Research on key technologies of LADAR echo signal simulator

LADAR echo signal simulator is one of the most significant components of hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) simulation systems for LADAR, which is designed to simulate the LADAR return signal in laboratory conditions. The device can provide the laser echo signal of target and background for imaging LADAR systems to test whether it is of good performance. Some key technologies are investigated in this paper. Firstly, the 3D model of typical target is built, and transformed to the data of the target echo signal based on ranging equation and targets reflection characteristics. Then, system model and time series model of LADAR echo signal simulator are established. Some influential factors which could induce fixed delay error and random delay error on the simulated return signals are analyzed. In the simulation system, the signal propagating delay of circuits and the response time of pulsed lasers are belong to fixed delay error. The counting error of digital delay generator, the jitter of system clock and the desynchronized between trigger signal and clock signal are a part of random delay error. Furthermore, these system insertion delays are analyzed quantitatively, and the noisy data are obtained. The target echo signals are got by superimposing of the noisy data and the pure target echo signal. In order to overcome these disadvantageous factors, a method of adjusting the timing diagram of the simulation system is proposed. Finally, the simulated echo signals are processed by using a detection algorithm to complete the 3D model reconstruction of object. The simulation results reveal that the range resolution can be better than 8 cm.