System and method for characterization of tracer light output and velocity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10330529-B2
Application number	US-201615246687-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2016
Priority date	Mar 10, 2016
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

System and methods for simultaneous characterization of tracer light output and velocity by arranging a plurality of photodetectors along the flight path of the tracer and transmitting the detected light output over large distances using an array of analog/digital converter units arranged to correspond to each photodetector. The system can be scaled and configured to operate and control the photodetectors from a remote location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for characterizing a tracer's light output during flight comprising:
an acoustic trigger;
a plurality of photodetector units situated along a travel path of a light emitting tracer for collecting light emitted by the tracer;
a light signal transmitter system comprising at least one coupled A/D transmitter and A/D receiver pair, wherein the at least one coupled A/D transmitter and A/D receiver pair is coupled to a corresponding photodetector from the plurality of photodetector units; and
a data collection and processing system comprising a data card and a data processor, and wherein the data card is connected to the acoustic trigger and the data processor.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a gun for firing a tracer that emits light.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the tracer comprises a material located at the base of the tracer that emits visible light.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one A/D transmitter and A/D receiver pair is connected by a fiber optic cable.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one photodetector comprises a light detector, a lens and a filter.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the light detector is a silicon photodetector and the lens is an aspheric condenser lens.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the photodetectors further comprises a preamplifier or resistor.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photodetectors are arranged at least 25 m apart from each other.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a remote control system.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the remote control system comprises an Ethernet switch, a serial terminal server, and an RS232-fiber converter pair.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the photodetectors are located at an angle of 0 to 180 degrees along the flight path of the tracer.

12. A method for measuring a tracer's light intensity and velocity during flight using the system of claim 1 .

13. A method for characterizing a tracer's light output and velocity during flight comprising:
a. firing a tracer comprising a material that emits visible light;
b. collecting the tracer's emitted light using a plurality of photodetectors arranged 0 to 180 degrees along the flight path of the tracer, wherein at least one photodetector is connected to at least one coupled A/D receiver and A/D transmitter pair;
c. transmitting the collected light signal from the at least one photodetector to the corresponding A/D receiver, wherein the corresponding A/D receiver converts the light signal from the photodetector into a digital signal;
d. transmitting the digital signal to a corresponding A/D receiver wherein the at least one A/D receiver converts the corresponding digital signal to an analog signal and sending the analog signal to a data collecting system; and
e. processing the signal transmitted by the data collecting system to generate a maximum recorded light signal.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising calculating the velocity information of the fired tracer using the generated maximum recorded light signal.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the plurality of the photodetectors comprises a light detector, a lens and a filter.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the processed signal is displayed as light intensity and velocity data.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising controlling at least one photodetector from a remote location using an Ethernet switch, serial terminal server and RS232-fiber converter pair.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one photodetector comprises a narrow band filter.

Assignees

• Us Army

Inventors

• Poret Jay C

Classifications

• G01P3/36

  Devices characterised by the use of optical means, e.g. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light (G01P3/68 takes precedence; gyrometers using the Sagnac effect, i.e. rotation-induced shifts between counter-rotating electromagnetic beams G01C19/64) · CPC title

• F42B12/382 Primary

  emitting an electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser beam or infrared emission · CPC title

• G01N21/01

  Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation · CPC title

• G01N21/84

  Systems specially adapted for particular applications · CPC title

• G01J1/4228 Primary

  arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation · CPC title