Accession Number:

AD0694588

Title:

OPTICAL DATA PROCESSING WITH APPLICATION TO RADAR PARAMETER ESTIMATION.

Descriptive Note:

Technical rept.,

Corporate Author:

STANFORD UNIV CALIF STANFORD ELECTRONICS LABS

Personal Author(s):

• Weaver,C. S.
• Ramsey,S. D.
• Goodman,J. W.
• Rosie,A.
• Silvestri,A.

Report Date:

1969-06-01

Pagination or Media Count:

88.0

Abstract:

The ease with which an optical system can achieve an extremely large time-band-width product makes optical filters and autocorrelation function generators attractive for signal detection and parameter estimation when signal-to-noise ratios are very low. The theory of autocorrelation function generation is given, and the principles of a new optical filter that overcomes the severe positioning requirements of conventional optical filters are described. The relationship between the signal amplitude and matched-filter impulse response amplitude is discussed, and a method for reducing a noise component that is common to all optical filters is given. A matched filter was constructed and used to detect a radarlike pulse when the signal-to-noise ratio was -40 dB. A digital computer, used with an optical system, to filter time signals was found to be as accurate as an all-digital system, but a significant reduction in computation time was realized. The theory of an optical-digital filter is presented also, the theory of distortions caused by nonlinearities in optical filters and autocorrelation function generators is developed in an appendix. A radar pulse parameter estimator that uses an autocorrelator and another that uses a bank of matched filters are proposed. Both estimators may be realized with optical techniques. Author

Descriptors:

• *RADAR PULSES
• DATA PROCESSING
• OPTICAL FILTERS
• CORRELATION TECHNIQUES
• SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO
• DIGITAL SYSTEMS

Subject Categories:

• Active and Passive Radar Detection and Equipment

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE