Jan 27, 2026

US12535565 - Method and device for visualizing impacts of laser pulses on a target

A method for visualising impacts of laser pulses emitted by a laser designator, according to a predetermined repetition interval (PRI), onto a target present in a scene, by means of a device including: an optronic sensor of the silicone-based CMOS type having a predetermined number of rows associated with a rolling shutter-type readout circuit. Each row of the sensor is exposed for an exposure time and read during a reading time so that the exposure time is no less than the reading time but no more than the product of the reading time and the number of rows. A transition between the rows exposed to a signal and the rows not exposed to said signal is detected in at least two images in order to infer the PRI.

Assignee: SAFRAN ELECTRONICS & DEFENSE
Inventors: Vincent Marie
Filing date: 2022-11-22

laservisualizationdefense

The patent describes a method and device for visualizing the impacts of laser pulses on a target using a silicone-based CMOS sensor and a rolling shutter readout circuit. It involves exposing and reading rows of the sensor to detect transitions between exposed and non-exposed rows, allowing for the estimation of pulse repetition intervals.

Claim 1

1 . A method for visualising impacts of laser pulses emitted by a laser designator, according to a predetermined repetition interval (PRI), onto a target present in a scene, by means of a device comprising: a silicone-based CMOS-type optronic sensor having a predetermined number of rows, a rolling shutter-type reading circuit, and an electronic image processing circuit; the method comprising the steps of: exposing each row of the sensor for an exposure time and reading each row for a reading time so that the exposure time is no less than the reading time of each row, but no more than the product of the reading time of each row and the number of rows, detecting, in each image frame provided by the readout circuit, a transition between the rows of the sensor exposed to a signal resulting from a reflection of one of the laser pulses and of the rows not exposed to said signal, estimating, from this transition, a pulse dating instant in at least two images and in order to infer the pulse repetition interval. exposing each row of the sensor for an exposure time and reading each row for a reading time so that the exposure time is no less than the reading time of each row, but no more than the product of the reading time of each row and the number of rows, detecting, in each image frame provided by the readout circuit, a transition between the rows of the sensor exposed to a signal resulting from a reflection of one of the laser pulses and of the rows not exposed to said signal, estimating, from this transition, a pulse dating instant in at least two images and in order to infer the pulse repetition interval.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12535565

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12535565