Quadrature processed LIDAR system

A method of generating in-quadrature signals is disclosed. The method comprises phase shifting a Doppler frequency-shifted signal; phase shifting a local oscillator signal; mixing the phase shifted Doppler frequency-shifted signal and the phase-shifted local oscillator signal generating thereby a signal which includes the phase-shifted Doppler frequency-shifted signal and a further phase-shifted local oscillator signal; and mixing the unphase-shifted Doppler frequency-shifted signal and the unphase-shifted local oscillator signal generating thereby a signal which includes the unphase-shifted local oscillator signal and a further phase-shifted Doppler frequency-shifted signal. A method of determining the velocity of an object is also disclosed. The method comprises receiving a Doppler frequency-shifted signal reflected or backscattered from the object; generating a local oscillator signal; based upon the received Doppler frequency-shifted signal and the local oscillator signal, generating an in-phase signal; based upon the received Doppler frequency-shifted signal and the local oscillator signal generating an in-quadrature signal; summing the in-phase signal and the in-quadrature signal; and transforming the summation of the in-phase signal and the in-quadrature signal. A lidar is disclosed comprising an optical system for transmitting an output signal to an object and receiving thereby a Doppler frequency-shifted signal reflected or backscattered from the object; a signal mixing assembly receptive of the Doppler frequency-shifted signal and a local oscillator signal generating thereby an in-phase signal and an in-quadrature signal; and a signal transformer for transforming the in-phase signal and an in-quadrature signals. A signal mixing system is disclosed comprising an array of signal couplers receptive of a Doppler frequency-shifted signal and a local oscillator signal generating thereby an in-phase signal which includes the unphase-shifted local oscillator signal and a phase-shifted Doppler frequency-shifted signal and an in-quadrature signal which includes the phase-shifted Doppler frequency-shifted signal and a further phase-shifted local oscillator signal; and a plurality of signal detectors receptive of the in-phase and in-quadrature signals.