Patent attributes
A flash ladar system has a laser provided with beam focusing optics for directing a laser fan beam pulse to a scanning element that in turn directs the laser fan beam to a vertical region of space. Light reflected from an object in the vertical region of space is directed by a reflecting element to a sensor provided with a column of photosensitive pixels that connects to a charge storage matrix of non-photosensitive pixels. After an integration period electrical charges are shifted from the photosensitive region to an adjacent column in the charge storage region. The process of integrate and shift is repeated for multiple integration periods until the charge storage region is filled with charges whereupon a serial shift register removes the information to be processed by a data processor.
