claim 16 wherein, said filter signals are produced selectively wherein said convolving step alters selected portions of said control signals.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method recited in claim 18 wherein, said filter signals are produced iteratively until said signals indicative of certain amplitude levels of the light beam are eliminated.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 98 words
An optical adaptive filter comprising, source means for supplying a coherent light beam, acousto-optic cell means arranged to receive and operate upon said coherent light beam, lens means arranged to receive and focus said light beam after it has been operated upon by said acousto-optic cell means, photodetector means arranged to receive the focused light beams from said lens means, and signal convolver means connected between said photodetector means and said acousto-optic cell in order to supply a signal to said acousto-optic cell to alter the operation thereof as a function of the operation of said photodetector means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 98 words
An optical adaptive filter comprising, source means for supplying a coherent light beam, acousto-optic cell means arranged to receive and operate upon said coherent light beam, lens means arranged to receive and focus said light beam after it has been operated upon by said acousto-optic cell means, photodetector means arranged to receive the focused light beams from said lens means, and signal convolver means connected between said photodetector means and said acousto-optic cell in order to supply a signal to said acousto-optic cell to alter the operation thereof as a function of the operation of said photodetector means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3942109A Cited
US4126834A Cited
US4530573A Cited
US4602342A Cited
US4629879A Cited
US4639092A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-02-01 1991-08-03 1992-02-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-02-01 1995-08-03 1996-02-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-02-01 1999-08-03 2000-02-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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