| Entries |
| Document | Title | Date |
|---|
| 20080204700 | Method For Light Propagation Time Measurement - In a method and a device for light propagation time measurement, in particular for cameras, a light signal clocked by a clock controller ( | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080204701 | HAND-HELD LASER DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE WITH A PULSE REFLECTION MIXING METHOD - A hand-held pulse laser distance measuring device and a pulse reflection mixing method both having an algorithm which controls a microcontroller and which serves to calculate the distance to a measurement object by at least two different time differences τ | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080204702 | Optical observation apparatus - The invention relates to an optical observation apparatus ( | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080218729 | APPARATUS AND A METHOD FOR MEASURING DISTANCE USING A LASER BEAM - A laser distance measuring apparatus which measures a turnaround time after emitting a laser beam outputted from a laser diode to a target until receiving the laser beam reflected by the target by a light receiving module via a band-pass filter to calculate a distance to the target, includes temperature control module for adjusting a temperature of the laser diode; level detecting module for detecting a level of the reflected laser beam received via the band-pass filter; main control module for outputting a temperature control signal to the temperature control module so that the level is kept in a predetermined range. | 09-11-2008 |
| 20080239279 | LADAR-BASED MOTION ESTIMATION FOR NAVIGATION - A method for estimating motion with at least one laser radar is disclosed. The method involves scanning a first range image at a first time, locating a plurality of object features in the first range image, scanning a second range image at a second time, receiving motion data for a time period between the first and second times, and locating the plurality of object features in the second range image based, at least in part, on the motion data to determine an orientation of the object. Based on the orientation of the object, the method estimates motion by comparing the location of the plurality of object features in the first scanned range image to the location of the plurality of object features in the second scanned range image. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080246943 | Laser radar projection with object feature detection and ranging - A 3D pulsed laser projection system scans an object to produce a dense 3D point cloud and projects a laser light beam onto an object as a glowing template. A high-sensitivity optical feedback system receives and detects a feedback beam of the output beam light diffusely reflected from the object. The feedback light and projected beam share the same beam path between steering mirrors and the object. A light suppression component controls stray scattered light, including ambient light, from being detected. A time-of-flight measurement subsystem provides a distance-to-object measurement for projected pulses. An acousto-optical modulator, variable gain detected signal amplification and variable photo-detector power together produce a dynamic range for detected reflected feedback signals of at least 100,000, and up to 500,000. Optical fiber cables spatially filter scattered light and isolate the photo-detectors thermally. The laser is preferably pulsed at least 50 kHz, with sampling of the projected and feedback reflected optical pulse signals at a sampling rate of up to 10 gigasamples per second. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080266543 | Systems and methods for measuring ultra-short light pulses - Systems and methods for measuring a pulse length (τ | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080266544 | Electro-Optical Measuring Device - The invention relates to an electro-optical measuring device, in particular a hand-held device ( | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080285008 | CARS/ABSORPTION DUAL MODE ELECTRO-OPTIC SENSOR - A target gas sensing system includes a single source at a first location for generating two light beams having first and second frequencies wherein the difference between the first and second frequencies is the Raman frequency of the target gas. A difference frequency generator outputs the two light beams having the first frequency, the second frequency, and a third light beam having a third frequency that is the difference between the first and second frequencies. The first, second, and third light beams are directed toward the target gas. An input optic directs light from the third light beam, after interacting with the target gas, to a receiver for absorption spectroscopy processing, directs a fourth light beam from the target gas to a receiver for coherent anti-Stokes Raman processing, wherein the fourth light beam has a frequency of twice the first frequency minus the second frequency. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20080285009 | Laser Range Finder - This invention belongs to instruments for distance measurement (rangefinders). The proposed laser rangefinder contains, serially connected, pulse laser with an optical system, a pulse amplifier and a regulated pulse generator; also, serially connected, a photoreceiver based on an avalanche photodiode with an optical system (conjugate to that of the laser), an amplifier of photo-detected signals, comparator, time-interval meter, and an object detection indicator. This rangefinder is unique in that the pulse amplifier features an additional output, connected to which is a second laser with an optical system (conjugate to that of the first laser and avalanche photodiode); and an additional second input connected to the first input of the pulse amplifier, to the first output of the regulated pulse generator and to the first input of the time-interval meter. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20080285010 | OBJECT DETECTOR - An object detector projects laser light from a projecting part as detecting waves, moves the laser light horizontally and receives reflected waves of the laser light from an object to detect the position of the object from the elapsed time from when the laser light is projected until its reflection is received. A standard scan direction for a horizontal range of scan is set in a forward direction, and the vertical length irradiated by the laser light at positions where the distance from the projecting part is the same as the horizontal distance of the direction of projection of the detecting waves from the standard scan direction increases. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20080297761 | Measuring Apparatus - A measuring apparatus (1) for contactless detection of a distance between a surface ( | 12-04-2008 |
| 20080304043 | Single-Channel Heterodyne Distance-Measuring Method - According to the invention, high precision distance measurement may be carried out by the broadcast of pulsed electromagnetic radiation (ES) with at least two pulse repetition frequencies, whereby the pulse repetition frequencies are selected such that the corresponding pulse separations do not have a common multiple in the range of the order of magnitude of a maximum external measurement range. The radiation is hence transmitted both to a target for measurement over the measurement path outside the device and also over a reference path inside the device, whereby the radiation (IS) passing along the reference path defines at least one start pulse and the radiation (ES) passing along the measurement path defines at least one stop pulse. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080309916 | Auto Aim Reticle For Laser range Finder Scope - A laser range finder scope for measuring the distance between a target and the scope based on the time-of-flight of laser impulses is disclosed as including means for transmitting laser impulses toward the target and generating a first time signal corresponding to the transmission; means for receiving laser impulses reflected from the target and generating a second time signal corresponding to the reception; means for delaying said first time signal to provide a third time signal; means for calculating the time-of-flight by comparing said second time signal and third time signal; and a scope with a reticle with a plurality of indicia selectively lightable to each indicate the appropriate reticle scale to aim at the target. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080309917 | Optical Short-Range Sensor - In an optical short-range sensor, a plurality of sequentially actuatable transmission elements ( | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080316464 | LASER RANGE FINDING DEVICE & DISTANCE MEASUREMENT METHOD THEREOF - A distance measurement method for use in a laser range finding device to measure a distance between the laser range finding device and a target is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps. A laser signal is sent to the target in a first time point. A reflected laser signal reflected by the target is then received. A digital signal having a plurality of signal values ranging from 0 to N is obtained by sampling the reflected laser signal with a sampling signal, wherein N is an integer larger than two. A maximum signal value among the signal values is obtained. The distance is calculated according to the first time point and a second time point where the maximum signal value is generated. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090021721 | Hand-held laser distance measuring device with a pulse reflection mixing method - A hand-held laser distance measuring device ( | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090040502 | SPATIAL INFORMATION DETECTING DEVICE AND PHOTODETECTOR SUITABLE THEREFOR - A spatial information detecting device is provided, which is capable of reducing the possibility that a saturation phenomenon is caused by the influence of an environmental light. This device includes a photoelectric converting portion for receiving a signal light from a target space to generate electric charges, a charge separating portion for separating electric charges corresponding to a constant amount of a bias component as undesired electric charges from the electric charges generated by the photoelectric converting portion, a charge accumulating portion for accumulating the remaining electric charges as effective electric charges reflecting a fluctuation component of the signal light, a barrier control electrode for forming a potential barrier between the charge separating portion and the charge accumulating portion, and a charge take-out portion for outputting the effective electric charges as an received-light output. By controlling a voltage applied to the barrier control electrode to change a height of the potential barrier, it is possible to adjust an amount of electric charges flowing from the charge separating portion into the charge accumulating portion over the potential barrier. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090046269 | Light beam receiver - A light beam receiver includes a plurality of light beam detector elements, a plurality of integrator circuits that receive signals from the light beam detector elements, and a signal integral limiting integration time controller that is in communication with at least two of the integrator circuits so that an analysis of the light beam reception is determined. One embodiment provides a self-calibration function, using a plurality of light beam detector elements that generate output signals when receiving a light beam upon the light beam detector elements, an evaluation/control circuit that receives the output signals and is configured to substantially determine a position where the light beam impacts on the light beam detector elements, and at least one calibration light source that emits at least one light pulse that is coupled to the light beam detector elements. The light beam receiver performs a self-calibration function using the calibration light source. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090046270 | RANGE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A range measurement device is disclosed. The device comprises a flash laser radar configured to produce a first laser pulse at a first time. The device receives, at a second time, reflections of the first laser pulse from at least one object within a 360 degree field of view. The device further comprises a timing electronics module, an image sensor in communication with the timing electronics module, a mirror element coupled between the image sensor and the laser radar, and a lens. The mirror element includes a first reflector configured to disperse the reflections of the first laser pulse within at least a portion of the 360 degree field of view and a second reflector configured to collect returning reflections of the first laser pulse from the at least one object into the image sensor. The lens is configured to focus the returning reflections onto the image sensor. | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090046272 | SURVEYING INSTRUMENT - To provide a surveying instrument for measuring difference in required time of light or distance to an object to be measured while covering a wide dynamic range without adjusting light amount. A light pulse emanating from a light emitting section | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090059201 | Full-Field Light Detection and Ranging Imaging System - Apparatuses and methods determine positional information from a reflected optical signal for an object on a per pixel basis. A spread spectrum imaging system includes a transmitting module transmitting a transmitted optical signal that illuminates a target space and contains a transmitted pulse that is modulated with a first pseudo-noise (PN) code. The imaging system includes a receiving module that receives a reflected optical signal from an object. The reflected signal is processed by an optical array that detects a detected signal from the reflected optical signal, where the detected signal contains a plurality of pixels spanning a target space. When the determined PN code corresponds to the selected PN code, image information and the positional information is presented for the object. When different positional information is obtained for different pixels in the image, the imaging system may determine that different objects appear in the received image. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090066930 | MEASUREMENT SYSTEM - A measurement system | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090073416 | Range Finder - A range finder is provided. A light emitting unit emits a light pulse. A light receiving unit senses an incident light pulse. A reflective mirror reflects the light pulse emitted from the light emitting unit to an outside space and reflects the light pulse incident from the outside space to the light receiving unit. An actuator is configured to move the reflective mirror in a first direction rotating about a vertical axis and a second direction rotating about a horizontal axis. A controller controls the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit and driving the actuator. The actuator includes: a rotation motor unit supporting the reflective mirror to be rotated in the second direction and rotating the reflective mirror in the first direction; a bushing hinge-coupled with the reflective mirror to rotate in the first direction together with the reflective mirror and installed movably in a vertical direction; and a vertical driving unit moving the bushing in the vertical direction. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090079958 | Unknown - The invention relates to an optical range finder comprising a light transmitter for the transmission of measurement light into a monitored space, a light receiver for the reception of measurement light reflected or remitted by an object in the monitored space, and an evaluation circuit to determine the time of flight of the measurement light from the output signal and to determine the distance of the object therefrom. In accordance with the invention, a PIN diode circuit is provided between the light receiver and the evaluation circuit and is electrically connected to them, with the PIN diode circuit damping the current output signal of the light receiver. The invention furthermore relates to an optical range finding method which can be carried out with the optical range finder in accordance with the invention. | 03-26-2009 |
| 20090086189 | Clutter Rejection in Active Object Detection Systems - According to a method and apparatus taught herein an active object detection system performs reliable object detection based on light pulse emissions and corresponding and time-of-flight based distance determination, while advantageously rejecting clutter. While not limiting, the method and apparatus taught herein may be particularly advantageous for safety-critical object detection applications, such as where the active object detection system, e.g., a laser scanner, monitors for objects of at least a specified size within a predetermined monitoring radius or contour. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090091737 | LASER MEASURING DEVICE - A laser measuring device for precisely measuring a short distance is obtained by adding a relatively simple structure to a TOF laser measuring device that is simple and easily handled. The laser measuring device includes a light emitter, a light receiver and an optical length extender, which increases an optical path of emitted light or incident light. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090109421 | Laser area sensor - One embodiment includes: a laser range finder that obtains a distance to an object and a light-reception level of reflected light: a scanning mechanism that changes the measurement direction; a data acquiring portion that periodically performs measurement while changing the measurement direction; a data correcting portion that removes distance information of a portion corresponding to a discontinuous change and corrects light-reception level information of a portion that does not correspond to the discontinuous change after the obtained distance information and light-reception level information are compared with distance information and light-reception level information of preceding and succeeding measurement periods in each direction; a human body judging portion that extracts a portion that is presumed to correspond to a human body, and judges whether or not the extracted portion matches a human body based on a time-series moving status of the extracted portion; and an alert output control portion. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090115992 | Distance measuring apparatus - A distance measuring apparatus, which can achieve reduction in cost and size and perform measurement ranging from short-distance to long-distance accurately, includes an unit outputting first pulsed light L | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090115993 | Device and Method for Recording Distance Images - A monitoring device is provided with a detector, by means of which both intensity images and distance images can be recorded. The resolution of the distance image can be increased with the aid of the intensity image. Conversely, the intensity image can be segmented in object-oriented fashion on the basis of the distance image. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090115994 | LASER RANGING, TRACKING AND DESIGNATION USING 3-D FOCAL PLANES - By using 3-D focal plane arrays, the present invention tracks or locates small moving objects, or generates a 3-D frame of data with minimum laser energy and a minimum of mechanically moving parts. In another embodiment the invention is used to determine the direction of a laser designating a target with a minimum of moving parts. In another embodiment the invention is used as a 3-D movie/video camera. In yet another embodiment the device is used to provide data for autonomous navigation. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090115995 | Method and system for fast calibration of three-dimensional (3D) sensors - Rapid calibration of a TOF system uses a stationary target object and electrically introduces phase shift into the TOF system to emulate target object relocation. Relatively few parameters suffice to model a parameterized mathematical representation of the transfer function between measured phase and Z distance. The phase-vs-distance model is directly evaluated during actual run-time operation of the TOF system. Preferably modeling includes two components: electrical modeling of phase-vs-distance characteristics that depend upon electrical rather than geometric characteristics of the sensing system, and elliptical modeling that phase-vs-distance characteristics that depending upon geometric rather than electrical characteristics of the sensing system. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090122295 | Increasing measurement rate in time of flight measurement apparatuses - An apparatus for measuring distance to a surface is disclosed. The apparatus transmits at least one subsequent pulse of light prior to receiving a reflection of a previously sent pulse of light. Thus, multiple pulses of light are in-flight at a given time. The embodiments are applicable to terrain mapping, bathymetry, seismology, detecting faults, biomass measurement, wind speed measurement, temperature calculation, traffic speed measurement, military target identification, surface to air rangefinding, high definition survey, close range photogrammetry, atmospheric composition, meteorology, distance measurement, as well as many other applications. Examples of such apparatuses include laser ranging systems, such as light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems, and laser scanners. Data received from the apparatus by a data processing unit can be used to create a data model, such as a point cloud, digital surface model or digital terrain model describing the surface, terrain, and/or objects. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090128798 | COHERENT OPTICAL RANGE FINDER - A coherent range measurement system includes a detector optical arrangement defining a current optical field of view and an illumination subsystem configured for transmitting pulses of coherent illumination at different times along each of a plurality of directions within the current optical field of view without moving parts. A detection arrangement is configured to direct part of the transmitted pulses and a reflected signal from each of the directions onto a common detector. The output of the detector is processed by a processing system to derive range data associated with each of the directions by coherent detection of the reflected signals employing the part of the transmitted pulses as a local oscillator. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090135404 | METHOD FOR OPERATING A TIME-OF-FLIGHT IMAGER PIXEL - A time-of-flight imager pixel has a light-sensitive region, a first and a second integration gate associated with the light-sensitive region, a first and a second sense node, a first output gate arranged between the first integration gate and the first sense node and a second output gate arranged between the second integration gate and the second sense node, a method for operating such a pixel includes | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090141262 | METHOD OF DETECTING A LIGHT PULSE REFLECTED ON AN OBJECT TO DETERMINE THE DISTANCE FROM THE OBJECT, SENSOR AND DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING SAME - The present invention proposes a real time active imaging method that is accurate and simple, and able to give distance information concerning the observed objects. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090147240 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EYE SAFETY IN OPTICAL SENSOR SYSTEMS - One embodiment of the application provides a method and system for measuring a range to a target using a ranging system by measuring the time of flight of a ranging signal to and from the target, the first ranging signal having an energy sufficient to locate the target and detecting the target using a detection system generating a target detection signal, the target detection signal having a peak energy determined by the range to the target measured by the first detection system. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090185159 | DISTANCE MEASURING METHOD AND DISTANCE MEASURING ELEMENT FOR DETECTING THE SPATIAL DIMENSION OF A TARGET - A distance measuring method for detecting the spatial dimension of at least one target by at least one emission of a multiplicity of light pulses, in particular laser light, towards the target, detecting the light pulse scattered back by the target by means of a multiplicity of distance measuring pixels and eliminating the distance to the target for each pixel, wherein each light pulse can be detected within a measuring interval T | 07-23-2009 |
| 20090195770 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPTOELECTRONIC CONTACTLESS RANGE FINDING USING THE TRANSIT TIME PRINCIPLE - The invention relates to a method for optoelectronic contactless distance or range measurement or finding according to the transit time principle, in which a distance of an object from a sensor unit is determined from a time difference between a starting signal and an echo signal, which is derived from an optical measurement pulse reflected by the object and where for determining the time difference the following steps are performed: a) by comparing the starting signal and echo signal with a digital clock a digital raw value is obtained, b) with the aid of at least two fine interpolators an initial time difference between the starting signal and the beginning of the digital raw value as well as a final time difference between the echo signal and the end of the digital raw value is determined, c) to the fine interpolators are in each case supplied analog signals corresponding to the initial time difference or final time difference, respectively, and converted into a digital initial time difference or digital final time difference, respectively. The method is characterized in that for the automatic calibration of the fine interpolators a plurality of measurements according to steps a) to c) are carried out and, assuming an equal distribution for the probability with which the values in a given value interval for the initial time difference and final time difference are measured, corrections for nonlinearities and/or drifts of the characteristics of the fine interpolators are calculated. The invention also relates to an apparatus for optoelectronic contactless distance or range measurement according to the transit time principle. | 08-06-2009 |
| 20090201489 | Monitoring device - The invention refers to a device and a method for monitoring a delimited area in order to detect if an undesired object is present within the area. The invention also refers to a use of the device. A first laser is adapted to emit a laser pulse (B) of a determined wavelength over the area. A first photo sensor is arranged to receive a reflected part of the laser pulse (B). An evaluation unit is connected to the laser and the photo sensor. The evaluation unit is arranged to measure the reflected part of the laser pulse (B) during a predetermined time period after the laser pulse has been emitted from the laser, to generate a signal depending on the measured reflected part and to process the generated signal in order to determine if an undesired object is present within the area. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090237640 | Rapid scan LADAR 3D imaging with compact digital beam formation - A LADAR system for coherently imaging a target within a volume has a modulated laser transmitter at a frequency and a receiver. The receiver has a plurality of lenses, each with its own detector. Each detector is supplied by a centrally located local oscillator tuned to the frequency. The paths from the local oscillator to each detector, as well as the delay within each lens/detector combination are measured during a calibration. A calibrating reflector reflects a test signal during the calibration at many frequencies, temperatures and accelerations. Measurements of paths and delays obtained during the calibration are stored, and used to phase compensate subsequent target reflections for coherent processing. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090262330 | OPTICAL DISTANCE MEASURING METHOD AND CORRESPONDING OPTICAL DISTANCE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - In order to derive a distance to a target object, in the detection of lower and upper dynamic ranges different detection methods are used simultaneously for the same light signal ( | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090268193 | Surveying Instrument and Surveying Method - A surveying instrument and a surveying method for further minimizing a measurement error when the surveying instrument casts a light to a measuring object and receives the reflected light and measures a delay time or a distance. A reference pulse light r and a measurement pulse light o | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090273770 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SAFE LASER IMAGING, DETECTION AND RANGING (LIDAR) OPERATION - A Laser Imaging, Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system that automatically adjusts laser output so that no eye damage occurs to human targets. In one example, a component automatically measures range to targets in a field of view and determines the closest targets based on the measured range. A laser device outputs a laser beam and a controller adjusts one of pulse repetition frequency, power, or pulse duration of the laser device based on the measured range of the closest target in order to comply with a predefined eye safety model. | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090273771 | METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR CAPTURING THREE-DIMENSIONAL DATA OF AN AREA OF SPACE - In a method for capturing three-dimensional data of an area of space, a plurality of measuring beams (Ls) are sent out to a plurality of measuring points. A detector ( | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090296071 | LIGHT-DIVIDING ELEMENT AND DISTANCE-MEASURING APPARATUS - A light-dividing element is provided with a dichroic mirror surface | 12-03-2009 |
| 20090303457 | Observation device with a distance meter - The invention relates to a binocular observation device, in particular a field glass, with two visual optical paths and with a laser distance meter with a laser transmitter and a laser receiver and with an opto-electronic display element. A part of an optical path of the laser transmitter is integrated in a first visual optical path and a part of an optical path of the laser receiver is also integrated in the first visual optical path. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20100007870 | Apparatus for the recognition of the presence of an object in space - The invention relates to an apparatus ( | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100020306 | HIGH DEFINITION LIDAR SYSTEM - A lidar-based 3-D point cloud measuring system and method. An example system includes a base, a housing, a plurality of photon transmitters and photon detectors contained within the housing, a rotary motor that rotates the housing about the base, and a communication component that allows transmission of signals generated by the photon detectors to external components. The rotary component includes a rotary power coupling configured to provide power from an external source to the rotary motor, the photon transmitters, and the photon detectors. In another embodiment, the photon transmitters and detectors of each pair are held in a fixed relationship with each other. In yet another embodiment, a single detector is “shared” among several lasers by focusing several detection regions onto a single detector, or by using a single, large detector. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100020307 | INSERTION OF LASER PATH IN MULTIPLE FIELD OF VIEW REFLECTIVE TELESCOPE - A multiple field of view reflective telescope is described herein which has a laser and associated components inserted therein. In addition, a method is described herein for using the multiple field of view reflective telescope to range an object (e.g., target) or to designate-highlight an object (e.g., target). | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100026984 | Optical sensor device - The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the acquisition of repetitive signals in a sensing device comprising a transmitter, a receiver and an object. The transmitter repetitively emits a modulated electromagnetic signal into a transmission medium, with the emitted signal interacting with the object producing a counter propagating return signal. The return signal may contain properties that reflect all, or a portion, of the initial signal or may be correlated with said signal through a process of absorption and reemission, in which reflected signal characteristics are governed by the object's physical material characteristic. The return signal is detected and converted into digital signals by a receiver via a reception channel through the use of edge transitions rather than logic levels from one or more comparator outputs to reconstruct the return signal waveform. A several waveform acquisition and reconstruction methods are disclosed for use with an edge sampling detection apparatus. When directed towards the time-of-flight distance measurement the invention also discloses a useful method to provide optical feedback using a moving waveguide. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100039637 | DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING IN OPTICAL SYSTEMS USED FOR RANGING APPLICATIONS - Methods and apparatuses for reducing the response time along with increasing the probability of ranging of optical rangefinders that digitize the signal waveforms obtained from the pulse echoes returned from various types of objects to be ranged, the pulse echoes being too weak to allow successful ranging from a single waveform or the objects being possibly in motion during the capture of the pulse echoes. In a first embodiment of the invention, the response time at close range of a digital optical rangefinder is reduced by using a signal averaging process wherein the number of data to be averaged varies with the distance according to a predetermined function. In a second embodiment of the invention, the probability of ranging objects in motion along the line of sight of a digital optical rangefinder is increased and the object velocity measured by performing a range shift of each acquired signal waveform prior to averaging. In a third embodiment of the invention, the signal waveforms acquired in the line of sight of a digital optical rangefinder are scanned over a predetermined zone and range shifted and averaged to allow for early detection and ranging of objects that enter in the zone. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100045964 | Apparatus and Method for Laser Ranging - The present invention relates to a method for laser ranging with high precision and high efficient, a method for identifying distance mode automatically during laser ranging process, and a laser ranger with high precision, high efficient and low power waste. The accuracy of ranging is increased through multi classes of receiving process; the accuracy of ranging is further increased through the selection of distance mode and the adjustment of receiving sensitivity before the measuring steps are executed; the accuracy of ranging is further increased through executing jitter judgment on obtained distance measured values to discard the distance measured values that do not satisfy the setting conditions and judge whether the number of remaining distance measured values satisfies the setting quantity requirement; and the present invention is also of simple structure, high measurement efficiency, and low power waste. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100045965 | LIDAR SYSTEM USING A PSEUDO-RANDOM PULSE SEQUENCE - A light detection and ranging system includes a transmitter transmitting a transmitted light pulse timing sequence, with pseudo-random timing and including a plurality of light pulses, toward a target. An optical receiver receives a reflected light pulse timing sequence including a plurality of light pulses from the target. An electronic control unit identifies a time delay between the transmitted light pulse timing sequence and the reflected light pulse timing sequence as a function of a correlation between the transmitted and reflected light pulse timing sequences. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100053593 | APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR ROTATING A LIDAR DEVICE TO MAP OBJECTS IN AN ENVIRONMENT IN THREE DIMENSIONS - Apparatus, systems, and methods for perceiving objects in an environment in three dimensions are provided. One apparatus includes a turntable capable of being coupled to a vehicle and a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device mounted on the turntable. A system includes a vehicle with a turntable coupled to the vehicle and a LIDAR device mounted on the turntable. One method includes rotating a two-dimensional LIDAR device along an axis of rotation that is substantially normal to a ground plane beneath the vehicle, capturing data points of objects within the environment surrounding the LIDAR device, and generating a three-dimensional representation of the objects based on the data points. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100053594 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING CROSSTALK IN AN AVALANCHE PHOTODIODE DETECTOR ARRAY - A method of fabricating a photodiode detector array is provided. The method facilitates a reduction in secondary photon emission detection by the photodiode detector array. The method includes fabricating an array of active regions, wherein the array of active regions comprises a plurality of active regions. The method also includes positioning a passivation region in optical paths between the active regions. The passivation region includes at least one of a photon-absorbing material and a trench. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100053595 | THREE DIMENSIONAL LASER RANGE FINDER SENSOR - A 3D laser range finder sensor is disclosed wherein the sensor comprises: a reflection body for reflecting an emitted light and an incident light; a horizontal rotation body for rotating the reflection body; a vertical moving body for tilting the reflection body; and a body irradiating the emitted light to the reflection body and receiving the incident light through reflection from the reflection body. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100097598 | DISTANCE MEASUING APPARATUS - A distance measuring apparatus includes a light source unit generating reference light for distance measuring, a light receiving device receiving light reflected from an object to be measured, which has received the reference light, a mirror controlling a path of the reference light, and controlling a path of light, reflected from the object to be measured, toward the light receiving device, and a sensor lens focusing the light reflected from the mirror on the light receiving device. The sensor lens includes a lens portion refracting light, a flange portion provided around the circumference of the lens portion and including a coupling portion for fixing the sensor lens, and a light passing portion formed at the lens portion. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100118292 | CROSS-CHIRPED INTERFEROMETRY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LIGHT DETECTION AND RANGING - An interferometric method and system enabling light echoes-to-spectrum mapping, applicable for laser rangefinder, biomedical imaging including surface 3D mapping and tomography, vehicle position identification, and spectrum analysis. The direct mapping into spectrum allows a time-of-flight detection without using any timing pulse modulation. The sensitivity of the detection can be as high as that of the conventional low coherence interferometry, thereby an eye-safe and low-cost solution not compromising performance. In a practical implementation, high accurate range detection can be easily achievable with the level of accuracy equivalent to the laser rangefinder using a 20 ps Full-Width-at-Half-Maximum (FWHM) timing pulse. The system and method comprise applying dispersion-unbalanced interference (referred to as ‘cross-chirp interference’) and gating a phase matched spectral component. The dispersion unbalance used to induce linear one-to-one correspondence between the relative time delay and the spectral component, the performances in terms of range and resolution of the system and method increase with the increase in dispersion unbalance | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100123895 | Optoelectronic sensor - An optoelectronic sensor ( | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100128246 | Optoelectronic sensor and method for the measurement of distances in accordance with the light transit time principle - An optoelectronic sensor ( | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100128247 | Optoelectronic sensor and method for the measurement of distances in accordance with the light transit time principle - An optoelectronic sensor ( | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100128248 | Optoelectronic sensor and method for the measurement of distances in accordance with light transit time principle - An optoelectronic sensor ( | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100141928 | Continuous Index of Refraction Compensation Method for Measurements in a Medium - Described herein are devices and methods for making extremely accurate measurements in a medium by continuously measuring the index of refraction of the medium such as water or biological tissue. Also described herein is a device for constantly measuring the index of refraction, and using the index of refraction data to constantly calibrate the optical measurement device. In addition, a primary measurement device (a ladar) that is optimized for data collection in a volume backscattering medium such as water or biological tissue is described, along with data results from the lab. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100157282 | RANGE FINDER - A range finder | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100165323 | ADAPTIVE ANGLE AND POWER ADAPTATION IN 3D-MICRO-MIRROR LIDAR - A device for recording a geometry of an environment of a device in a detection field with the aid of laser scanning may include a laser beam controlled by an oscillating micromechanical mirror. The detection field is specifiable in the vertical and horizontal directions by adapting an amplitude of oscillation of the micromechanical mirror. Driver-assistance systems are used for tasks both in the near field, such as a parking function, and in the distant field of the vehicle, such as a distance control or the detection of obstacles on the roadway. If the amplitude of the oscillation of the micro-mirror is then reduced in the horizontal direction and/or vertical direction, the spatial resolution for the reduced detection range is improved. Moreover, the higher intensity of the laser radiation impinging on the smaller detection region improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the detected signal. | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100177299 | Differential Focus Blade Clearance Probe - An apparatus and a method for ascertaining a gap between a stationary member and a rotating member are disclosed. At least a reference beam and a signal beam, which have different focal lengths or which diverge/converge at different rates, are fixed to the stationary member and proximate to each other. The beams are projected across a gap between the stationary member and the rotating member toward the rotating member. The reference and signal beams are reflected by the translating member when it intersects the reference and signal beam, and the reflected reference and signal pulses are obtained. One or more features of the reflected reference pulse and the reflected signal pulse, such as a rise time of the pulses, a fall time of the pulses, a width of the pulses and a delay between the reflected reference pulse and the reflected signal pulse, among other factors, are obtained. The width of the gap is obtained using at least one of these factors. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100182588 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING THE DISTANCE TO A RETROREFLECTIVE OBJECT - The invention relates to a method and a device for determining a modification at one object or a modification caused by an object ( | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100195086 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING A DISTANCE FROM AN OBJECT - A method for determining a distance from an object may include emitting an emission light beam from a light emitter, receiving a reception light beam at a light receiver, and determining the distance on the basis of a propagation time of the emission and reception light beams. The reception light beam may arise as a result of reflection of the emission light beam at the object. The emission light beam may be amplitude-modulated with a rectangular-waveform modulation signal. The modulation signal may have a multiplicity of rectangular pulses which occur in a multiplicity of groups. The groups may occur at varying temporal intervals with respect to one another and have changing numbers of rectangular pulses. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100195087 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING A DISTANCE FROM AN OBJECT - A device for determining a distance from an object may include a light emitter for emitting an emission light beam, a light receiver for receiving a reception light beam, and an evaluation unit for determining the distance on the basis of a propagation time of the emission and reception light beams. The reception light beam may arise as a result of reflection of the emission light beam at the object. The light receiver may have a reception optical unit comprising a first lens element and a pinhole diaphragm. A light-impermeable element may shade a central region of the reception optical unit in such a way that the reception light beam is incident in the form of a light ring on the pinhole diaphragm. A second lens element, which is substantially hat-shaped in cross section, is arranged between the first lens element and the pinhole diaphragm. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100195088 | DISTANCE MEASURING INSTRUMENT AND METHOD - A distance measuring instrument comprises at least one light source; at least one light detector; optics to direct measuring light emitted from the at least one light source towards an object and to direct measuring light received back from the object to the at least one detector; a signal delay module; a first signal analyzer; and a variable gain amplifier. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100201966 | BACK-ILLUMINATED DISTANCE MEASURING SENSOR AND DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - Two charge quantities (Q | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100208233 | Method and Apparatus for Distance Measurement using Optical Beam - A method and apparatus for measuring a distance are disclosed. A measuring device includes a timer, a counter, an optical emitter, an optical receiver, and a distance computing element. In one embodiment, the timer provides a sequence of signals and the counter counts pulses in a loop. The loop includes an electrical path and an optical path. While an optical emitter such as a laser can emit outgoing beams, an optical receiver such as a photodiode receives return beams from the reflective surface. The reflective surface reflects the return beam in accordance with the outgoing beam. The distance computing element measures a distance in response to the outgoing and return beams. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100208234 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING AND ANALYZING OBJECTS - Systems and methods are provided that employ one or more mirrors to harvest laser beams emitted by a physical rangefinder within a region of interest that would otherwise not intersect an object within the region of interest. The mirrors redirect the harvested beams back within the region of interest, creating one or more virtual rangefinders that supplement the physical rangefinder. The location of the virtual rangefinders is symmetric to the position of the physical rangefinder about the plane of the mirror and along the line normal to the mirror passing through the physical rangefinder. The virtual rangefinders, which operate synchronously with the physical rangefinder, thus provide a view of the object(s) from an angle different from that of the physical rangefinder. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100208235 | LIGHT DETECTION AND RANGING APPARATUS - A light detection and ranging (LIDAR) apparatus is provided that employs one or more additional reflectors to reflect and redirect the light beam transmission pulses from a scanning fan assembly to a given area of interest. The one or more additional reflectors provide additional resolution for detecting a detectable object. The one or more additional reflectors can be external or internal to the scanning fan assembly. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100214554 | Passive imaging system equipped with a range finder - The invention relates to a range finding method for a target by means of a pulsed laser ( | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100231891 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DISTANCE IMAGE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A pair of first gate electrodes IGR, IGL are provided on a semiconductor substrate | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100245801 | OPTICAL SENSOR OPERATING ON THE TRANSIT TIME PRINCIPLE - The present invention relates to an optical sensor based on the transit time principle. The sensor includes a light source for the emission of emergent light pulses into an observed region, comprising a rotating device for rotating a beam direction of the emergent light pulses about a rotation axis orientated at right angles to the beam direction, comprising a detector for the detection of light pulses reflected by objects in the observed region, and comprising a control and evaluation unit for controlling the light source, for evaluating the light pulses detected by the detector, and for determining a distance away of an object on the basis of a measured transit time of the light pulses. The optical sensor is characterized in that the rotating device has a rotor and a stator and that the light source, the detector, and an electronic assembly forming part of the control and evaluating unit are disposed for joint rotation on the rotor. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100265490 | RANGE BINOCULARS - This invention provides range binoculars capable of measuring a distance between the observation place and an object, the binoculars being made small-sized with keeping the functions as binoculars. The range binoculars includes first and second optical systems, each with an eyepiece optical member, an objective lens optical member, and an erecting prism consisting of a first prism and a second prism, wherein the first optical system has a first optical axis parallel with a second optical axis of the second optical system; first and second beam splitters, each with a beam-splitting face, wherein the first beam splitter is disposed between the first prism and the second prism of the first optical system, and the second beam splitter is disposed between the first prism and the second prism of the second optical system; an emitter for emitting a laser beam toward an object via the first beam splitter; a photodetector for receiving the laser beam which was emitted by the emitter, reflected by the object, and comes to the photodetector via the second beam splitter; a calculator for determining a distance from an observation place to the object using a flight time of the laser beam taken from the emitter to the photodetector; a measurement result display for displaying the distance determined by the calculator; and a casing accommodating the first and second optical systems, the first and second beam splitters, the emitter, the photodetector, the calculator, and the measurement result display. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100271616 | SHAPE MEASURING INSTRUMENT WITH LIGHT SOURCE CONTROL - An optical system of a shape measuring instrument includes a laser diode, a first optical system irradiating an object to be measured with laser beam, a second optical system focusing reflected light from the object to be measured, and a CCD line sensor portion for detecting a laser beam from the second optical system, where the first optical system includes an optical path displacing unit for displacing an optical path for laser beam, the optical path displacing unit includes a glass plate rotating about a rotating axis extending in a direction perpendicular to a displacement plane of the optical path, a rotating unit for the glass plate, and a rotating unit controller, and the rotating unit controller causes a rotation angle of the rotating unit to coincide with a rotation angle of the rotating unit obtained when the maximum value of an amount of light received by the CCD line sensor according to rotation of the rotating unit is measured by the rotating unit controller. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100277712 | ENTANGLED-PHOTON RANGE FINDING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method of determining a distance to an object is presented. A first photon and a second photon are simultaneously generated. The first photon is reflected off an object. The second photon is directed to an optical cavity. An arrival of the first photon is correlated with an arrival of the second photon, and the distance to the object is at least partially determined using the correlation. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100277713 | DETECTION AND RANGING METHODS AND SYSTEMS - There is provided a system and a method for acquiring a detected light optical signal and generating an accumulated digital trace The method comprises providing a light source for illumination of a field of view, an optical detector, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), emitting one pulse from the light source in the field of view, detecting a reflection signal of the pulse by the optical detector, acquiring j points for the detected reflection signal by the ADC, storing, in a buffer, the digital signal waveform of j points, introducing a phase shift of 2pi/P, repeating, P times, the steps of emitting, detecting, acquiring, storing and introducing, to store, in the buffer, an interleaved waveform of P×j points, accumulating M traces of interleaved P×j points for a total of N=M×P acquisition sets, N being a total number of pulses emitted, creating one combined trace of the reflected signal of j×P points by adding each point of the M traces Additionally, the combined trace can be compared to a detected reference reflection signal of the pulse to determine a distance traveled by the pulse | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100290027 | INPUT DEVICE WITH PHOTOSENSITIVE ELEMENTS AND METHOD FOR INPUTTING INFORMATION THEREBY - A method for inputting information by an input device with photosensitive elements uses laser light to illuminate a target and two photosensitive elements to sense the time at which beams reflected by the target and then reflected respectively by rotatable first and second mirrors, and determines an included angle between a virtual connecting line of the target and the first mirror and a virtual connecting line of the first mirror and the second mirror and an included angle between a virtual connecting line of the target and the second mirror and the virtual connecting line of the first and second mirrors depending on the time, thereby calculating a coordinate of the target and taking it as relative input information, capable of saving the time for obtaining the target's coordinate and the production cost of the input device. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100290028 | LIGHT DETECTING DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING LIGHT DETECTING DEVICE - A light detecting device includes a well region, a first holding region disposed in a surface portion of the well region, a second holding region and a third holding region disposed in a surface portion of the first holding region, an insulating layer disposed on the second holding region and the third holding region, a first electrode disposed on the second holding region through the insulating layer, and the second electrode disposed on the third holding region through the insulating layer. The first holding region is configured to hold a first carrier generated in the well region. Each of the second holding region and the third holding region is configured to hold a second carrier generated in the well region. The first carrier is one of an electron and a hole, and the second carrier is the other one of the electron and the hole. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100290029 | RANGE-FINDING DEVICE - A range-finding device includes: a light emitting unit that continuously emits measurement light to be used for distance measurement toward a measurement target object; a light-receiving unit that receives reflected light reflected by the measurement target object; a calculation unit that repeatedly calculates a distance to the measurement target object over predetermined time intervals by using the reflected light; a display unit at which an update of the distance is displayed each time the distance is calculated by the calculation unit; and a display update control unit that prohibits the update of the distance on display at the display unit and sustains the display of the previously calculated distance at the display unit according to a change in the most recently calculated distance calculated most recently by the calculation unit relative to the previously calculated distance having been calculated previously by the calculation unit. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100302528 | COLOR LIDAR SCANNER - A color LiDAR scanner device includes color laser diodes (red, green, blue) and avalanche photodetector diodes (red, green, blue) that illuminate and detect the color light intensity returned from a target. In a preferred version these color laser/detectors are coupled with a single infrared laser/detector that detects the range and infrared light intensity from the same target. The combined range and color intensity information is combined to produce a single colored pixel in space. Multiple illuminations are used to create multiple pixels which can be combined to produce images. A rotating housing may be used for an entire surrounding image. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100315618 | GEODETIC SCANNER WITH INCREASED EFFICIENCY - The present invention provides a method and a geodetic scanner for determining the appearance of a target. In the method and geodetic scanner of the present invention, an initial can is performed to calculate or determine a set of optimal gain values for each one of a number of predetermined positions ( | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100328644 | Object Detection and Tracking System - An object detection system for a vehicle includes an imaging device, an image processor and a Lidar device. The imaging device is operable to capture image data representative of a scene exterior the vehicle. The image processor processes image data to detect an object of interest in the field of view of the imaging device. The Lidar device is responsive to the image processing so as to have its line of sight guided to point toward the detected object of interest. The Lidar device is operable to measure the distances between the host vehicle and the detected object of interest. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110013173 | LASER RANGE FINDING DEVICE AND DISTANCE MEASUREMENT METHOD THEREOF - A distance measurement method for use in a laser range finding device to measure a distance between the laser range finding device and a target is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps. A laser signal is sent to the target in a first time point. A reflected laser signal reflected by the target is then received. A digital signal having a plurality of signal values ranging from 0 to N is obtained by sampling the reflected laser signal with a sampling signal, wherein N is an integer larger than two. A maximum signal value among the signal values is obtained. The distance is calculated according to the first time point and a second time point where the maximum signal value is generated. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110019176 | 3D LASER RANGE FINDER SENSOR - Disclosed herein is a 3-dimension range finder sensor, the proposed range finder sensor including a mirror reflecting emitted light and incident light; a mirror support tiltably supporting the mirror; a cylindrical body coupling the mirror support to its one side and being of a hollow shape in at least one part to allow the emitted light and the incident light to pass therethrough; a horizontal drive motor installed on a base for supportively rotating the cylindrical body; a link device connected to the mirror for tilting the mirror; a vertical drive motor disposed at a lateral surface of the horizontal drive motor on the base; and a power transmission part interposed between the vertical drive motor and the link device and transmitting the power of the vertical drive motor to the link device for the link device to tilt the mirror. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110032507 | SCANNER SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REGISTERING SURFACES - The invention relates to a method for registering surfaces, using a scanner system comprising a radiation source for emitting electromagnetic radiation (ES), a scanning device for guiding the radiation over the surface in order to scan the latter and a receiver for receiving the radiation (RS) that is reflected by the surface. According to the invention, the radiation is spectrally separated to analyse the surface characteristics and a distance measuring unit is used to derive distance information in parallel from the received radiation. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110032508 | Phase sensing and scanning time of flight LADAR using atmospheric absorption bands - A phase-sensing and scanning time-of-flight LADAR method and device are disclosed that take advantage of an atmospheric absorption bands within the solar IR spectrum. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110037967 | OPTICAL SIGHT - An optical sight includes an outer barrel unit, an objective lens unit, an ocular lens unit, a magnification unit, a range-finding module, and a display unit. The objective lens and the ocular lens unit are mounted to front and rear ends of the outer barrel unit, respectively. The magnification unit is disposed between the objective lens unit and the ocular lens unit. The range-finding module is disposed on the magnification unit, and includes alight emitter, alight receiver, and a micro processing unit. The display unit is disposed in the outer barrel unit, and includes a seat mounted adjustably between the magnification unit and the ocular lens unit, and a transparent display secured to the seat and coupled electrically to the micro processing unit. The transparent display has an aiming indicator, and a message indicator for visual indication of a range calculated by the micro processing unit. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110037968 | LASER RANGEFINDER WITH A VOICE CONTROL FUNCTION - A laser rangefinder with a voice control function has a housing, a voice sensor module, a measure module, a circuit board and a display module. The housing has a voice-receiving hole and a screen. The voice sensor module receives voice commands through the voice-receiving hole. The measure module produces and emits a laser beam toward an object and then receives the laser beam reflected from the object. The circuit board judges the voice command sent by the voice sensor module to activate the measure module for calculating and determining a distance between the laser rangefinder and the object based by a time interval of the laser beam traveling toward and returning from the object. The display module shows a determined result on the screen. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110037969 | CONCEPT FOR OPTICAL DISTANCE MEASUREMENT - The present invention relates to a concept for optical distance measurement, wherein a radiation pulse is emitted in the direction of an object of measurement. At least two different transfer gates which couple a photoactive region to at least two different evaluating capacities are driven during different drive intervals so that charge carriers generated during the drive intervals by a radiation pulse reflected from the object of measurement and/or by ambient radiation can be transported from the photoactive region to the evaluating capacities each coupled to the at least two transfer gates. Another transfer gate is driven during a time outside the drive intervals of the at least two transfer gates to connect the photoactive region to a reference potential terminal acting as a charge carrier sink during the time outside the drive intervals of the at least two transfer gates. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110051120 | RANGE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A range measurement device is disclosed. The device comprises a flash laser radar configured to produce a first laser pulse at a first time. The device receives, at a second time, reflections of the first laser pulse from at least one object within a 360 degree field of view. The device further comprises a timing electronics module, an image sensor in communication with the timing electronics module, a mirror element coupled between the image sensor and the laser radar, and a lens. The mirror element includes a first reflector configured to disperse the reflections of the first laser pulse within at least a portion of the 360 degree field of view and a second reflector configured to collect returning reflections of the first laser pulse from the at least one object into the image sensor. The lens is configured to focus the returning reflections onto the image sensor. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110058153 | TOF Range Finding With Background Radiation Suppression - A method for measuring time of flight of radiation includes emitting modulated radiation ( | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110141453 | System and Method for Ranging of Targets - A method for ranging or targets may include transmitting a pulse of electromagnetic energy at a target. The method may also include generating a time-varying signal in response to receiving a first signal indicating transmission of the pulse of electromagnetic energy. Additionally, the method may include detecting a reflection of the pulse from the target. Moreover, the method may include generating a second signal indicating detection of the reflection. The method may further include generating a third signal substantially equivalent to the second signal delayed by predetermined delay. The method may also include sampling the time-varying signal in response to receiving the third signal. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110157579 | Distance-measuring device with increased signal-to-noise ratio and method thereof - A method of increasing signal-to-noise ratio of a distance-measuring device includes a light-emitting component emitting a detecting light to a measured object during an emitting period for generating a reflected light, a delay period after the light-emitting component emitting the detecting light, a light-sensing component sensing the energy of the reflected light to generate a light-sensing signal, and obtaining a measured distance between the distance-measuring device and the measured object according to the energy of the detecting light and the light-sensing signal. Since the measured distance is longer than a predetermined shortest measured distance, the method can accordingly calculate a proper delay period for ensuring that the reflected light reaches the light-sensing component after the delay period. In this way, the light-sensing component does not sense the background light during the delay period, so that the signal-to-noise ratio of the light-sensing signal is improved. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110164242 | OBSERVATION DEVICE WITH RANGE FINDER - The invention describes a long-range optical device ( | 07-07-2011 |
| 20110188026 | SENSOR, METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME, AND SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME - A method includes providing packets to demodulate a modulated photon signal output from a light source, wherein each packet includes a first interval and a second interval, and providing oscillation signals respectively having different phases from one another to photogates during the first interval of each of the packets. The light source is disabled and a direct current (DC) voltage is provided to the photogates during the second interval of each of the packets. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110188027 | MULTIPLE SYNCHRONIZED OPTICAL SOURCES FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT RANGE FINDING SYSTEMS - TOF system optical power is augmented using auxiliary optical emitter unit(s) that may be a wireless (WOE), or a plug-wired (PWOE). WOE units sense emitted TOF system optical energy S | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110188028 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR HIERARCHICAL DE-ALIASING TIME-OF-FLIGHT (TOF) SYSTEMS - A TOF system acquires depth data using n≧3 modulation frequencies f | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110199602 | SENSOR AND METHOD USING THE SAME - A sensor, including a plurality of photo gate pairs on a semiconductor substrate, each of the photo gate pairs including a first photo gate and a second photo gate, a first shared floating diffusion region in the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of first transmission transistors on the semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the plurality of first transmission transistors is adapted to transmit charges to the first shared floating diffusion region in response to a first transmission control signal, the charges being generated in the semiconductor substrate under the first photo gate of each of the plurality of photo gate pairs. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110205522 | CHARGE EQUALIZING CLOCK DRIVER AND OTHER ENHANCEMENTS FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT DEPTH SENSING AND OTHER SYSTEMS - A clock driver outputs first and second preferably complementary clock signals coupled to substantially equal capacitive loads. Before each clock state change, the clock driver briefly shorts-together the first and second clock signals, to equalize change on capacitive loads, which each assume a potential midway between high and low power supply levels. Charge from the logic high clock signal can thus be used to raise logic low level clock line, and vice versa, rather than draw power supply current. Substantial energy savings on the order of C·V | 08-25-2011 |
| 20110228251 | RASTER SCANNING FOR DEPTH DETECTION - Techniques are provided for determining distance to an object in a depth camera's field of view. The techniques may include raster scanning light over the object and detecting reflected light from the object. One or more distances to the object may be determined based on the reflected image. A 3D mapping of the object may be generated. The distance(s) to the object may be determined based on times-of-flight between transmitting the light from a light source in the camera to receiving the reflected image from the object. Raster scanning the light may include raster scanning a pattern into the field of view. Determining the distance(s) to the object may include determining spatial differences between a reflected image of the pattern that is received at the camera and a reference pattern. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228252 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MEASURING THE POSITION OF AT LEAST ONE MOVING OBJECT IN A THREE-DIMENSIONAL GRID - A device for measuring the position of at least one moving object in a three-dimensional grid. The device comprises: at least one optical head comprising an independent laser sources array outputting collimated laser beams, arranged about a central photodetector with a single sensitive cell; at least one movable base with two rotational degrees of freedom whereto said array is secured; and control electronics. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228253 | MOBILE ELECTRONIC DETECTION DEVICE WITH USER SELECTABLE ALERTS - A detection device for detecting the presence of a speed detection system, red light camera, or other electronic surveillance means. The device includes a display means whereby the graphical and audible presentation changes from the non alert condition to the alert condition in accordance to a user selectable choice of options, thereby increasing awareness to the surveillance threat. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110235018 | SCANNING-TYPE DISTANCE MEASURING APPARATUS - A scanning-type distance measuring apparatus includes: an optical system | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110235019 | LIGHT SCANNING APPARATUS AND SEPARATION DISTANCE MEASUREMENT APPARATUS - A light scanning apparatus including a light source for emitting light in a direction different from a direction orthogonal to the reference direction, and a rotating reflection body that rotates about an axis inclined at an inclination angle φ to the reference direction and includes at least one reflecting surface that is disposed in a direction intersecting obliquely with the axis and reflects light incident on the reflecting surface at an incident angle θ. A specific scanning direction is a direction intersecting at an angle to the reference direction and the rotation axis inclination angle φ≠0°. The inclination angle φ is predetermined according to the incident angle θ such that deviation of the scanning beam reflected by the reflecting surface is smaller than the deviation of the scanning beam that would be obtained with the inclination angle φ of the rotation axis 0°. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110235020 | Range Finder - A range finder includes a device for transmitting a laser beam and a device for receiving the laser echoes backscattered by a target, comprising a frontal optical system focusing the echoes on a detection zone which comprises at least one elementary detection zone associated with an individual detector with a large bandwidth, referred to as a temporal detector, and means for transporting the detection zone to the individual detector. An elementary zone is furthermore associated with a low-noise individual detector, referred to as a spatial detector, and the receive device furthermore comprises, connected to the transporting means, a switch suitable for associating said elementary detection zone with the temporal detector and with the spatial detector, alternately or in a static manner. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110242522 | DETERMINING DISTANCE BETWEEN NODES - A first node in a wireless network transmits a periodic pilot signal to a second node. The second node receives the periodic pilot signal and retransmits the signal back to the first node. The retransmitted pilot signal includes a phase adjustment in view of an internal processing delay at the second node. The phase adjustment involves matching a phase of the retransmitted pilot signal to a phase of the received pilot signal. The first node measures a roundtrip delay of the pilot signal and the distance between the nodes is computed based at least on the measured roundtrip delay. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110249251 | System and Method of Generating and Using Open Sky Data - A method and system for generating and using open sky data is described. A vehicle equipped with a range-finding device travels on a road network in a geographic region. The range-finding device transmits a pulse at a given position and obtains range data associated with the position. The system uses the range data to generate data representing visibility of open sky at the given position and at other positions along the road network. For example, the system may determine transmission angles of pulses transmitted at positions that did not encounter a physical object and then use the determined transmission angles to generate data representing visibility of open sky at these positions. The system then stores the data representing the visibility of open sky. The system then associates the data representing the visibility of open sky with data representing physical features. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110255071 | PHOTONIC MIXER AND USE THEREOF - The photonic mixer comprises a couple of an injecting contact region ( | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110255072 | Compact economical lidar system - A lidar pulse is time resolved in ways that avoid costly, fragile, bulky, high-voltage vacuum devices—and also costly, awkward optical remappers or pushbroom layouts—to provide preferably 3D volumetric imaging from a single pulse, or full-3D volumetric movies. Delay lines or programmed circuits generate time-resolution sweep signals, ideally digital. Preferably, discrete 2D photodiode and transimpedance-amplifier arrays replace a continuous 1D streak-tube cathode. For each pixel a memory-element array forms range bins. An intermediate optical buffer with low, well-controlled capacitance avoids corruption of input signal by these memories. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110292370 | Method and system to maximize space-time resolution in a Time-of-Flight (TOF) system - Phase-based TOF systems operate with reduced depth error due to motion blur, and/or spatial blur, and/or pixel offset by intelligently determining how best to combine pixel values, and how best to compensate for individual pixel offsets. Such determination(s) may be carried out on a per pixel basis, dynamically, in real-time during TOF operation, or on archived TOF data. Offsets for individual pixels may be dynamically calculated and subtracted from the values acquired by those pixels Individual pixel offsets may be calculated for example by combining data acquired by the same pixel at two acquisitions, 180° out of phase with respect to each other. Calculated offsets may be averaged, or on a per pixel basis, and if target object motion is detected, one or more offset calculations can be discarded rather than averaged to reduce motion blur. Offsets acquired a priori during a TOF system calibration procedure may be used. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110292371 | Method and Apparatus for a Pulsed Coherent Laser Range Finder - Systems and methods are disclosed for measuring a distance, a velocity, etc., of a target using coherent laser radiation. In one example, a method is provided comprising measuring a time required for a light pulse to travel to and from a target, the light pulse reflecting from the target, and determining the distance to the target based on the measuring. The method also comprises measuring a Doppler shift of the reflected light pulse using an optical detection technique and determining the velocity of the target from the Doppler shift. In a further example, a system is disclosed comprising a transceiver, a coherent source, an optical system and a detector configured to measure the distance to the target based on a measured time for a light pulse to travel to and from the target. The system is also configured to determine the velocity of the target from a measured Doppler shift. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110299059 | Multi-Level Digital Modulation for Time of Flight Method and System - The modulation scheme disclosed in this invention report allows for utilizing multiple 3D time-of-flight cameras at the same time by exploiting the inherent pseudo noise properties of the optical modulation signals. Compared to recent systems based on pure pseudo noise modulation signals, the stochastic measurement error in a single-camera environment is significantly reduced. The basic concept relies on the generation of a three level optical modulation signal that includes two pseudo noise sequences. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299060 | SENSOR APPARATUS COMPRISING A DISTANCE SENSOR - A sensor apparatus comprising a distance sensor comprising a transmitting device having at least one transmitter with a light source, and a receiving device having at least one receiver, and an electronic unit. The electronic unit being designed to emit light by means of the transmitter and to determine a distance which is covered by light emitted by the transmitter from a reflection surface of an object in a monitored area to the respective receiver. According to the invention, light guide means for transmission of light are arranged between the transmitting device and the monitored area and/or between the monitored area and the receiving device. The light guide means reflects the light at least once so that light can pass from the transmitting device to the monitored area and/or from the monitored area to the receiving device on an angled path. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299061 | LASER RANGE FINDING DEVICE AND DISTANCE MEASUREMENT METHOD THEREOF - A distance measurement method for use in a laser range finding device to measure a distance between the laser range finding device and a target is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps. A laser signal is sent to the target in a first time point. A reflected laser signal reflected by the target is then received. A digital signal having a plurality of signal values ranging from 0 to N is obtained by sampling the reflected laser signal with a sampling signal, wherein N is an integer larger than two. A maximum signal value among the signal values is obtained. The distance is calculated according to the first time point and a second time point where the maximum signal value is generated. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110304841 | System architecture design for time-of- flight system having reduced differential pixel size, and time-of- flight systems so designed - Embodiments of the present invention provide methods to produce a high performance, feature rich TOF system, phase-based or otherwise using small TOF pixels, single-ended or preferably differential, as well as TOF systems so designed. IC chip area required for pixels is reduced by intelligently off-loading or removing from within the pixel certain components and/or functionality. In some embodiments during a single TOF system capture period, analog values from each pixel are repeatedly sampled and converted to digital values, which are combined and manipulated on the sensor chip. Combining this plurality of values enables appropriately compact data from the sensor chip. Embodiments of the present invention implement a TOF system with high ambient light resilience, high dynamic range, low motion blur and dealiasing support, while advantageously reducing pixel area size relative to prior art TOF pixels. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110304842 | TIME OF FLIGHT SYSTEM CAPABLE OF INCREASING MEASUREMENT ACCURACY, SAVING POWER AND/OR INCREASING MOTION DETECTION RATE AND METHOD THEREOF - A light source is used for emitting an invisible light toward an object. The object reflects the invisible light and reflected light is formed, and a sensor is used for receiving the reflected light. A processor is coupled to the sensor for recording a time interval of the invisible light traveling from the light source to the object and reflected from the object to the sensor. Then, the processor estimates a measurement distance of the object according to the time interval, and adjusts an emission period of the light source, an exposure period of the sensor, intensity of the invisible light, and/or main sensing range of the sensor according to the measurement distance. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110310377 | DISTANCE MEASURING APPARATUS AND DISTANCE MEASURING METHOD - A distance measuring apparatus and a distance measuring method that enable high-precision and high-speed measurement by canceling variations of a delay circuit in the distance measuring apparatus are provided. In the apparatus and the method, light emitted by a light source section | 12-22-2011 |
| 20120008128 | Method and system to reduce stray light reflection error in time-of-flight sensor arrays - Haze-type phase shift error due to stray light reflections in a phase-type TOF system is reduced by providing a windowed opaque coating on the sensor array surface, the windows permitting optical energy to reach light sensitive regions of the pixels, and by reducing optical path stray reflection. Further haze-type error reduction is obtained by acquiring values for a plurality (but not necessarily all) of pixel sensors in the TOF system pixel sensor array. Next, a correction term for the value (differential or other) acquired for each pixel in the plurality of pixel sensors is computed and stored. Modeling response may be made dependent upon pixel (row,column) location within the sensor array. During actual TOF system runtime operation, detection data for each pixel, or pixel groups (super pixels) is corrected using the stored data. Good optical system design accounts for correction, enabling a simple correction model. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008129 | OBJECT DETECTION SYSTEM - An object detection system for a host vehicle includes an imaging device, a ranging device and a processor. The imaging device has a field of view exterior of the host vehicle and is operable to capture image data representative of an object exterior the host vehicle. The ranging device has a field of view that sweeps at least the field of view of the imaging device and that detects the object exterior the host vehicle. The processor processes image data from the imaging device and processes data from the ranging device in order to determine if the detected object is an object of interest. The determination that the detected object is an object of interest is made in accordance with a priority score. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120069321 | IMAGING DEVICE AND CIRCUIT FOR SAME - An apparatus and method for imaging a target area is provided. Light is directed to a target area where it reflects off objects. The light is then returned to a receiving device. This receiving device creates a signal indicative of the intensity of the received light. The time of flight for the light plus the shape of the signal are analyzed to determine the range and shape of objects in the target area. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120069322 | Method and Device For Measuring Distance - There is provided an apparatus ( | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120075615 | PULSED LIGHT OPTICAL RANGEFINDER - An optical rangefinder based on time-of-flight measurement, radiates pulsed light toward an object ( | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120086932 | HIGH RESOLUTION TIME-OF-FLIGHT DISTANCE MEASUREMENT DEVICE BASED ON FEMTOSECOND LASER - Disclosed is a high resolution time-of-flight distance measurement device based on a femtosecond laser, including a femtosecond laser light source, a polarization beam splitter, a balanced optical cross-correlator in which second harmonic pulses are generated using reference light and measurement light, wherein the second harmonic pulse that was primarily generated is incident on a first photodetector and the second harmonic pulse that was secondarily generated is incident on a second photodetector, so that a difference in intensity of the second harmonic pulses is output, thus resolving the time interval of the pulse laser, a controller for controlling the repetition rate of the femtosecond laser, and a converter for measuring the repetition rate of the femtosecond laser controlled so that the pulses uniformly overlap by means of the controller, using a frequency counter traceable to a time/frequency standard, so that a measured value is converted into distance information. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120086933 | EVALUATION DEVICE, MEASURING ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR PATH LENGTH MEASUREMENT AND MEASURING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A COORDINATE MEASURING DEVICE AND COORDINATE MEASURING DEVICE - An evaluation device for path length measurement configured to evaluate a measured signal representing an intensity of a sequence of pulses of electromagnetic radiation, particularly a sequence of light pulses, as a function of time, after the sequence has traveled through a path length to be measured. The sequence of light pulses is generated with a repetition rate by a radiation source, particularly a light source. The evaluation device is configured to evaluate a first component of the measured signal, which oscillates with a first frequency, and a second component of the measured signal, which the second component oscillates with a second frequency that is greater than the first frequency. The first frequency may correspond to the repetition rate or a multiple of the repetition rate. The second frequency may correspond to another multiple of the repetition rate. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120092644 | EVALUATION DEVICE, MEASURING ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR PATH LENGTH MEASUREMENT - An evaluation device, measuring arrangement and method for path length measurement. The evaluation device for path length measurement is configured to evaluate a measured signal which represents an intensity of a sequence of pulses of electromagnetic radiation as a function of time. The sequence of pulses has a repetition rate. The evaluation device is configured to determine a phase difference between a component of the measured signal, the component oscillating with a frequency, and a reference signal which oscillates with the frequency. For this purpose, the evaluation device generates, for example by frequency mixing, a first signal and a second signal which have another phase difference, such that the first signal and the second signal each oscillates with another frequency which is different from said frequency, and that the other phase difference has a predetermined relation to the phase difference. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120099096 | LASER-BASED COORDINATE MEASURING DEVICE AND LASER-BASED METHOD FOR MEASURING COORDINATES - A laser based coordinate measuring device measures a position of a remote target. The laser based coordinate measuring device includes a stationary portion, a rotatable portion, and at least a first optical fiber. The stationary portion has at least a first laser radiation source and at least a first optical detector, and the rotatable portion is rotatable with respect to the stationary portion. The first optical fiber system, which optically interconnects the first laser radiation source and the first optical detector with an emission end of the first optical fiber system, has the emission end disposed on the rotatable portion. The emission end emits laser radiation to the remote target and receives laser radiation reflected from the remote target with the emission direction of the laser radiation being controlled according to the rotation of the rotatable portion. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120105823 | COLOR SENSOR INSENSITIVE TO DISTANCE VARIATIONS - A system for calibrating a color sensing pixel based upon the distance between the color sensing pixel and an object. The distance is determined by measuring the phase shift of electromagnetic radiation as reflected from the surface of the object compared with the wave profile of the electromagnetic radiation incident on the object surface. The color sensing pixel is associated with a Time-of-Flight (ToF) pixel which is employed to determine the distance of the color sensing pixel. The electromagnetic radiation can be from any part of the electromagnetic spectrum, in particular the infrared and visible light portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The color sensing pixel and the ToF pixel can reside on the same semiconductor or on disparate semiconductors. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120105824 | Laser Surveying Instrument - A laser surveying instrument comprising a light source unit having two or more light emission sources for emitting pulsed distance measuring lights with different wavelengths, a light projecting unit for projecting the pulsed distance measuring lights with the two or more wavelengths on an optical axis, and a deflection member provided on the optical axis, is disclosed. The deflection member has two or more reflection surfaces which reflect each wavelength of the pulsed distance measuring lights independently, thereby dividing the pulsed distance measuring lights for every wavelength, and deflecting each of the distance measuring lights toward an object to be measured. The instrument comprises a single photodetection element for receiving reflected distance measuring lights from the object to be measured. In the laser surveying instrument, a measurement of distance is performed for every pulsed distance measuring light based on a photodetection signal produced by the photodetection element. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120113409 | RANGE FINDER - A laser range finder includes: a light source emitting light from a linear light-emitting portion with making a divergent angle of the light larger in a transversal direction of the light-emitting portion than in a longitudinal direction thereof; an objective lens projecting the light onto a target object and converging reflection light; a partial reflection member disposed between the light source and the objective lens and having a partial reflection surface composed of a transmitting area transmitting light emitted from the light source and receiving areas reflecting reflection light; and a photodetector detecting the reflection light reflected by the receiving areas; wherein the light source and the partial reflection member are disposed with making the longitudinal direction of the light-emitting portion disposed substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the transmitting area as seen along an optical axis. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120113410 | LASER SCANNING SENSOR - A laser scanning sensor ( | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120133919 | DISTANCE-MEASURING DEVICE AND SURVEYING SYSTEM - A distance-measuring device for the contactless measurement of the distance to a target, including a housing; a measuring apparatus which utilizes an optical measuring beam, which is arranged in a housing, and by which the distance to the target can be measured contactlessly; at least one reference stop arranged on the housing and that can be selected by the user in order to carry out the measurement; an operating and input array arranged on the housing and serving to operate at least one measuring apparatus; a visual display arranged on the housing and coupled to the operating and input array to indicate an operating state and/or the measured distance from a selected reference stop to the target. The housing has at least one optical signaler separate from the visual display and unambiguously associated with a reference stop and being activatable whenever that reference stop is selected. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120140203 | Distance Measuring Device - An optical device is disclosed that may be employed in distance measuring devices. In at least one embodiment, the optical device includes a control unit that is adapted to cause at least one control signal generator unit to generate at least one control signal according to a predetermined temporal function on the basis of an elapsed time from a predetermined point in time. On the basis of the generated at least one control signal, at least one parameter of a receiver unit may be adjusted during the travel time of the optical pulse, wherein the at least one parameter affects the dynamic range of the receiver unit. In this way, the dynamic range of the receiver unit may be increased. A method is further disclosed for operating such an optical device, along with a distance measuring device including such an optical device and a surveying instrument including such a distance measuring device. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120154785 | Flash Ladar Collision Avoidance System - A vehicular collision avoidance system comprising a system controller, pulsed laser transmitter, a number of independent ladar sensor units, a cabling infrastructure, internal memory, a scene processor, and a data communications port is presented herein. The described invention is capable of developing a 3-D scene, and object data for targets within the scene, from multiple ladar sensor units coupled to centralized LADAR-based Collision Avoidance System (CAS). Key LADAR elements are embedded within standard headlamp and taillight assemblies. Articulating LADAR sensors cover terrain coming into view around a curve, at the crest of a hill, or at the bottom of a dip. A central laser transmitter may be split into multiple optical outputs and guided through fibers to illuminate portions of the 360° field of view surrounding the vehicle. These fibers may also serve as amplifiers to increase the optical intensity provided by a single master laser. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120154786 | OPTOELECTRONIC SENSOR AND METHOD FOR THE DETECTION AND DISTANCE DETERMINATION OF OBJECTS - An optoelectronic sensor for the detection and distance determination of objects in a monitoring area is provided having a light transmitter for transmitting a plurality of light pulses, a rotatable deflecting unit, an angle detector, a light receiver, and an evaluation unit which is configured to collect a plurality of reception pulses in a time histogram to determine the light time of flight from the sensor to an object. The evaluation unit is configured to select a respective group of reception pulses that is collected in a histogram based on the angular position signal and to assign the measured value for the object distance determined from the histogram of the group to a detection angle identified by the angular position signal. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120162632 | Real-Time Processing Method and System - An optical range finder includes a light source adapted to produce illumination which impinges on a target. A detector receives a reflection of the illumination from the target, and a range code generator generates from the detected reflection a range code indicative of the range of the target from the range finder for each pulse. A signal processor receive plural range codes over a predetermined interval. A content addressable memory is used to count how many identical range codes are received during the predetermined interval. An identification is then made of the range code with the highest count, and that range code with the highest count is output as indicative of the range of the target from the range finder. | 06-28-2012 |
| 20120176596 | METHOD FOR MEASURING THE PROPAGATION TIME OF LIGHT - In a method for measuring the transmit time of light, in particular for cameras, a first light signal which is clocked by a first clock controller ( | 07-12-2012 |
| 20120182541 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR OBTAINING MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SPATIAL AND SPECTRAL DATA WITH LIDAR DETECTION - Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) apparatus comprises a laser generator configured to generate an output laser signal toward a target area, at least one detector configured as an array of light sensitive elements, the array including a plurality of rows and columns of the light sensitive elements, and at least one wavelength dispersion element positioned in a return path of a returning laser signal returning from the target area. The at least one wavelength dispersion element is configured to separate wavelengths of the returning laser signal onto the plurality of rows and columns of the array, wherein the plurality of columns of the array are associated with the separated wavelengths that correspond with a position along a row of the array, the position along the row of the array corresponding with a spatial position of the target area along a first axis. Methods for scanning a target area and obtaining spectral and spatial data are disclosed herein. | 07-19-2012 |
| 20120188530 | SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE DESIGN FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT SYSTEM HAVING REDUCED DIFFERENTIAL PIXEL SIZE, AND TIME-OF-FLIGHT SYSTEMS SO DESIGNED - Embodiments of the present invention provide methods to produce a high performance, feature rich TOF system, phase-based or otherwise using small TOF pixels, single-ended or preferably differential, as well as TOF systems so designed. IC chip area required for pixels is reduced by intelligently off-loading or removing from within the pixel certain components and/or functionality. In some embodiments during a single TOF system capture period, analog values from each pixel are repeatedly sampled and converted to digital values, which are combined and manipulated on the sensor chip. Combining this plurality of values enables appropriately compact data from the sensor chip. Embodiments of the present invention implement a TOF system with high ambient light resilience, high dynamic range, low motion blur and dealiasing support, while advantageously reducing pixel area size relative to prior art TOF pixels. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120194799 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION ELEMENT, LIGHT RECEIVING DEVICE, LIGHT RECEIVING SYSTEM, AND DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - A first photoelectric conversion element for detecting light and converting the light into photoelectrons comprises one buried photodiode formed in a semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of MOS diodes each having an electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate with an insulator interposed therebetween. The buried photodiode has a comb shape, in which a plurality of diverging portions are disposed to diverge from one portion, when viewed from the top thereof, and the respective electrodes of the MOS diodes are disposed so as to be nested between the plurality of diverging portions of the buried photodiode when viewed from the tops thereof. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120200840 | Continuous Index of Refraction Compensation Method for Measurements in a Medium - Described herein are devices and methods for making extremely accurate measurements in a medium by continuously measuring the index of refraction of the medium such as water or biological tissue. Also described herein is a device for constantly measuring the index of refraction, and using the index of refraction data to constantly calibrate the optical measurement device. In addition, a primary measurement device (a ladar) that is optimized for data collection in a volume backscattering medium such as water or biological tissue is described, along with data results from the lab. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120200841 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION ELEMENT, LIGHT RECEIVING DEVICE, LIGHT RECEIVING SYSTEM, AND DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - A first photoelectric conversion element, which detects light and converts the light into photoelectrons has: one first MOS diode having a first electrode formed on a semiconductor base body with an insulator therebetween; and a plurality of second MOS diodes, each of which has a second electrode formed on the semiconductor base body with the insulator therebetween. The first electrode of the first MOS diode has, when viewed from the upper surface, a comb-like shape wherein a plurality of branch portions are branched from one electrode portion. Each second electrode of each of the second MOS diodes is, when viewed from the upper surface, separated from the first electrode, and is disposed to nest between the branch portions of the first electrode. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120206711 | ADAPTIVE RESPONSE TIME ACCELERATION - This document discusses among other things, methods and apparatus to conserve energy when providing proximity information. An example apparatus can include an energy emitter configured to emit a first pulse of energy, an energy sensor configured to receive reflected energy from the first pulse of energy, a control circuit including a processor, the processor configured to provide first proximity information of the apparatus with respect to an object using the reflected energy. The control circuit can be configured to control the energy emitter, to compare the first proximity information with second proximity information, and to modulate a delay between the first pulse of energy and a subsequent pulse of energy using the comparison. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120212727 | OPTOELECTRONIC SENSOR AND METHOD FOR DETECTING OBJECTS - An optoelectronic sensor ( | 08-23-2012 |
| 20120229790 | METHOD AND SYSTEM TO REDUCE STRAY LIGHT REFLECTION ERROR IN TIME-OF-FLIGHT SENSOR ARRAYS - Haze-type phase shift error due to stray light reflections in a phase-type TOF system is reduced by providing a windowed opaque coating on the sensor array surface, the windows permitting optical energy to reach light sensitive regions of the pixels, and by reducing optical path stray reflection. Further haze-type error reduction is obtained by acquiring values for a plurality (but not necessarily all) of pixel sensors in the TOF system pixel sensor array. Next, a correction term for the value (differential or other) acquired for each pixel in the plurality of pixel sensors is computed and stored. Modeling response may be made dependent upon pixel (row,column) location within the sensor array. During actual TOF system runtime operation, detection data for each pixel, or pixel groups (super pixels) is corrected using the stored data. Good optical system design accounts for correction, enabling a simple correction model. | 09-13-2012 |
| 20120242974 | Method and Apparatus for Controlling Laser Transmissions for Enhanced Safety - According to a present invention embodiment, safety is enhanced for a non-eye-safe limited-range laser sensing system. The laser sensing system typically has an operating range limited to a well-defined spatial interval. A range measurement is utilized to control emissions of the non-eye-safe laser. In particular, when the range to a target is outside the designed spatial interval defining the operating range of the laser sensing system, transmission of the non-eye-safe laser beam is disabled or rendered non-hazardous. In other words, the transmission of the non-eye-safe laser beam is disabled in response to no detection of a hard target within the operating range of the laser sensing system, or when an object is detected between the laser sensing system and the spatial interval that defines the operating range. The target distance may be tracked to change the location (and possibly, width) of the adaptive spatial interval defining the operating range. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120249998 | Optical Distance Measuring Device - A measuring device for optically measuring a distance to a target object includes an emitter device for emitting an optical measuring beam to the target object, a capturing device including a detection surface for detecting an optical beam returned by the target object, and an evaluation device. The detection surface has a plurality of pixels, each pixel having at least one SPAD (single photon avalanche diode) and each of the plurality of pixels is connected to the evaluation device. The emitting device and the capturing device are configured in such a manner that the optical measurement beam returned by the target object simultaneously illuminates a plurality of pixels. The evaluation device is configured in order to determine the distance between the measuring device and the target object based on the evaluation of detection signals of several pixels. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120249999 | LASER RANGING TRACKING AND DESIGNATION USING 3-D FOCAL PLANES - The present invention tracks or locates small moving objects, or generates a 3-D frame of data by using 3-D focal plane arrays with low laser energy and few mechanically moving parts. The invention may be used to determine the direction of a laser designating a target, for target tracking, used as a 3-D movie/video camera or used to provide data for autonomous navigation. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120257186 | Method for Measuring Distances - A method for measuring distances of targets by measuring the time of flight of pulses, in particular laser pulses, reflected on those targets, including the steps of; transmitting pulses having a pulse interval which varies according to a modulation signal as transmitted pulses, and concomitantly recording of reflected pulses as received pulses; determining a first series of distance measurement values from times of flight between transmitted pulses and those received pulses which are respectively received within a first time window following each transmitted pulse; determining at least a second series of distance measurement values from times of flight between transmitted pulses and those received pulses which are respectively received within a second time window following each transmitted pulse; and determining that series of distance measurement values which is least affected by the modulation signal as result of the distance measurement. | 10-11-2012 |
| 20120257187 | HIGHLY ACCURATE DISTANCE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - Highly accurate electro-optical time of flight distance measuring device for determining a distance to a target, including a transmitter for sending out a pulse shaped optical radiation to the target as well as a receiver for an optical signal built for turning the optical signal to an electrical signal, and a filter with a transfer function for filtering the electrical signal whereby the filter is built in such a way that its transfer-function is of at least 4th order, in particular 5th or 7th or higher order, so that aliasing is suppressed. Further a waveform-sampler, as an analog-to-digital-converter, for digitalizing the pulse shape from the filtered electrical signal as time- and value-quantized digital data, and a computation means for a numerical evaluation of the distance according to the pulse shape or a pulse shape representing numerical signature from the digital data. | 10-11-2012 |
| 20120268727 | Optical Distance Measuring Device and Method for Optical Distance Measurement - The present invention describes an optical distance measuring device having a pulsed radiation source that is implemented to transmit, in a temporally contiguous radiation pulse period, a radiation pulse having a pulse duration t | 10-25-2012 |
| 20120274921 | LASER RANGEFINDER - A laser rangefinder includes a laser emitter for emitting parallel laser beams, a micro electro mechanical system reflector including a plurality of micro reflecting units and configured for reflecting the parallel laser beams toward different points on an object, a micro electro mechanical system photoreceiver configured for receiving the laser beams reflected by and from the different points on the object, a time interval counter configured for recording the time intervals between a first time when the laser emitter emitting the parallel laser beams and second times when the laser beams are received by the micro electro mechanical system photoreceiver, and a processor configured for calculating the distances to the different points of the object based on the time intervals. | 11-01-2012 |
| 20120287417 | MULTIPLE-FIELD-OF-VIEW SCANNERLESS OPTICAL RANGEFINDER IN HIGH AMBIENT BACKGROUND LIGHT - A multiple-field-of-view scannerless optical rangefinder operating in pulsed Time-Of-Flight operation for use in high ambient background light is described. The rangefinder comprises an optical emitter having a LED light source and driver electronics, emitting a train of light pulses having a broad field-of-illumination (FOI); a multi-channel optical receiver (MCOR) for detecting optical return signals, an overall field-of-view (FOV) encompassing each channel instantaneous FOV, the FOI encompassing the overall FOV, the multi-channel optical receiver having analog front-end electronics; an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) for receiving and converting the waveforms into digital format; a control and processing unit (CPU) for generating a pulse trigger signal, sending a synchronization trigger signal to the MCOR for starting the detection of the optical return signals, and for processing the waveforms in digital format; a data interface; wherein a peak present in any of waveforms is a signature of an object located within the instantaneous FOV. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20120300191 | DISTANCE-MEASURING METHOD FOR A DEVICE PROJECTING A REFERENCE LINE, AND SUCH A DEVICE - A device projecting a reference line, wherein at least one part of the reference path may be detected upon passing through by the human eye and/or detectors as a reference line. In conjunction with passing through the reference path, a distance measurement occurs to at least one point on the reference path by transmitting a measurement beam that is parallel or coaxial to the reference beam or using the reference beam as a measurement beam. After receipt of portions of the reflected measurement beam, a signal is derived from said portions and a distance from at least one point is determined from the signal, wherein the guidance along the reference path is repeated at least once more and, upon each instance of passing through the reference path, a distance or distance-related variable is determined for each point. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20120307231 | BACK-ILLUMINATED DISTANCE MEASURING SENSOR AND DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - Two charge quantities (Q | 12-06-2012 |
| 20120307232 | BACK-ILLUMINATED DISTANCE MEASURING SENSOR AND DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - Two charge quantities (Q | 12-06-2012 |
| 20120327391 | DISPLAY APPARATUS - A display apparatus is provided which, when projecting a video onto a curved surface of an object for display, can realize an undistorted display of the video. The measuring means outputs the distance information representing the distance to the object. Based on the distance information produced by the measuring means, the curved surface contour is detected with high precision. According to at least the detected curved surface contour distortions, pixels of the display image are unevenly rearranged to correct the video information before it is output. This arrangement realizes an undistorted display of video when the video is projected onto the curved surface of the object. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130003040 | Electronic Distance Measuring Method And Electronic Distance Measuring Instrument - An electronic distance measuring instrument comprises a pulsed light emitting light source, means for creating a distance measuring pulsed light and an internal reference pulsed light, a photodetector for detecting the pulsed lights, and a measuring unit for calculating a distance to an object to be measured based on a photodetection signal. The measuring unit performs coarse distance measurement based on difference of photodetection time between the internal reference pulsed light and the distance measuring pulsed light, carries out Fourier function transform on photodetection waveform of the pulsed lights respectively, separates the waveforms to a plurality of frequency components, obtains phase difference for each of the frequency components acquired, performs fine distance measurement based on time difference acquired from phase difference, and measures a distance to the object by adding a result of coarse distance measurement to a result of fine distance measurement. | 01-03-2013 |
| 20130003041 | OPTOELECTRIC SENSOR AND A METHOD FOR THE DETECTION AND DISTANCE DETERMINATION OF OBJECTS - An optoelectronic sensor ( | 01-03-2013 |
| 20130044310 | DISTANCE DETECTION METHOD AND SYSTEM - There is provided a system and method for detecting a distance to an object. The method comprises providing a lighting system having at least one pulse width modulated visible-light source for illumination of a field of view; emitting an illumination signal for illuminating the field of view for a duration of time y using the visible-light source at a time t; integrating a reflection energy for a first time period from a time t−x to a time t+x; determining a first integration value for the first time period; integrating the reflection energy for a second time period from a time t+y−x to a time t+y+x; determining a second integration value for the second time period; calculating a difference value between the first integration value and the second integration value; determining a propagation delay value proportional to the difference value; determining the distance to the object from the propagation delay value. | 02-21-2013 |
| 20130057847 | LASER SPEED GUN OPTICAL SYSTEM - A laser speed gun comprises a laser ray transmitter provided on an optical axis with a laser ray emitting device and with a short distance lens and located at an intermediate location therebetween on said optical axis, a beam splitter allowing laser rays to pass through and reflect visible light toward a CCD camera; a laser ray receiver provided on an optical axis with a laser ray receiving device and with a long distance lens located at an intermediate location between them on said optical axis, a beam splitter allowing laser rays to pass through and reflect visible light from a target toward a CCD camera; and two CCD cameras, one of which is associated with the laser ray transmitter optics and receives reflected light from its beam splitter, and the other which is associated with the laser ray receiver optics and receives reflected light from its beam splitter | 03-07-2013 |
| 20130107243 | Fast, High Resolution 3-D Flash LADAR Imager | 05-02-2013 |
| 20130114064 | SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE DESIGN FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT SYSTEM HAVING REDUCED DIFFERENTIAL PIXEL SIZE, AND TIME-OF-FLIGHT SYSTEMS SO DESIGNED - Embodiments of the present invention provide methods to produce a high performance, feature rich TOF system, phase-based or otherwise using small TOF pixels, single-ended or preferably differential, as well as TOF systems so designed. IC chip area required for pixels is reduced by intelligently off-loading or removing from within the pixel certain components and/or functionality. In some embodiments during a single TOF system capture period, analog values from each pixel are repeatedly sampled and converted to digital values, which are combined and manipulated on the sensor chip. Combining this plurality of values enables appropriately compact data from the sensor chip. Embodiments of the present invention implement a TOF system with high ambient light resilience, high dynamic range, low motion blur and dealiasing support, while advantageously reducing pixel area size relative to prior art TOF pixels. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130135606 | DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - The invention relates to an electro-optical distance measuring device comprising a transmitting unit comprising a light source for emitting intensity-modulated optical radiation, a receiving unit for receiving a portion of the optical radiation, said portion being reflected from a target object, by means of a photosensitive electrical component and for converting it into an electrical reception signal. Furthermore comprising a conditioning unit for conditioning the reception signal comprising at least one amplifier stage, an analogue-to-digital converter fox digitizing the conditioned reception signal, and an electronic evaluation unit, which is designed in such a way that a distance from the distance measuring device to the target object, can be determined on the basis of a signal propagation time with the aid of the digitized reception signal. According to the invention, in this case the amplifier stage is designed in such a way that it has a non-linear input-output characteristic. | 05-30-2013 |
| 20130141710 | OPTICAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Systems and methods presented herein provide for optical surveillance using modulated lasers, or other forms of light, and optical detection. In one embodiment, an optical surveillance system includes a light source, such as a laser or light emitting diode, and a signal generator operable to modulate the light source. The system also includes a detector operable to detect the modulated light source and a processor communicatively coupled to the detector to distinguish the modulated light source from other detected light based on the modulating waveform of the modulated light source. The processor is also operable to determine a presence of an object between the laser and the detector based on an obscuration of the laser pulses on the detector. | 06-06-2013 |
| 20130148101 | TECHNIQUE FOR DISPLAYING SHAPE OF ROAD SURFACE AND METHOD THEREOF - Disclosed is a technique for displaying a shape of a road surface in front of a vehicle. The technique includes a beam emitter that emits one or more beams onto a predetermined layer toward a road surface in front of a vehicle. A beam receiver receives the one or more beams reflected from each layer after emitting the beams from the beam emitter, and a distance calculator calculates the distance to each layer respectively based on the amount of time that it takes for the one or more beams emitted from the beam emitter to be reflected. A shape determinator determines the shape of the road surface using a relationship between the distances of each layer and a display unit displays the shape of the road surface accordingly. | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130148102 | Method to Compensate for Errors in Time-of-Flight Range Cameras Caused by Multiple Reflections - Due to their parallel illumination and acquisition for all the pixels, today's state-of-the-art time-of-flight (TOF) range cameras suffer from erroneous measurements caused by multiple reflections in the scene. The invention proposes to compensate for the multi-path fusing the results obtained by applying two spatially different illumination schemes, typically one to achieve highest possible lateral resolution and for the second one structuring the emitted light and by doing so lowering the lateral resolution but limiting the impact of multiple reflections. | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130162973 | DISTANCE MEASURING SYSTEM AND DISTANCE MEASURING METHOD - In a distance measuring system, photoelectrons are generated depending on light energy received in a light-receiving period predetermined for the emission timing of pulsed light emitted to a target object and are cumulatively stored, and a distance to the target object is determined according to a time-of-flight process. A solid-state image sensing device cumulatively stores therein photoelectrons generated depending on the light energy received in each of the first and second light-receiving periods. The first light-receiving period is part of a rise period of the reflected light intensity received by the image sensing device, and the second light-receiving period includes a peak of the reflected light intensity and a fall period thereof. An arithmetic processing unit determines the distance to the object using a light energy ratio obtained by dividing information concerning photoelectrons stored in the second light-receiving period by information concerning photoelectrons stored in the first light-receiving period. | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130176550 | IMAGE SENSOR, IMAGE SENSING METHOD, AND IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor includes a pixel array sensing a plurality of modulation signals having different phases from the reflected light and outputting pixel output signals corresponding to the plurality of modulation signals, a depth information calculation unit for estimating a delay between the output light and the reflected light from images formed from the pixel output signals and calculating depth information regarding the object, and an integration time register. When integration times corresponding to the images used to calculate the depth information in the depth information calculation unit are different from each other, the integration time register obtains a gain corresponding to a difference between the integration times and the depth information calculation unit applies the gain to images having different integration times. | 07-11-2013 |
| 20130208258 | Distance Measuring Device having Homogenizing Measurement Evaluation - A handheld measuring device for optical distance measurement includes a transmitting device, a receiving device, an evaluation device, and a homogenizing device. The transmitting device is configured to transmit periodically modulated optical measurement radiation toward a target object. The receiving device is configured to detect optical measurement radiation returning from the target object. The evaluation device is configured to receive and evaluate detection signals of the receiving device. The evaluation device comprises a plurality of accumulation devices configured to accumulate detection signals. The evaluation device conducts detection signals during a sampling time window from a plurality of sampling time windows temporally schematically changeably to an assigned accumulation device from the plurality of accumulation devices, such that the accumulation device accumulates the detection signals during the sampling time window. | 08-15-2013 |
| 20130229644 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING VEHICULAR TRAFFIC WITH A LASER RANGEFINDING AND SPEED MEASUREMENT DEVICE UTILIZING A SHAPED DIVERGENT LASER BEAM PATTERN - A system and method for monitoring vehicular traffic with a laser rangefinding and speed measurement device utilizing a shaped divergent laser beam pattern. In accordance with the present invention, a traffic monitoring device is disclosed which comprises a light emitting diode having a die element producing an asymmetric beam pattern, an aperture for at least partially precluding some portion of the beam pattern in a first direction while allowing the beam pattern in a second orthogonal direction to pass therethrough and a lens associated with the aperture for causing the laser beam exiting the aperture to diverge providing a cone-like beam of laser energy. | 09-05-2013 |
| 20130229645 | DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - Disclosed is a distance measuring device configured to irradiate an object with light and receive reflected light therefrom to measure a distance from the object, including a light source device having at least one light-emitting part, a deflection part being provided rotatably around a predetermined axis line and having plural deflection faces configured to reflect light from the light source device toward the object, a reflection part being provided rotatably around the axis line and integrally with the deflection part and having plural reflection faces being provided to correspond to the plural deflection faces individually and reflecting a portion of light reflected from a corresponding deflection face and reflected from the object, and a light-receiving part having at least one light-receiving element configured to receive light reflected from the reflection part, wherein respective inclination angles of the plural deflection faces with respect to the axis line are mutually different. | 09-05-2013 |
| 20130235364 | TIME OF FLIGHT SENSOR, CAMERA USING TIME OF FLIGHT SENSOR, AND RELATED METHOD OF OPERATION - A time of flight (ToF) sensor comprises a light source configured to irradiate light on a subject, a sensing unit comprising a sensing pixel array configured to sense light reflected from the subject and to generate a distance data signal, and a control unit comprising a view angle control circuit. The view angle control circuit is configured to detect movement of the subject based on the distance data signal received from the sensing unit and to control a view angle of the sensing unit to increase a number of sensing pixels in the sensing pixel array that are used to sense a region in which the detected movement occurs. | 09-12-2013 |
| 20130235365 | DISTANCE-MEASURING SENSOR AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING MEASUREMENT VALUE GENERATION AND MEASUREMENT VALUE OUTPUT | 09-12-2013 |
| 20130235366 | DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - An optoelectronic distance measuring device is disclosed. The device has a transmitting unit with a driver stage for emitting optical pulses, a receiving unit for receiving a portion of the optical pulses, said portion being reflected from a target object, and converting it into an electrical reception signal, via a photosensitive electrical component. It also has an analogue-digital converter for digitizing the reception signal, and an electronic evaluation unit to ascertain a distance from the target object on the basis of a signal propagation time using the digitized reception signal. The driver stage can be designed so that at least two pulse durations of different length for the optical pulses can be set. | 09-12-2013 |
| 20130250274 | DISTANCE MEASUREMENT DEVICE AND DISTANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM - A distance measurement device with high detection accuracy. The distance measurement device includes a photosensor including a light-receiving element, a first transistor, and a second transistor; a wiring; a signal line; and a power supply line. The wiring is electrically connected to one electrode of the light-receiving element. The signal line is electrically connected to a gate electrode of the first transistor. The power supply line is electrically connected to one of a source electrode and a drain electrode of the second transistor. One of a source electrode and a drain electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected to a gate electrode of the second transistor. The other of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected to the other electrode of the light-receiving element and the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the second transistor. | 09-26-2013 |
| 20130250275 | Laser Range Finding Device And Distance Measurement Method Thereof - A distance measurement method is provided that includes the steps of transmitting a laser signal to a target, receiving outside signals reflected by the target, converting the outside signals into an analog voltage signal, sampling the analogy voltage signal to obtain digital signals, storing the digital signals at storage addresses in a one-to-one relationship, repeating the above steps, accumulating numeral values at each storage addresses to obtain an accumulated value, outputting the accumulating value which exceeds a constant and corresponds to a time point, and calculating the distance between a laser range finding device and the target according to the time point corresponding to the output accumulated value. | 09-26-2013 |
| 20130271747 | LOCATION DETECTION SYSTEM - Various embodiments are directed to a location detection system. The location detection system may utilize one or more light sources in a fixed and known position capable of emitting modulated light. The location detection system may utilize one or more light receivers in a fixed and known position operative to detect light emitted by the light sources that has been reflected back off an object. The location detection system may utilize a processor circuit that may be communicatively coupled with the light receiver and the light sources. The processor circuit may be operative to receive signals indicative of the detected reflected emitted light from the light receiver. The processor circuit may also be operative to process the signals to determine a location of the object that reflected the emitted light. | 10-17-2013 |
| 20130278917 | DISTANCE MEASURING SYSTEM - A light emission reference signal, the timing of which is adjusted by a first delay time control circuit, is input as a timing adjustment signal to a light emitter driver. The light emission reference signal, which is delayed by a second delay time control circuit, is output as an offset signal. The offset signal and a light emission timing signal from the light emitter driver are input to a timing correction phase comparator, and a phase comparison result is output from the timing correction phase comparator. The phase comparison result is input to a timing correction control logic circuit, and a delay adjusting signal based on the phase comparison result is output from the timing correction control logic circuit. The delay adjusting signal is input to the first delay time control circuit, whereby the timing of the light emission reference signal is adjusted. | 10-24-2013 |
| 20130308119 | DISTANCE MEASUREMENT APPARATUS AND METHOD - There are provided a distance measurement apparatus and a distance measurement method, the distance measurement apparatus including: a light source outputting light; a switch array including a plurality of cells, and controlling a position at which the light output from the light source is irradiated, by switching operations of the respective cells; a light detector sensing the light reflected from a target object; and a controller sequentially controlling the switching operations of the plurality of cells of the switch array, wherein the controller generates distance information between the light source and the target object based on the light sensed by the light detector. The light detector including a single cell light detector element may be used, to thereby reduce the costs. | 11-21-2013 |
| 20130314693 | RANGE IMAGING DEVICES AND METHODS - An array of laser diode emitters is used as an illumination source for a range imaging system. The laser diode emitters are disposed on a common substrate. When one of the emitters fails, the remaining emitters emit enough light to meet the output optical power specification. The emitters can be disposed with a tight spacing. The tight spacing facilitates packaging of the entire array into a compact single package on a common heat sink. | 11-28-2013 |
| 20130335726 | Distance-measuring device with increased signal-to-noise ratio and method thereof - A method of increasing signal-to-noise ratio of a distance-measuring device includes a light-emitting component emitting a detecting light to a measured object during an emitting period for generating a reflected light, a delay period after the light-emitting component emitting the detecting light, a light-sensing component sensing the energy of the reflected light to generate a light-sensing signal, and obtaining a measured distance between the distance-measuring device and the measured object according to the energy of the detecting light and the light-sensing signal. Since the measured distance is longer than a predetermined shortest measured distance, the method can accordingly calculate a proper delay period for ensuring that the reflected light reaches the light-sensing component after the delay period. In this way, the light-sensing component does not sense the background light during the delay period, so that the signal-to-noise ratio of the light-sensing signal is improved. | 12-19-2013 |
| 20140002807 | Observation Device With A Distance Meter | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140049766 | ILLUMINATION LIGHT SHAPING FOR A DEPTH CAMERA - Various embodiments of a time-of-flight (TOF) depth camera and methods for projecting illumination light into an image environment are disclosed. One example embodiment of a TOF depth camera includes a light source configured to generate coherent light; a first optical stage including an array of periodically-arranged lens elements positioned to receive at least a portion of the coherent light and to form divergent light; a second optical stage positioned to receive at least a portion of the divergent light and to reduce an intensity of one or more diffraction artifacts in the divergent light to form illumination light for projection into an illumination environment; and an image sensor configured to detect at least a portion of return illumination light reflected from the illumination environment. | 02-20-2014 |
| 20140055771 | Time of Flight Camera with Stripe Illumination - A time of flight (TOF) based camera system includes an illumination module that illuminates only portion of the sensor's field of view that translates to a given region of the pixels of the imaging sensor. The acquired data of the pixel region is processed and/or readout, typically. After the exposure time of the first pixel region is completed, a second pixel region is illuminated and the second pixel region is processed. This procedure can be repeated a couple of times up to a few hundred even thousand times until the entire pixel array is readout and possibly read-out a number of times. The full depth image is then reconstructed based on the results from the different pixel region acquisitions. This system can be used to reduce stray light. Compared to state-of-the-art TOF camera, the presented method and device show improvements in background light stability and a reduction in multiple reflections. | 02-27-2014 |
| 20140063483 | APPARATUS, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR A RESOLUTION-ENHANCED PSEUDO-NOISE CODE TECHNIQUE - An apparatus, method, and computer program for a resolution enhanced pseudo-noise coding technique for 3D imaging is provided. In one embodiment, a pattern generator may generate a plurality of unique patterns for a return to zero signal. A plurality of laser diodes may be configured such that each laser diode transmits the return to zero signal to an object. Each of the return to zero signal includes one unique pattern from the plurality of unique patterns to distinguish each of the transmitted return to zero signals from one another. | 03-06-2014 |
| 20140071432 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A RANGEFINDING INSTRUMENT INCORPORATING PULSE AND CONTINUOUS WAVE SIGNAL GENERATING AND PROCESSING TECHNIQUES FOR INCREASED DISTANCE MEASUREMENT ACCURACY - A system and method for a rangefinding instrument incorporating pulse and continuous wave signal generating and processing techniques for increased distance measurement accuracy. The use of the former technique effectively solves the ambiguity issues inherent in the latter while allowing for relatively simple circuit implementations. Thus, a potentially more accurate phase-based distance measurement technique can be utilized which is also completely independent of the maximum range to the target. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140071433 | Measurement Device for Measuring a Distance between the Measurement Device and a Target Object using an Optical Measurement Beam - The disclosure relates to a measurement device for optically measuring a distance to a target object, in particular a handheld measurement device. The disclosure relates to such a measurement device having a transmitting device for transmitting an optical measurement beam to a target object; a receiving device having a detection surface for detecting the optical measurement beam returning from the target object, wherein the detection surface has a plurality of pixels, and each pixel has at least one light-sensitive element; and a reference device having a detection surface for detecting a device-internal reference beam. According to the disclosure, the detection surface of the reference device has a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel has at least one light-sensitive element. | 03-13-2014 |
| 20140098358 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING AND/OR COMPENSATING RANGE OFFSET OF A RANGE SENSOR - A method for compensating range offset of a range sensor located in a predetermined position in a spatial environment and comprising a pixel array adapted for measuring a distance, the spatial environment comprising at least two stationary reference positions located at predetermined reference distances, the method comprising the steps of: a) determining distance values to the reference positions; b) calculating differences between the distance values and the corresponding reference distances; c) determining a range offset value as the maximum of the differences; d) measuring distance values to positions within the spatial environment using the pixel array; e) correcting the measured distance values by subtracting the determined in-situ range offset value from each of the measured distance values. | 04-10-2014 |
| 20140104592 | POWER EFFICIENT PULSED LASER DRIVER FOR TIME OF FLIGHT CAMERAS - A time of flight camera device comprises an light source for illuminating an environment including an object with light of a first wavelength; an image sensor for measuring time the light has taken to travel from the light source to the object and back; optics for gathering reflected light from the object and imaging the environment onto the image sensor; driver electronics for controlling the light source with a high speed signal at a clock frequency; and a controller for calculating the distance between the object and the illumination unit. To minimize power consumption and resulting heat dissipation requirements, the light source/driver electronics are operated at their resonant frequency. Ideally, the driver electronics includes a reactance adjuster for changing a resonant frequency of the illumination unit and driver electronics system. | 04-17-2014 |
| 20140118717 | Optoelectric Control Apparatus for Satellite Laser Ranging System - An optoelectric control apparatus for a satellite laser ranging system comprises a communication controller for externally receiving optoelectric control data. Memory is connected to the communication controller and stores a round trip distance to a satellite. A laser generation control unit is connected to the communication controller and outputs a laser fire signal. A signal measurement unit receives a laser start time. A real-time conversion unit is connected to the signal measurement unit and the communication controller, and converts a predicted laser arrival time into real time. A Lagrange interpolation processor is connected to the real-time conversion unit and the memory, and calculates a time at which laser light fired by a laser transmission unit returns back to a laser reception unit (laser arrival time). The clock unit is connected to a time measurement unit, the real-time conversion unit, a register unit, and a delay unit, and outputs time information. | 05-01-2014 |
| 20140139819 | LASER SCAN SENSOR - The configuration includes a laser range finder ( | 05-22-2014 |
| 20140146303 | REMOTE MEASUREMENT OF SHALLOW DEPTHS IN SEMI-TRANSPARENT MEDIA - Through discrimination of the scattered signal polarization state, a lidar system measures a distance through semi-transparent media by the reception of scattered signals from a first surface and scattered signals from a second surface. Combined and overlapped light signals scattered from the two surface signals can be separated by exploiting their differing polarization characteristics. This removes the traditional laser and detector pulse width limitations that determine the system's operational bandwidth, translating relative depth measurements into the conditions of single surface timing measurements and achieving sub-pulse width resolution. | 05-29-2014 |
| 20140152974 | METHOD FOR TIME OF FLIGHT MODULATION FREQUENCY DETECTION AND ILLUMINATION MODULATION FREQUENCY ADJUSTMENT - A method removing adjecent frequency interference from a Time Of Flight sensor system by adaptively adjusting the infrared illumination frequency of the TOF sensor by measuring the interfering infrared illuminating frequencies and dynamicaly adjusting the illuminating infrared frequency of the TOF sensor to eliminate the interference. | 06-05-2014 |
| 20140152975 | METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTING THE OPERATING PARAMETERS OF A TOF CAMERA ACCORDING TO VEHICLE SPEED - A method for adjusting the modulating frequency and the intensity of the IR illumination of a Time of Flight measurement system proportionally to the speed of movement and the ambient light level of the TOF system, thus adjusting the range of vision of the system dependent on speed. In an alternate embodiment the modulating frequency of a TOF measurement system is periodically adjusted to cover a larger range of vision of the TOF. | 06-05-2014 |
| 20140160459 | TOF DISTANCE SENSOR AND METHOD FOR OPERATION THEREOF - A TOF distance sensor is proposed, for measuring a distance from an object, comprising an electronics apparatus for generating a modulation signal and for generating four correlation signals, which are phase shifted with respect to one another and which have the same period as the modulation signal; a radiation source for emitting radiation, which is modulated by the modulation signal; a reception apparatus, which has a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to the radiation source, for receiving radiation reflected by the object; a correlation apparatus for correlating the received radiation or a corresponding variable with respectively one of the four correlation signals in order to form four corresponding correlation values; a difference-forming apparatus for forming two difference correlation values from the difference between respectively two of the correlation values; a calculation apparatus embodied to calculate the distance with a predetermined linear dependence on the two difference correlation values. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140160460 | FLASH LADAR COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM - A vehicular collision avoidance system comprising a system controller, pulsed laser transmitter, a number of independent ladar sensor units, a cabling infrastructure, internal memory, a scene processor, and a data communications port is presented herein. The described invention is capable of developing a 3-D scene, and object data for targets within the scene, from multiple ladar sensor units coupled to centralized LADAR-based Collision Avoidance System (CAS). Key LADAR elements are embedded within standard headlamp and taillight assemblies. Articulating LADAR sensors cover terrain coming into view around a curve, at the crest of a hill, or at the bottom of a dip. A central laser transmitter may be split into multiple optical outputs and guided through fibers to illuminate portions of the 360° field of view surrounding the vehicle. These fibers may also serve as amplifiers to increase the optical intensity provided by a single master laser. | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140160461 | METHOD AND TIME-OF-FLIGHT CAMERA FOR PROVIDING DISTANCE INFORMATION - The invention relates to a method for providing distance information of a scene with a time-of-flight camera ( | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140168632 | Measuring Apparatus and Referencing Method for a Digital Laser Distance Meter, and Laser Distance Meter - A handheld distance measuring instrument includes a first emission device, a first reception device and a second reception device. The first emission device is configured to emit an optical measurement radiation onto a target object. The first reception device is configured to detect the radiation returning from the target object. The second reception device is configured in order to detect a reference radiation internal to the instrument. The reception devices respectively include a first detector unit, a second detector unit, a first time measurement unit, and a second time measurement unit. The first time measurement unit is configured to be connected selectively to the first detector unit and to the second detector unit. The second time measurement unit is configured to be connected selectively to the first detector unit and to the second detector unit. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140168633 | TERRAIN SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM - A system for the surveillance of terrain and the detection of intrusions over a plane extending into that terrain. A curtain array of light beams is projected along the plane and reflections from the terrain are detected by a sensor array essentially spatially coincident with the array of light sources. The times of flight of the beams are determined, and these characterize the form of the terrain being surveilled. The initial background reflection pattern is acquired and stored by the system. A sudden change in this detected background pattern can be defined as arising from an unexpected reflection, indicative of an intrusion. Signal processing systems are described utilizing modulated laser beams and detection at a frequency at least twice that of the modulation, such that reflected signals arising from the ON and the OFF periods of the laser modulation can be subtracted to eliminate the background signals. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140168634 | LASER RADAR DEVICE, SAFE LANDING SENSOR FOR PLANETFALL, DOCKING SENSOR FOR SPACE APPARATUS, SPACE DEBRIS COLLECTION SENSOR, AND VEHICLE-MOUNTED COLLISION AVOIDANCE SENSOR - A laser radar device includes: a pulse laser that outputs transmission light to a target; an transmission optical system that makes the transmission light at a predetermined beam spread angle; a light-receiving element array that receives scattered light from the target and converts the light to an electric signal; an electric circuit array that detects a reception intensity and a reception time from the electric signal; a range/three-dimensional shape output unit that measures a range to the target or a three-dimensional shape of the target on the basis of the reception time; a determination unit that determines whether the beam spread angle is changed or not on the basis of the reception intensity and the reception time; and a control unit that changes the beam spread angle on the basis of a determination result. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140204361 | LASER RANGE FINDING - Using a hand-held range finding device to range an object in a field of view is difficult due to user-induced jitter. In particular, user-induced jitter introduces uncertainty as to which object in a field of view is actually ranged. Current approaches attempt to mitigate user-induced jitter by requiring a user to mount the hand-held range finding device onto a stabilizing device (e.g., a tripod). However, such approaches require the user to carry additional equipment. Embodiments of the present disclosure enable the user to visually confirm which object in a field of view is actually ranged during a range finding event by generating a composite image that includes a visual representation of a laser pulse emitted by the range finding device reflecting off an object in the field of view. Advantageously, disclosed embodiments provide true hand-held range finding capabilities without requiring the use of stabilization assistance techniques. | 07-24-2014 |
| 20140204362 | LASER SCAN SENSOR - The configuration includes a laser range finder ( | 07-24-2014 |
| 20140211192 | DRIVER CIRCUIT FOR LEDS FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT CALCULATION - An electronic driver circuit for LEDs and LASERs is provided for use in time-of-flight applications featuring a high efficiency of energy-conversion and a high precision of distance-measurements based on a dual conversion circuit. A voltage to voltage DC-DC conversion is hereby merged with a DC-voltage to pulsed-current booster, this booster operating at a time-of-flight modulation frequency. At the start of a new measurement cycle, the PWM signal for driving the DC-DC conversion is updated in response to currents observed during previous illumination periods. | 07-31-2014 |
| 20140211193 | Structured light and time of flight depth capture with a MEMS ribbon linear array spatial light modulator - A fast spatial light modulator based on a linear MEMS ribbon array enables a depth capture system to operate in structured light and time-of-flight modes. Time-of-flight depth information may be used to phase unwrap structured light depth information. Combined structured light and time-of-flight systems offer precise depth resolution over a wide range of distances. | 07-31-2014 |
| 20140211194 | COST-EFFECTIVE LIDAR SENSOR FOR MULTI-SIGNAL DETECTION, WEAK SIGNAL DETECTION AND SIGNAL DISAMBIGUATION AND METHOD OF USING SAME - A lidar-based apparatus and method are used for multi-signal detection, weak signal detection and signal disambiguation through waveform approximation utilizing a multi-channel time-to-digital converter (TDC) electronic circuit, with each TDC having an individually adjustable voltage threshold. This advanced TDC-based pulse width time-of-flight (ToF) approach achieves the low cost associated with the TDC-based pulse width ToF approach while solving the signal quality issues associated with the standard single-threshold TDC-based approach. | 07-31-2014 |
| 20140233012 | DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - An optical device is disclosed that may be employed in distance measuring devices. In at least one embodiment, the optical device includes a control unit that is adapted to cause at least one control signal generator unit to generate at least one control signal according to a predetermined temporal function on the basis of an elapsed time from a predetermined point in time. On the basis of the generated at least one control signal, at least one parameter of a receiver unit may be adjusted during the travel time of the optical pulse, wherein the at least one parameter affects the dynamic range of the receiver unit. In this way, the dynamic range of the receiver unit may be increased. A method is further disclosed for operating such an optical device, along with a distance measuring device including such an optical device and a surveying instrument including such a distance measuring device. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140233013 | LIDAR - A lidar includes CW laser light sources that oscillate CW laser light rays with wavelengths different from each other; an optical multiplexing coupler that mixes the CW laser light rays oscillated by the CW laser light sources; an optical branching coupler that splits the CW laser light passing through the mixing by the optical multiplexing coupler; a light modulator that modulates first CW laser light split by the optical branching coupler; and an optical fiber amplifier that amplifies the laser light modulated by the light modulator, in which a transmit-receive optical system irradiates a target with the laser light amplified by the optical fiber amplifier, and receives scattered light of the laser light by the target. | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140240692 | TIME-OF-FLIGHT (TOF) SYSTEM, SENSOR PIXEL, AND METHOD - A time-of-flight (TOF) sensor pixel is provided that performs in-pixel subtraction. The TOF sensor pixel includes a photodetector, a capacitor, and circuitry. The photodetector detects light pulses emitted at a clock frequency, after a time of flight, to provide a photocurrent. The capacitor integrates the photocurrent over an integration period, while the circuitry reverses a flow direction of the photocurrent through the capacitor at twice the clock frequency. At the end of the integration period, the capacitor provides a differential photocharge, corresponding to a capacitor voltage. The capacitor voltage is related to the time of flight of the light pulses and may be used to determine a distance to a target. | 08-28-2014 |
| 20140247440 | MIRROR ACTUATOR, BEAM IRRADIATION DEVICE, AND LASER RADAR - A mirror actuator includes: a base; a first rotation portion that is supported on the base so as to be rotatable about a first rotation axis; a second rotation portion that is supported on the first rotation portion so as to be rotatable about a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis; a mirror disposed at the second rotation portion; a first drive portion that rotates the first rotation portion around the first rotation axis; and a second drive portion that rotates the second rotation portion around the second rotation axis. The second drive portion has a coil part and a magnet part applying a magnetic field to the coil part. One of the coil part and the magnet part is disposed at the first rotation portion, and the other is disposed at the second rotation portion. | 09-04-2014 |
| 20140253905 | DEPTH PIXEL AND IMAGE PICK-UP APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A depth pixel of an image sensor includes a depth sensing element configured to generate first charges that are photo-electrically converted from a light reflected from an object, a first floating diffusion node configured to receive the first charges from the depth sensing element, a second floating diffusion node configured to output second charges corresponding to a component of a reflection light where a component of an ambient light is cancelled, and an ambient light cancellation circuit configured to detect the ambient light to control a barrier level of a charge transfer path between the first floating diffusion node and the second floating diffusion node in response to the ambient light. | 09-11-2014 |
| 20140293266 | Local Alignment and Positioning Device and Method - A device and method that uses terrain features having one or more predetermined characteristics or weights in an electronic image date frame or set of frames such as a LIDAR voxel set of image data frames for use as system reference points which are, in turn, used in one or more trilateration calculations performed in electronic circuitry to determine a position or ego-motion of the device. | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140293267 | LASER RADAR DEVICE - A laser radar device has a light projection part that projects light to a monitoring area outside a vehicle from a vehicle interior through a glass surface, a light receiving part that is placed a given distance away from the light projection part in a substantially horizontal direction to receive reflected light from an object outside the vehicle in the light projected by the light projection part through the glass surface, a measuring part that measures the distance to the object in the monitoring area based on timing when the light projection part projects the light and timing when the light receiving part receives the reflected light, and a light-projection shielding part that shields the light projected to an outside of the monitoring area in the light projected by the light projection part. | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140300887 | OPTICAL DISTANCE MEASURING APPARATUS - An optical distance measuring apparatus including a light source, a variable mirror scanning the light on an object, a receiving device receiving light from the object, a detected signal amplifying unit detecting a light receiving signal obtained by the receiving device, an amplification control unit detecting a set target value of light sensitivity of the receiving device or sets the light sensitivity based on a light quantity of reflected light, and a distance calculation unit detecting a flight time of the ranging light from a light emitting signal and calculating a distance up to the object, wherein in a first scan period, the amplification control unit detects the set target value based on a light quantity of the reflected light, and in a second scan period, the amplification control unit sets sensitivity of the receiving device to the set target value and the distance calculation unit calculates the distance. | 10-09-2014 |
| 20140307248 | DISTANCE-MEASURING DEVICE - The invention relates to an electro-optical distance-measuring device, more particularly a laser rangefinder, with a transmitting unit for transmitting intensity-modulated optical radiation, a receiving unit for receiving a portion of the optical radiation reflected back from a target in a photosensitive electrical component and converting it into an electrical received signal, an input filter for filtering the received signal, an analogue-to-digital converter for digitising the filtered received signal and an electronic analysis unit that calculates the distance from the rangefinder to the target object on the basis of a signal propagation time using the digitised received signal. The input filter is implemented as a time-discrete and continuous-value filter structure, more particularly a digital filter structure. | 10-16-2014 |
| 20140327902 | DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - The invention relates to an optoelectronic distance measuring device, comprising a transmitting unit and comprising a receiving unit of an electronic evaluating unit. The transmitting unit has a circuit board, a semiconductor laser, and a laser diode driver for transmitting high-frequency intensity-modulated optical radiation. In order to receive a component of the optical radiation reflected by a target object by means of a photosensitive electrical component, the receiving unit is equipped with an electrical output signal as a received signal, a conditioning unit for conditioning the received signal, and an analog/digital converter for digitizing the conditioned received signal. The electronic evaluating unit determines a distance from the distance measuring device to the target object on the basis of a signal propagation time using the digitized received signal. The semiconductor laser is attached to the circuit board as a laser substrate that does not have a housing. | 11-06-2014 |
| 20140333917 | INTERFERENCE REDUCTION FOR TOF SYSTEMS - Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to time-of-flight (TOF) systems, and methods for use therewith, that substantially reduce interference that the TOF system may cause to at least one other system that is configured to wirelessly receive and respond to IR light signals. Some such embodiments involve emitting IR light having a low frequency (LF) power envelope that is shaped to substantially reduce frequency content within at least one frequency range known to be used by at least one other system that may be in close proximity to the TOF system. Such embodiments can also involve detecting at least a portion of the emitted RF modulated IR light that has reflected off one or more objects. A TOF system can produce depth images in dependence on results of the detecting, as well as update an application in dependence on the depth images. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140333918 | HIGHLY ACCURATE DISTANCE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - Highly accurate electro-optical time of flight distance measuring device for determining a distance to a target, including a transmitter for sending out a pulse shaped optical radiation to the target as well as a receiver for an optical signal built for turning the optical signal to an electrical signal, and a filter with a transfer function for filtering the electrical signal whereby the filter is built in such a way that its transfer-function is of at least 4th order, in particular 5th or 7th or higher order, so that aliasing is suppressed. Further a waveform-sampler, as an analog-to-digital-converter, for digitalizing the pulse shape from the filtered electrical signal as time- and value-quantized digital data, and a computation means for a numerical evaluation of the distance according to the pulse shape or a pulse shape representing numerical signature from the digital data. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140347650 | DISTANCE-MEASURING DEVICE ALIGNMENT - Some embodiments of the invention relates to an alignment method and an optoelectronic distance-measuring device. The optoelectronic distance-measuring device may comprise an assembly having a radiation source for emitting an optical transmission radiation, a detector for receiving an optical reception radiation and a printed circuit board, which are arranged in a rigid local relationship with respect to one another, and also an optical unit carrier with a transmission optical unit and a reception optical unit. In some embodiments, a transmission direction is defined by the radiation source and the transmission optical unit and a reception direction is defined by the detector and the reception optical unit. Furthermore, the transmission optical unit and the reception optical unit may have different focal lengths. | 11-27-2014 |
| 20140362364 | TIME-OF-FLIGHT RANGING SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH EXTENDED RANGE - An embodiment includes a method, comprising: receiving a modulated signal having modulation; generating a first signal in response to the modulation and a first sampling signal; generating a second signal in response to the modulation and a second sampling signal; and generating a distance in response to the first signal and the second signal. A ratio of a frequency of the first sampling signal to a frequency of the second sampling signal is a rational number. | 12-11-2014 |
| 20140375978 | OPTICAL TIME-OF-FLIGHT SYSTEM - Time-of-flight technology may be combined with optical detection technology identifying an angle of a light pulse emitted from a transmitter and reflected off an object based on a proportion of the reflected light pulse detected at each of at least two light sensors. The optical detection technology may include a light detector with two or more light sensors arranged at different orientations with respect to an aperture in the detector so that each sensor is able to detect a different subset of the light passing through the aperture. The effective angle of the light passing through aperture may then be calculated from the proportion of light detected at the each of the sensors. The effective angle information may be combined with a calculated time-of-flight of the light pulse to accurately identify a position of the object relative to the detector in two or three dimensions. | 12-25-2014 |
| 20140375979 | UNIT PIXEL AND IMAGE SENSOR COMPRISING THE UNIT PIXEL CIRCUIT - An image sensor is provided which includes a plurality of unit pixels, ones of which are configured to convert an input light signal into at least four frame signals. The image sensor also includes a signal processor that is configured to measure a distance from an object based on the at least four frame signals from one of the plurality of unit pixels. | 12-25-2014 |
| 20150015868 | Optoelectric Sensor and Method for the Detection and Distance Determination of Objects - An optoelectronic sensor ( | 01-15-2015 |
| 20150029490 | LASER SCANNING DEVICE - A laser scanning device includes a light source and a light scanner that scans a laser light emitted from the laser light source. The light source emits the laser light so that the laser light is incident to the light scanner from a plurality of directions. | 01-29-2015 |
| 20150036119 | MULTIPLE SYNCHRONIZED OPTICAL SOURCES FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT RANGE FINDING SYSTEMS - TOF system optical power is augmented using auxiliary optical emitter unit(s) that may be a wireless (WOE), or a plug-wired (PWOE). WOE units sense emitted TOF system optical energy S | 02-05-2015 |
| 20150049326 | LIGHT DETECTION AND RANGING - Systems and methods presented herein provide for laser detection and ranging in more than one medium. In one embodiment, a laser is operable to generate and fire laser pulses into a liquid, such as water. The laser pulses form broadband super continuum emissions and/or harmonics in the liquid that propagate optical energy past a surface of the liquid. A detector is operable to receive the optical energy from the liquid, which is then processed to determine a range parameter of the liquid. That is, a processor may determine the depth of the water or an object beneath the surface of the water by measuring the travel times of optical energy reflected from the surface of the liquid and optical energy returned from beneath the surface of the liquid. | 02-19-2015 |
| 20150049327 | Optical System - An optical system includes a transmitter emitting a signal to a measured object; a receiver receiving the signal reflected back from the measured object; and a transmissive display device displaying a distance of the measured object measured by the range finder, wherein an image of the measured object is visible directly through the transmissive display device. | 02-19-2015 |
| 20150062557 | STABILIZED DISTANCE MEASUREMENT IN THE OBSERVATION DEVICE - The invention relates to a portable observation device having an observation path for optical targeting of a target object, and comprising an optoelectronic rangefinder for measuring the distance in the direction of the targeting. The rangefinder includes a transmission unit for emitting a temporal sequence of pulses of optical radiation, a reception unit for receiving a portion of the optical radiation cast back by the target object and for determining signal information and an electronic evaluation unit, which a distance to the target object can be determined on the basis of a signal travel time between emission and reception of the optical radiation. When a trigger is actuated manually, the distance is determined including the signal information from a specified minimum number of pulses, which define a minimum length of a time window of the distance measurement. | 03-05-2015 |
| 20150062558 | Time-of-Flight (TOF) Assisted Structured Light Imaging - A method for computing a depth map of a scene in a structured light imaging system including a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor and a projector is provided that includes capturing a plurality of high frequency phase-shifted structured light images of the scene using a camera in the structured light imaging system, generating, concurrently with the capturing of the plurality of high frequency phase-shifted structured light images, a time-of-flight (TOF) depth image of the scene using the TOF sensor, and computing the depth map from the plurality of high frequency phase-shifted structured light images wherein the TOF depth image is used for phase unwrapping. | 03-05-2015 |
| 20150070683 | AMBIGUITY COMPENSATION IN TIME-OF-FLIGHT RANGING - Methods and apparatus are provided for measuring distance from an instrument origin to each of a plurality of points in an environment. Laser pulses are emitted along a measurement axis at successive displacements about the origin. The emission time of each pulse is time-shifted relative to a fixed rate. The time shift corresponds to an index of a repetitive sequential pattern. Received pulses are detected at respective arrival times. For each received pulse: a current apparent distance is determined, a measured delta distance is calculated, a range interval is assigned by comparing measured delta distance with an expected delta distance synchronized with the index of the latest emitted pulse, the current apparent distance is defined to be a true measured distance for any received pulse assigned to a first time interval, otherwise the current apparent distance is defined to be a false measured distance. | 03-12-2015 |
| 20150070684 | METHODS FOR CALCULATING DISTANCE USING DEPTH SENSOR AND APPARATUSES PERFORMING THE SAME - A method of calculating, using a depth sensor, a distance excluding an ambiguity distance including outputting a modulated light signal output from a light source to an object, receiving the modulated light signal reflected by the object, calculating a distance between the light source and the object using the reflected modulated light signal input to photo gates in conjunction with demodulation signals supplied to the photo gates, the calculating including calculating, using the modulated light signal, at least one distance farther than a maximum measurable distance, and setting the at least one distance to be equal to the maximum measurable distance may be provided. A range of the distance farther than the maximum measurable distance can be determined according to a duty ratio of the modulated light signal. | 03-12-2015 |
| 20150085274 | method for determining the orientation of at least one rail and device for carrying out the method - A method and a device for determining the orientation of at least one rail of a measuring station of a chassis measuring device or a motor vehicle test line. The device has at least one sensing device, the at least one sensing device has at least one camera and at least one illumination unit. The at least one illumination unit illuminates at least one section of the rail using structured or unstructured light and the at least one camera records the light reflected by the rail. | 03-26-2015 |
| 20150092184 | Lidar System Producing Multiple Scan Paths and Method of Making and Using Same - A LiDAR system and method are disclosed, comprising a housing, a light source, a receiver, and a light deflection system comprising a light deflection element, rotatable and balanced about an axis, the element having at least three sides, at least two of the three sides having reflective surfaces, wherein at least a first side of the three sides is at a first angle in relation to the axis, and at least a second side of the three sides is at a second angle in relation to the axis, with the first angle being different from the second angle, such that light is deflectable from the reflective surface of the first and second sides out of the housing, whereby upon actuation of the light source and rotation of the light deflection element, the LiDAR system forms at least a first scan path and a second scan path. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150103330 | TIME OF FLIGHT CAMERA SYSTEM - A light transit time camera system and method for operating such a system which can be operated with at least three modulation frequencies, having the steps a) determining a phase shift (φ | 04-16-2015 |
| 20150124240 | TIME OF FLIGHT CAMERA SYSTEM - A light propagation time camera system and a method for operating such a system, in which—in a distance measurement a first range-related variable is ascertained using a phase shift in an emitted and received signal for a first modulation frequency,—and in a control measurement a second range-related variable is ascertained, wherein the control measurement is performed at a second modulation frequency, which differs from the first modulation frequency, and the control measurement is performed with a smaller number of phases than the distance measurement is provided. | 05-07-2015 |
| 20150124241 | Optical Distance Measurement Device with Calibration Device to take Cross-Talk into Account - A measurement device for measuring an optical distance of an object includes an emission device configured to emit a first signal towards the object. The measurement device further includes a modulator device configured to modulate the first signal and a reception device configured to detect a second signal. The measurement device also includes an analysis device configured to receive and analyze the second signal. The measurement device further includes a calibration device configured to calibrate the measurement device with the modulator device turned on and with the emission device operated below a pre-definable power threshold value. | 05-07-2015 |
| 20150124242 | Scanning Range Finder - A scanning optical range finder in a mobile robot includes an optical emitter circuit, a non-imaging optical element, an optical detector circuit, and a ranging circuit. The non-imaging optical element is arranged to receive optical signals at an entrance aperture thereof responsive to operation of the optical emitter circuit, and to direct the optical signals to an output aperture thereof. The optical detector circuit is configured to receive the optical signals from the output aperture of the non-imaging optical element, and to generate detection signals based on respective phase differences of the optical signals relative to corresponding outputs of the optical emitter circuit. The ranging circuit is configured to calculate a range of a target from the phase differences indicated by the detection signals. Related devices and methods of operation are also discussed. | 05-07-2015 |
| 20150131080 | Methods and Apparatus for Array Based Lidar Systems with Reduced Interference - An array-based light detection and ranging (LiDAR) unit includes an array of emitter/detector sets configured to cover a field of view for the unit. Each emitter/detector set emits and receives light energy on a specific coincident axis unique for that emitter/detector set. A control system coupled to the array of emitter/detector sets controls initiation of light energy from each emitter and processes time of flight information for light energy received on the coincident axis by the corresponding detector for the emitter/detector set. The time of flight information provides imaging information corresponding to the field of view. Interference among light energy is reduced with respect to detectors in the LiDAR unit not corresponding to the specific coincident axis, and with respect to other LiDAR units and ambient sources of light energy. In one embodiment, multiple array-based LiDAR units are used as part of a control system for an autonomous vehicle. | 05-14-2015 |
| 20150293226 | OPTICAL DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - A measuring device for optically measuring a distance to a target object including an emitter device for emitting an optical measuring beam to the target object, a capturing device comprising a detection surface for detecting an optical beam returned by the target object, and an evaluation device. The detection surface has a plurality of pixels, each pixel having at least one light-sensitive element and each of the plurality of pixels is connected to the evaluation device. The emitting device and the capturing device are configured in such a manner that the optical measurement beam returned by the target object simultaneously illuminates a plurality of pixels. The evaluation device is configured in such a manner that detection signals of a plurality of pixels are guided to at least one of the plurality of distance determining devices. | 10-15-2015 |
| 20150293228 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR OBJECT DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION IN A MULTIPLE DETECTOR LIDAR ARRAY - LiDAR (light detection and ranging) systems use one or more emitters and a detector array to cover a given field of view where the emitters each emit a single pulse or a multi-pulse packet of light that is sampled by the detector array. On each emitter cycle the detector array will sample the incoming signal intensity at the pre-determined sampling frequency that generates two or more samples per emitted light packet to allow for volumetric analysis of the retroreflected signal portion of each emitted light packet as reflected by one or more objects in the field of view and then received by each detector. | 10-15-2015 |
| 20150301180 | TERRAIN MAPPING LADAR SYSTEM - A lightweight, low volume, high performance LADAR sensor incorporating 3-D focal plane arrays is adapted specifically for terrain mapping. The present invention generates, at high speed, 3-D topographical, water surface, floating object, bathymetric, biological gas cloud, poison gas cloud, or smoke stack emission mapping data. The 3-D focal planes are used in a variety of physical configurations which provide advantages over prior art terrain mapping LADAR sensors. | 10-22-2015 |
| 20150309162 | DISTANCE MEASUREMENT METHODS AND APPARATUS - Distance measurement methods and apparatus use laser pulse sets having signatures which enable returned pulses to be correlated with emitted pulses. Each pulse set comprises at least one pulse and a signature selected from a set of possible signatures. Pulse sets reflected from at least one surface are detected and, for each set, the signature is recognized and a time of flight is determined. Signatures are defined by one or more of: spacing in time between pulses of a set, wavelength of the at least one pulse of the set, spacing in time between a first subset of a set and a second subset of a set, difference of wavelength between pulses of a set, and difference of wavelength between a first subset of a set and a second subset of a set. Each set can have multiple groups of pulses and pulses within a group can have different amplitudes. | 10-29-2015 |
| 20150309176 | Method and Apparatus for Measuring Perimeter of Swimming Pools - A method of measuring the perimeter of a swimming pool has been developed. First, a laser measurement device with a rotary motor is placed on a tripod. Next, the device and tripod are located and leveled the laser measurement in an empty swimming pool and the scan sequence is initiated. The laser measurement device is calibrated and then begins collecting a data measurement of the distance from the side of the swimming pool to the laser measurement device. The laser measurement device is rotated laterally at a defined angle to a new position using the rotary motor and the process of collecting a new data measurement is repeated until the laser measurement device has rotated | 10-29-2015 |
| 20150323654 | DISTANCE-MEASURING SENSOR AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AND DETERMINING THE DISTANCE OF OBJECTS - A distance-measuring sensor ( | 11-12-2015 |
| 20150323655 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR POLYTHENE INFRASTRUCTURE MONITORING - The various embodiments herein provide a method and system for obtaining geospatial data on infrastructure networks. The system comprises mobile laser scanner mounted on top of a vehicle with Global Positioning System, a floating inertial measurement unit and cameras. The method of mobile laser scanning process comprises verifying all components of laser scanning system for their functionality after collecting permissions; performing real data validation of the laser scanner; conducting mobile laser scanning by transmitting and receiving laser pulses; correcting the geometrical errors using GNSS reference data; generating LAS file by combining surveyed laser data and GNSS data; constructing 3D surfaced based model; analyzing the surface model and extracting the layout of polyethylene infrastructure to observe the diameter and shape of the polyethylene pipes using the equation | 11-12-2015 |
| 20150331092 | WAVEFORM RECONSTRUCTION IN A TIME-OF-FLIGHT SENSOR - A time-of-flight (TOF) sensor device is provided that is capable of accurately recovering waveforms of reflected light pulses incident on the sensor's photo-receiver array using a low sampling rate. A number of samples for a received light pulse incident on a given photo-receiver are obtained by emitting a light pulse to the viewing field, integrating the electrical output generated by the photo receiver over an integration period, and adding the integral values for respective integration cycles to yield an accumulation value. This process is repeated for multiple accumulation cycles; however, for each consecutive accumulation cycle the start of the integration period is delayed relative the start time of the integration period for the previous cycle by a delay period. Sampled values for the waveform are obtained by determining the difference values between consecutive accumulation values for the respective accumulation cycles. | 11-19-2015 |
| 20150338509 | TIME-OF-FLIGHT CAMERA WITH MOTION DETECTION - A method for operating a time-of-flight camera including a time-of-flight sensor comprising an array of time-of-flight pixels with at least two integration nodes, wherein in a 3D mode the time-of-flight sensor and an illumination means are operated by means of a modulation signal and on the basis of the charges accumulated at the integration nodes distance values are determined, characterized in that in a power saving mode the time-of-flight sensor is operated with a control signal for motion detection, the frequency of which is lower than a lowest frequency of the modulation signal for a distance determination in the 3D mode, wherein an object motion is determined based on a differential value at the integration nodes is provided. | 11-26-2015 |
| 20150346325 | DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - The invention relates to an optoelectronic distance measuring device having a transmitting unit having a driver stage for a light source for emitting optical pulses as pulsed-mode-intensity-modulated optical radiation, having a receiving unit for receiving a portion of the optical radiation, said portion being reflected from a target object, and converting it into an electrical reception signal, by means of a photosensitive electrical component. It also has an analogue-digital converter for digitizing the reception signal, and an electronic evaluation unit which is designed in such a way that a distance from the target object can be ascertained on the basis of a signal propagation time using the digitized reception signal. | 12-03-2015 |
| 20150346326 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLE CLASSIFICATION FROM LASER SCANS USING GLOBAL ALIGNMENT - A system and method for classifying vehicles from laser scan data by receiving laser scan data corresponding to multiple vehicles from a laser scanner; extracting vehicle shapes corresponding to the multiple vehicles based on the laser scan data; aligning the vehicle shapes; and generating vehicle profiles based on the aligned vehicle shapes. The system and method can further include aligning the vehicle shapes using sequence kernels, such as global alignment kernels, and constraining the sequence kernels based on determined weights. | 12-03-2015 |
| 20150346344 | LADAR SENSOR FOR LANDING, DOCKING AND APPROACH - A system for landing or docking a mobile platform is enabled by a flash LADAR sensor having an adaptive controller with Automatic Gain Control (AGC). Range gating in the LADAR sensor penetrates through diffuse reflectors. The LADAR sensor adapted for landing/approach comprises a system controller, pulsed laser transmitter, transmit optics, receive optics, a focal plane array of detectors, a readout integrated circuit, camera support electronics and image processor, an image analysis and bias calculation processor, and a detector array bias control circuit. The system is capable of developing a complete 3-D scene from a single point of view. | 12-03-2015 |
| 20150355317 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL MEASUREMENT DEVICE HAVING THREE-DIMENSIONAL OVERVIEW CAMERA - A device is provided that includes a housing and a first motor. The first motor rotates about a first axis. A second motor is coupled to rotate the housing, the second motor rotating about a second axis. A device frame of reference is defined by the first and second axis. A mirror is rotated about the first axis by the first motor. A first and second angle measuring devices measure a first and second angle of rotation. A 3D time-of-flight camera is arranged within the housing coaxially with the first axis. The camera acquires an image of an object reflected from the mirror. A processor determines at least one first 3D coordinate of at least one point on the object, the first 3D coordinate based at least in part on the image acquired by the camera, the first angle of rotation, and the second angle of rotation. | 12-10-2015 |
| 20150355326 | OPTICALLY GATED DETECTOR ARRANGEMENT - A camera includes a pulse transmitter for transmitting at a transmit time through an aperture and along an optical path to a target a coherent electromagnetic ranging pulse at a first wavelength range outside the visible spectrum. In some embodiments, the camera includes a reflected pulse detector for receiving a reflected electromagnetic pulse reflected by the target back along the optical path and through the aperture at a detect time subsequent to the transmit time. In some embodiments, the camera includes a shutter positioned for shielding the pulse detector from at least transmit time to an intermediate time between the transmit time and the detect time. In some embodiments, the shutter includes a layer of semiconductor material placed in the optical path at a point between the target and the detector. | 12-10-2015 |
| 20150355327 | SCAN MIRRORS FOR LASER RADAR - Laser radar systems include a pentaprism configured to scan a measurement beam with respect to a target surface. A focusing optical assembly includes a corner cube that is used to adjust measurement beam focus. Target distance is estimated based on heterodyne frequencies between a return beam and a local oscillator beam. The local oscillator beam is configured to propagate to and from the focusing optical assembly before mixing with the return beam. In some examples, heterodyne frequencies are calibrated with respect to target distance using a Fabry-Perot interferometer having mirrors fixed to a lithium aluminosilicate glass-ceramic tube. | 12-10-2015 |
| 20150355330 | RECORDING METHOD FOR AT LEAST TWO TOF CAMERAS - The invention relates to a method for recording a scene ( | 12-10-2015 |
| 20150355331 | Laser Scanner System - The invention provides a laser scanner system, which comprises two or more laser scanners installed on a movable object and a main control device, wherein the laser scanner is arranged as a TOF type which performs distance measurement by rotary projection of a pulsed light, and wherein the main control device produces a selection signal, the laser scanner, which is alternately selected based on the selection signal, performs distance measurement by emitting a pulsed light, wherein the laser scanner, which performs distance measurement at the same time, is a selected one. | 12-10-2015 |
| 20150362586 | DISTANCE-MEASURING-DEVICE - An apparatus and method for determining the distance from a distance-measuring-device to an object by sending a light-pulse from a light-emitting component toward the object by passing a current pulse through the component. A value based on the current or voltage across the component is used to determine the reference-time T0 when the value exceeds a first threshold-value, and determines first-time T1 when the value is reduced to a second threshold-value THL2. T1 is used to define two time-windows when intensity of reflected light is integrated to provide two values (Q1/Q3 and Q2/Q4) to determine a time of flight for the light-pulse based on the two values (Q1/Q3 and Q2/Q4), the difference between T0 and T1 (T1-T0), and the speed of light, c. | 12-17-2015 |
| 20150367816 | UNIVERSAL SENSOR ASSEMBLY FOR DETECTING OPERATOR GESTURES IN VEHICLES - The invention relates to a sensor device ( | 12-24-2015 |
| 20150377677 | OPTICAL REMOTE SENSING SYSTEM FOR PROCESS ENGINEERING CONTROL - The invention concerns an optical remote sensing system, comprising a reaction chamber adapted to host a chemical reaction in the shape of a scattering turbid atmosphere inside the reaction chamber. An optical active sensor is used to detect the three dimensional structure of an accumulation, such as a heap, inside the reaction chamber, suggesting various measurement methods. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20150377964 | PROGRAMMABLE TEST PATTERN FOR A PIXEL ARRAY - The disclosure provides a circuit capable of generating programmable test patterns for a pixel array. The circuit includes a pixel array having a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. A built-in-tester is coupled to the pixel array. The built-in-tester includes a data pattern register that generates a plurality of test patterns. A switching logic circuit is coupled between the data pattern register and the pixel array. The switching logic circuit provides to each column of the plurality of columns one of a first voltage and a second voltage based on a test pattern of the plurality of test patterns received from the data pattern register. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20150378021 | ELECTRONIC DISTANCE METER - An electronic distance meter includes an optical unit which emits light to a target object and receives the light reflected by the target object with a light receiving element, a measuring unit which calculates a length of round-trip time taken for the light to make a round trip to the target object and measures a distance to the target object according to the round-trip time of the received light, a light receiving system which receives and condenses the light reflected by the target object, and an optical guide which guides the light condensed by the light receiving element to the light receiving system, including a multi-mode graded index fiber and a multi-mode step index fiber coupled with each other. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20150378023 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SCANNING A SURFACE AND COMPUTER PROGRAM IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD - A system and method for scanning a surface and a computer program implementing the method. The method is suitable for performing the functions carried out by the system of the invention. The computer program implements the method of the invention. The system
| 12-31-2015 |
| 20150379766 | GENERATION OF 3D MODELS OF AN ENVIRONMENT - Generating a 3D reconstruction of an environment around a monitoring-unit as that monitoring-unit is moved through the environment: a) providing at least a camera and a LIDAR sensor, each being controlled by independent clocks; b) using the camera to determine the trajectory of the monitoring-unit and determining a first time series using the clock of the camera, where the first time series details when the monitoring-unit was at predetermined points of the trajectory; c) recording the returns from the LIDAR sensor and determining a second time series using the clock of the LIDAR sensor, where the second time series details when each scan from the LIDAR was taken; d) using a timer to relate the first and second series in order to match the return from the LIDAR sensor to the point on the trajectory at which the return was received; and e) creating the 3D reconstruction based upon the LIDAR returns using information from the two time series. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160003937 | TIME OF FLIGHT SENSOR BINNING - A time-of-flight sensor device generates and analyzes a high-resolution depth map frame from a high-resolution image to determine a mode of operation for the time-of-flight sensor and an illuminator and to control the time-of-flight sensor and illuminator according to the mode of operation. A binned depth map frame can be created from a binned image from the time-of-flight sensor and combined with the high-resolution depth map frame to create a compensated depth map frame. | 01-07-2016 |
| 20160003945 | LASER RANGEFINDER AND METHOD OF MEASURING DISTANCE AND DIRECTION - A laser rangefinder includes: a MEMS mirror that changes a traveling direction of laser light; a first photodetector that reflects a portion of the laser light directed in a predetermined direction by the MEMS mirror and receives another portion of the laser light; a second photodetector that receives first reflected light that is reflection of the laser light from a target object outside an enclosure and second reflected light that is reflection of the portion of the laser light from the first photodetector; and a signal processor that calculates a distance from the laser rangefinder to the target object by subtracting, from a first distance from the laser diode to the target object calculated using the first reflected light, a second distance from the laser diode to the first photodetector calculated using the second reflected light, and calculates a direction of the target object with respect to the laser rangefinder. | 01-07-2016 |
| 20160003946 | LADAR SENSOR FOR A DENSE ENVIRONMENT - A multi-ladar sensor system is proposed for operating in dense environments where many ladar sensors are transmitting and receiving burst mode light in the same space, as may be typical of an automotive application. The system makes use of several techniques to reduce mutual interference between independently operating ladar sensors. In one embodiment, the individual ladar sensors are each assigned a wavelength of operation, and an optical receive filter for blocking the light transmitted at other wavelengths, an example of wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). Each ladar sensor, or platform, may also be assigned a pulse width selected from a list, and may use a pulse width discriminator circuit to separate pulses of interest from the clutter of other transmitters. Higher level coding, involving pulse sequences and code sequence correlation, may be implemented in a system of code division multiplexing, CDM. A digital processor optimized to execute mathematical operations is described which has a hardware implemented floating point divider, allowing for real time processing of received ladar pulses, and sequences of pulses. | 01-07-2016 |
| 20160010986 | PIXEL-LEVEL OVERSAMPLING FOR A TIME OF FLIGHT 3D IMAGE SENSOR WITH DUAL RANGE MEASUREMENTS | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160011313 | LONG-RANGE, SMALL TARGET RANGEFINDING | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160018256 | LASER SCANNER - A laser scanner includes: a light source; a scanning mirror that scans laser light emitted from the light source, toward a target object by oscillating about axis C; a photodetector that generates a photodetection signal upon receiving the laser light reflected from the target object; a controller that controls emission of the laser light by the light source, and that performs sampling on the photodetection signal; and a detector that detects an amount of displacement of the scanning mirror, and calculates a resonant frequency of the scanning mirror based on the amount of displacement detected. The controller determines a time at which the laser light is emitted from the light source and a time at which sampling is performed on the photodetection signal, based on the resonant frequency calculated. | 01-21-2016 |
| 20160025489 | Position Reference System and Method for Positioning and Tracking One or More Objects - Position reference system and method for positioning and tracking one or more objects which in addition to range and azimuth also provides the elevation angle of the target relative to the instrument axes of the sensor platform. The system and method is based on a near IR laser radar transceiver and one or more active or passive retroreflectors placed on the objects to be positioned. The present invention further includes an internal beam stabilization mechanism protected from the environment and utilize a cylindrical window which is transparent for the near IR laser radiation, but absorbs all visible and UV radiation and thus protects the optical parts from ambient solar radiation. In addition, the cylindrical window protects all internal mechanical parts, notably the rotating and moving parts, from a corrosive and freezing/icing environment. | 01-28-2016 |
| 20160033626 | LASER RANGEFINDER - A laser rangefinder includes a light source, a scanning mirror that scans laser light emitted from the light source by oscillating about an axis of oscillation J extending in a predetermined direction, a first lens that is disposed on an optical path of reflected light from a target object and condenses the reflected light onto the scanning mirror, a second lens that is disposed on an optical path of and condenses reflected light from the scanning mirror, and a photodetector that receives the reflected light condensed by the second lens. The first lens and the second lens are disposed in positions other than positions on an optical path of the laser light between a point of emission from the light source and a point of exit from the laser rangefinder. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160033642 | LINEAR MODE COMPUTATIONAL SENSING LADAR - Laser light pulsed to illuminate and reflect from at least one object is received at a digital micro-mirror device including an array of mirrors each of which may be selectively controlled to be oriented to either reflect incident light onto a detector or not. The detector outputs a signal representative of an amount of light sensed. By applying M spatial patterns to the mirrors, each in synchronization with one pulse from the laser, and storing sampled signal values from the detector output at each of K times following a pulse from the laser, the collected information may be used to reconstruct K images each using all M spatial patterns and stored sampled signal values corresponding to a respective one of the K times. Each of the K images corresponds to a different range to the digital micro-mirror device, such that the system may be employed as a range finder. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160033643 | REGISTRATION CALCULATION BETWEEN THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) SCANS BASED ON TWO-DIMENSIONAL (2D) SCAN DATA FROM A 3D SCANNER - A method for measuring and registering three-dimensional (3D) by measuring 3D coordinates with a 3D scanner in a first registration position, measuring two-dimensional (2D) coordinates with the 3D scanner by projecting a beam of light in plane onto the object while the 3D scanner moves from the first registration position to a second registration position, measuring 3D coordinates with the 3D scanner at the second registration position, and determining a correspondence among targets in the first and second registration positions while the 3D scanner moves between the second and third registration positions. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160033644 | TIME OF FLIGHT DETERMINATION - First events corresponding to detecting a reflection off a reference object are detected. Second events corresponding to detecting a reflection off a remote object are also detected. A histogram having a first peak corresponding to the first events and a second peak corresponding to the plurality of second events is generated. A distance between the remote object and the reference object is determined in dependence on a time between the first peak and the second peak of the histogram. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160037094 | METHODS OF OPERATING IMAGE SENSORS - A method of operating a three-dimensional image sensor may include: obtaining position information of an object using light emitted by a light source module, the three-dimensional image sensor including the light source module having a light source and a lens; and adjusting a relative position of the light source to the lens based on the obtained position information of the object. A method of operating an image sensor may include: obtaining position information of an object using light emitted by a light source module, the image sensor including the light source module; and adjusting an emission angle of the light emitted by the light source module based on the obtained position information. | 02-04-2016 |
| 20160041264 | TIME OF FLIGHT APPARATUSES AND AN ILLUMINATION SOURCE - An apparatus includes a detector circuit configured to receive a modulated electromagnetic wave signal from an illumination source and to provide a detection signal having a frequency dependent on a modulation frequency of the modulated electromagnetic wave signal. The apparatus further includes a reference circuit configured to generate a reference signal based on the detection signal. The apparatus further includes a sensor circuit configured to generate based on the reference signal a sensor signal based on reflected modulated electromagnetic waves emitted by the illumination source and reflected by an object. The apparatus further includes a processing circuit configured to determine distance information related to the object based on the sensor signal. | 02-11-2016 |
| 20160041266 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL TRIANGULATION AND TIME-OF-FLIGHT BASED TRACKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A three-dimension position tracking system is presented. The system includes transmitters and receivers. A transmitter scans continuous or pulsed coherent light beams across a target. The receiver detects the reflected beams. The system recursively determines the location of the target, as a function of time, via triangulation and observation of the time-of-flight of the incoming and outgoing beams. The transmitter includes ultra-fast scanning optics to scan the receiver's field-of-view. The receiver includes arrays of ultra-fast photosensitive pixels. The system determines the angles of the incoming beams based on the line-of-sight of the triggered pixels. By observing the incoming angles and correlating timestamps associated with the outgoing and incoming beams, the system accurately, and in near real-time, determines the location of the target. By combining the geometry of the scattered beams, as well as the beams' time-of-flight, ambiguities inherent to triangulation and ambiguities inherent to time-of-flight location methods are resolved. | 02-11-2016 |
| 20160041452 | OPTICAL DEVICE, LIDAR DEVICE AND IMAGING DEVICE - An optical device includes: a casing having a waterproof structure; a light transmission part provided in the casing; an air blow port for blowing air onto the light transmission part; a flow path for causing the air to flow to the air blow port, the flow path being provided to maintain the waterproof structure of the casing; an air intake port through which the air flows into the flow path; a blower part generating the flow of the air from the air intake port to the air blow port; and an observation unit accommodated in the casing to receive light from the outside via the light transmission part. | 02-11-2016 |
| 20160047901 | ROBUST LIDAR SENSOR FOR BROAD WEATHER, SHOCK AND VIBRATION CONDITIONS - An apparatus and method are used for real-time wide-field-of-view ranging with a time-of-flight lidar sensor having one or a plurality of laser emitters and one or a plurality of photodetectors. When a plurarity of laser emitters are used, they are preferably copackaged or are in the form of an integrated multi-emitter chip or emitting multi-chip module in a single package, and when a plurarity of photoreceivers are used, they are preferably copackaged or are in the form of an integrated multi-photoreceiver chip or photoreceiving multi-chip module in a single package. Furthermore, the apparatus comprises any combination of (a) no moving external parts in contact with the environment, (b) wireless energy and data transfer between the static and the moving parts of the lidar, and (c) protective body, sealant and/or damage-resistant tamper-resistant theft-resistant cage. | 02-18-2016 |
| 20160047903 | Ladar Point Cloud Compression - Various embodiments are disclosed ladar point cloud compression. For example, a processor can be used to analyze data representative of an environmental scene to intelligently select a subset of range points within a frame to target with ladar pulses via a scanning ladar transmission system. In another example embodiment, a processor can perform ladar point cloud compression by (1) processing data representative of an environmental scene, and (2) based on the processing, selecting a plurality of the range points in the point cloud for retention in a compressed point cloud, the compressed point cloud comprising fewer range points than the generated point cloud. | 02-18-2016 |
| 20160047914 | REGISTRATION CALCULATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL SCANNER DATA PERFORMED BETWEEN SCANS BASED ON MEASUREMENTS BY TWO-DIMENSIONAL SCANNER - A method for measuring and registering three-dimensional (3D) coordinates by measuring 3D coordinates with a 3D scanner in a first registration position, measuring two-dimensional (2D) coordinates with a 2D scanner while moving from the first registration position to a second registration position, measuring 3D coordinates with the 3D scanner at the second registration position, and determining a correspondence among targets in the first and second registration positions while moving between the second registration position and a third registration position. | 02-18-2016 |
| 20160049765 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL-MAPPING TWO-DIMENSIONAL-SCANNING LIDAR BASED ON ONE-DIMENSIONAL-STEERING OPTICAL PHASED ARRAYS AND METHOD OF USING SAME - A plurality of one-dimensional planar beam forming and steering optical phased array chips form a two-dimensional-scanning solid-state lidar, enabling manufacturing of three-dimensional mapping time-of-flight lidars at high yield and low cost resulting from the simplicity of said one-dimensional optical phased array chips. | 02-18-2016 |
| 20160054434 | ASYNCHRONOUS LADAR AND IMAGING ARRAY - An imaging device comprises of a pixelated array of semiconductor detector elements, in which each detecting element is electrically connected to an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit of each of the pixels comprising a passive signal path and a transient signal path. The passive path provides consecutive frame or scene imaging and the transient path detects the transient electromagnetic events such as laser pulses. The transient path is electrically connected to a timing circuit, the timing circuit for determining the time-of-flight of return pulses emitted from the electromagnetic source detected by the transient signal paths. Wherein the passive path and transient path operate simultaneously enabling simultaneous passive and LADAR imaging. | 02-25-2016 |
| 20160054447 | PROGRAMMABLE CURRENT SOURCE FOR A TIME OF FLIGHT 3D IMAGE SENSOR - A programmable current source for use with a time of flight pixel cell includes a first transistor. A current through the first transistor is responsive to a gate-source voltage of the first transistor. A current control circuit is coupled to the first transistor and coupled to a reference current source to selectively couple a reference current of the reference current source through the first transistor during a sample operation. A sample and hold circuit is coupled to the first transistor to sample a gate-source voltage of the first transistor during the sample operation. The sample and hold circuit is coupled to hold the gate-source voltage during a hold operation after the sample operation substantially equal to the gate-source voltage during the sample operation. A hold current through the first transistor during the hold operation is substantially equal to the reference current. | 02-25-2016 |
| 20160056610 | LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE - Light with a short pulse width is emitted using a simple structure. A light source | 02-25-2016 |
| 20160061952 | LASER RADAR DEVICE - A laser radar device includes a searchable distance calculation device | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160069998 | VEHICLE-MOUNTED DEVICE AND VEHICLE-MOUNTED RANGING SYSTEM - A vehicle-mounted device includes an interference determination unit and a sensor control unit. The interference determination unit determines whether an interference state where a first electromagnetic wave ranging sensor equipped to a first vehicle may receive a second transmission wave transmitted from a second electromagnetic wave sensor equipped to a second vehicle is present, based on transmission time frame information received by a first wireless communication device equipped to the first vehicle, and reception duration information indicating a reception duration during which a first electromagnetic wave ranging sensor equipped to the first vehicle may receive a first reflected wave. The sensor control unit controls transmission timing for transmitting the first transmission wave from the first electromagnetic wave ranging sensor and a reception duration, and changes the transmission timing and the reception duration to avoid the interference state, when the interference determination unit determines that the interference state is present. | 03-10-2016 |
| 20160069999 | DEPTH IMAGE OBTAINING DEVICE AND DISPLAY DEVICE USING SAME - The present invention relates to a depth image obtaining device enabled to obtain a depth image of a subject located at a far distance, and a display device using the same, the depth image obtaining device comprising: a light irradiation part for irradiating light onto a predetermined subject; a light receiving part receiving light reflected from the subject; and a control part for controlling the light irradiation part and the light receiving part. The light irradiation part comprises alight source part for emitting light in a first direction and a reflection part for reflecting the light emitted in the first direction into a second direction. | 03-10-2016 |
| 20160070000 | IN-VEHICLE APPARATUS PERFORMING AN OPERATION BASED ON A DISTANCE MEASURED, AND IN-VEHICLE SYSTEM INCLUDING THE IN-VEHICLE APPARATUS - An in-vehicle apparatus installed in a first vehicle. The in-vehicle apparatus includes a first distance sensor measuring a distance to an object based on time to receive a reflection wave of an electro-magnetic transmission wave from the object after a transmission of the electro-magnetic transmission wave, with the first distance sensor being an electro-magnetic wave sensor. The in-vehicle apparatus also includes an inclination angle sensor that senses a first vehicle inclination angle representative of an inclination angle of the first vehicle that includes the first distance sensor, a radio communicator that receives a second vehicle inclination angle transmitted from a second vehicle that leads the first vehicle, an angle difference calculator that calculates an angle difference between the first vehicle inclination angle and the second vehicle inclination angle, and a processor that performs a preset operation based on the distance measured by the first distance sensor. | 03-10-2016 |
| 20160084945 | COAXIAL DIRECT-DETECTION LIDAR-SYSTEM - The invention relates to a coaxial direct-detection LIDAR system for measuring velocity, temperature and/or particulate density. The system comprises a laser source for emitting a laser light beam having a lasing center frequency along an emission path. The system further comprises an optical delivery system arranged in the emission path of the laser source, the optical delivery system being arranged for delivering the laser light beam in a measuring direction, the optical delivery system further being configured for collecting a return signal backscattered along the measuring direction. Finally, the system comprises a detector system arranged to receive the return signal from the optical delivery system, the detector system comprising a narrowband optical filter and a detector, the narrowband optical filter having a filter center frequency of a pass-band, wherein the center lasing frequency and/or the center filter frequency may be scanned. The invention further relates to an aircraft airspeed measurement device, and a wind turbine airspeed measurement device comprising the LIDAR system. | 03-24-2016 |
| 20160097844 | DISTANCE MEASURING SYSTEM AND IMAGING SENSOR - A TOF (time of flight) type distance measuring system of high accuracy is provided. The distance measuring system includes: a light source unit for emitting light at a timing indicated by an emission signal; a light receiving unit for acquiring RAW data for each pixel from an imaging sensor, by exposing the imaging sensor to the light reflected from an object at a timing indicated by an exposure signal; a TOF calculation unit for supplying a TOF signal indicating the distance from each pixel to the object that is calculated based on the RAW data; a detection unit for detecting the difference between a standard value and the TOF signal for a standard pixel on the imaging sensor, and generating a phase control signal and a fine adjustment signal in accordance with the difference; a correction unit for correcting the TOF signal on the basis of the fine adjustment signal, and outputting the correction result as distance information for each pixel; and a control unit for controlling the phase shift of at least one of the emission signal and the exposure signal on the basis of the phase control signal. | 04-07-2016 |
| 20160097857 | Integrated Targeting Device - An integrated targeting device comprising a housing, the housing comprising an input aperture and an output aperture, a geolocation module configured to estimate the geolocation of a selected target, an imaging module comprising an imaging camera, a laser comprising a seed laser configured to emit a seed laser beam and a moveable optical reflector, a display; and a processor operatively coupled to the laser module, the imaging module, the geolocation module; and the display. | 04-07-2016 |
| 20160103210 | LASER RADAR DEVICE AND RADAR IMAGE GENERATING METHOD - A system controller | 04-14-2016 |
| 20160103222 | LASER TRACKER WITH A WARM AIR FLOW SHIELD FOR THE MEASUREMENT BEAM - Some embodiments of the invention relate to a coordinate measuring machine for determining the position and/or for continuous tracking of a target embodied as a retroreflector or at least having a retroreflector. In some embodiments, the coordinate measuring machine may be a laser tracker. The coordinate measuring machine may include comprising at least a base defining a vertical axis, a support swivelable relative thereto and, tiltable thereto a beam guiding unit for emitting measurement radiation for receiving at least some of the measurement radiation reflected at the target. In some embodiments, the coordinate measuring machine includes a heat influence reduction component that may be configured to prevent and/or actively reduce heat emission, and/or obstruct or prevent warm air from passing through the near region free beam path. | 04-14-2016 |
| 20160103223 | DISTANCE-MEASURING IMAGING DEVICE AND SOLID STATE IMAGING ELEMENT - A distance-measuring imaging device includes: a drive control unit; a light source unit; an image processing unit including light receiving units and charge reading units arranged one-to-one; and an image processing unit. The charge reading units are arranged partly at the left side of corresponding ones of the light receiving units and partly at the right side of corresponding ones of the same. In each of a period in which the exposure is performed when the exposure control signal is received after a first delay time since when the light emission control signal is received and a period in which the exposure is performed when the exposure control signal is received after a second delay time longer than the first delay time, since when the light emission control signal is received, the left-side charge reading units read charge leftward, and the right-side charge reading units read charge rightward. | 04-14-2016 |
| 20160103224 | AUTOMATIC RANGE CORRECTED FLASH LADAR CAMERA - A three dimensional imaging camera comprises a system controller, pulsed laser transmitter, receiving optics, an infrared focal plane array light detector, and an image processor. The described invention is capable of developing a complete 3-D scene from a single point of view. The 3-D imaging camera utilizes a pulsed laser transmitter capable of illuminating an entire scene with a single high power flash of light. The 3-D imaging camera employs a system controller to trigger a pulse of high intensity light from the pulsed laser transmitter, and counts the time from the start of the transmitter light pulse. The light reflected from the illuminated scene impinges on a receiving optics and is detected by a focal plane array optical detector. An image processor applies image enhancing algorithms to improve the image quality and develop object data for subjects in the field of view of the flash ladar imaging camera. | 04-14-2016 |
| 20160109277 | OPTICALLY-BASED METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING LIQUIDS IN TANKS - A system and method for determining a liquid level in a storage tank includes the use of a laser range finding device. The laser range finding device emits a signal that is reflected off of a top surface of the liquid and then detected by a sensor. The time between the signal emission and detection is utilized to determine a distance to the surface of the liquid. This distance is then utilized to determine an amount of liquid in the tank. The liquid may comprise any liquid with sufficient reflectivity to reflect the signal from the range finding device. The system and method is particularly suited for determining the amount of milk in storage tanks associated with dairy operations. | 04-21-2016 |
| 20160109562 | Laser Rangefinder Sensor - The specification discloses a pulsed time-of-flight laser range finding system used to obtain vehicle classification information. The sensor determines a distance range to portions of a vehicle traveling within a sensing zone of the sensor. A scanning mechanism made of a four facet cube, having reflective surfaces, is used to collimate and direct the laser toward traveling vehicles. A processing system processes the respective distance range data and angle range data for determining the three-dimensional shape of the vehicle. | 04-21-2016 |
| 20160109575 | Sensor System With Active Illumination - The present invention relates to vision sensors based on an active illumination. An imaging system includes an imaging sensor and is adapted to process an image of a scene being illuminated by at least two different illumination sources each having a wavelength in the near infrared range. In a variant, the imaging system is adapted to use an illumination source having a modulation frequency below the modulation frequency used to perform a three dimensional time of flight measurement. In a variant, the imaging system is adapted to acquire a reduced number of samples per frame than used in time of flight measurements. | 04-21-2016 |
| 20160116575 | TECHNIQUE FOR A PULSE/PHASE BASED LASER RANGEFINDER UTILIZING A SINGLE PHOTODIODE IN CONJUNCTION WITH SEPARATE PULSE AND PHASE RECEIVER CIRCUITS - A technique for a pulse/phase based laser rangefinding instrument utilizing a single photodiode in conjunction with separate pulse and phase receiver circuits. The photodiode receives phase and pulse ranging signals and a capacitor coupled to the photodiode and is operative to provide current through the photodiode to a transimpedance amplifier in a pulse mode of operation and from the photodiode through a tuned circuit to a narrow band amplifier in a phase mode of operation. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160116576 | ACTIVE COMPENSATION FOR PHASE ALIGNMENT ERRORS IN TIME-OF-FLIGHT CAMERAS - Methods, apparatuses, and systems can be provided to implement active feedback to electrically sense or monitor the illumination and shutter pulses and adjust them actively to maintain the desired phase relationship/difference between the pulses. By maintaining the desired phase difference, the distance calculation can be made more accurate, even when conditions of the time-of-flight camera varies (e.g., temperature, aging, etc.). Advantageously, active compensation can correct for errors ‘on-the-fly’, eliminating detailed characterization and manual adjustment during operation. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160116577 | PSEUDO-STABILIZATION TECHNIQUE FOR LASER-BASED SPEED AND RANGEFINDING INSTRUMENTS UTILIZING A RATE GYROSCOPE TO TRACK PITCH AND YAW DEVIATIONS FROM THE AIMING POINT - A pseudo-stabilization technique for laser-based speed and rangefinding instruments utilizing a rate gyroscope to monitor the device pitch and yaw motion to operationally increase the effective range of the device by serving to obviate the emission of laser pulses off-target. In this manner, the pulse firing rate can be increased when the instrument is correctly aimed at the target as well enabling the concomitant emission of pulses with greater energy while remaining within the applicable Class 1 eye-safety constraints. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160124077 | LIDAR SYSTEM PRODUCING MULTIPLE SCAN PATHS AND METHOD OF MAKING AND USING SAME - LiDAR scanning methods are disclosed, including a method comprising forming a first scan path with a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanning system on an aircraft flying above the ground, the first scan path at a first angle in relation to the aircraft toward the ground; forming a second scan path with the LiDAR scanning system, the second scan path at a second angle in relation to the aircraft, the second angle toward the ground and different relative to the first angle; and creating a digital elevation map of the ground, and vertical and horizontal surfaces above the ground, using the first and second scan paths. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160124089 | ABSOLUTE DISTANCE MEASUREMENT FOR TIME-OF-FLIGHT SENSORS - A time-of-flight (TOF) sensor device is provided with features for correcting distance measurement offset errors caused by such factors as temperature, dynamic reflectivity ranges of objects in the viewing space, or other factors. In various embodiments, the TOF sensor device generates corrected distance values based on comparison of two different distance values measured for an object by two different measurement techniques, including but not limited to phase shift measurement, pulsed TOF measurement, distance measurement based on the focal length of the TOF sensor's lens, and comparison of distance variations with light intensity variations. In addition, some embodiments of the TOF sensor device perform self-calibration using internal waveguides or parasitic reflections as distance references. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160124091 | DISTANCE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - A distance measurement device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a photoelectric conversion device which includes a light receiving unit, a charge storage unit, a charge discharge unit, and a gate electrode, a controller which controls an irradiation timing of pulse light having a pulse width which is sufficiently shorter than response time of the light receiving unit to an object and performs control to generate control pulse voltages having at least two kinds of phases based on the irradiation timing and to apply it to the gate electrode, a charge reading unit which reads a first and second charges stored in the charge storage unit according to the applications of the respective control pulse voltages having two kinds of phases as a first and second electrical signals, and a calculation unit which calculates a distance to the object based on the first and second electrical signals. | 05-05-2016 |
| 20160139266 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PHASED ARRAY IMAGING - A method of imaging a scene includes generating a temporally varying optical intensity pattern from at least one continuous wave (CW) light beam. The method also includes illuminating at least one portion of the scene with the temporally varying optical intensity pattern so as to cause a photon to scatter or reflect off the at least one portion of the scene. The photon reflected or scatted from the at least one portion of the scene is detected using a single-photon detector. Based on the temporally varying optical intensity pattern and a time of flight of the photon detected, a distance between the single-photon detector and the at least one portion of the scene is estimated. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160139404 | LIGHT DEFLECTOR, AND DEVICES INCORPORATING THE SAME - A light deflector includes a mirror unit having a light reflection plane, a base, a pair of elastic supporting members each having one end attached to the mirror unit and the other end attached to the base and configured to support the mirror unit in a rotatable and oscillatable manner, and a pair of drive bars each having one end attached to another end of a corresponding one of the elastic supporting members and the other end attached to the base in a cantilevered state. The mirror unit rotates and oscillates about a center of rotation as deformation of the drive bars is transmitted to the mirror unit through the elastic supporting members. The center of rotation of the mirror unit is within a range of −0.05×D to −0.01×D, where D denotes a diameter of the mirror unit. | 05-19-2016 |
| 20160146926 | RANGE ENHANCEMENT FOR LIDAR SYSTEMS AND IR CAMERA SYSTEMS - A system includes a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device. The system further includes a LIDAR target. The LIDAR device is configured to direct a light beam at the LIDAR target. The system also includes a retro-reflective material in contact with the LIDAR target. | 05-26-2016 |
| 20160146927 | MULTIPLE PATTERN ILLUMINATION OPTICS FOR TIME OF FLIGHT SYSTEM - Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for creating multiple patterns of flood illumination for a time of flight (TOF) camera system. Light is generated, and from the generated light, illumination light is formed that is projected into an image environment. The illumination light is formed by: diverging the generated light to form divergent light characterized by a light profile that is less intense in a first region centered on an optical axis of the divergent light than in a second region that at least partially rings the first region, and converting the divergent light into a plurality of illumination light patterns to be projected into the illumination environment. The illumination light patterns are each projected to a corresponding region of the illumination environment. | 05-26-2016 |
| 20160146939 | Multi-mirror scanning depth engine - A scanning device includes a scanner, which includes a base and a gimbal, mounted within the base so as to rotate relative to the base about a first axis of rotation. A transmit mirror and at least one receive mirror are mounted within the gimbal so as to rotate in mutual synchronization about respective second axes, which are parallel to one another and perpendicular to the first axis. A transmitter emits a beam including pulses of light toward the transmit mirror, which reflects the beam so that the scanner scans the beam over a scene. A receiver receives, by reflection from the at least one receive mirror, the light reflected from the scene and generates an output indicative of the time of flight of the pulses to and from points in the scene. | 05-26-2016 |
| 20160146940 | OPTO-ELECTRONIC DETECTION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SENSING THE SURROUNDINGS OF A MOTOR VEHICLE BY SCANNING - The invention relates to a scanning opto-electronic detection device and a method for sensing the surroundings of a motor vehicle | 05-26-2016 |
| 20160153768 | DIMENSIONING SYSTEM | 06-02-2016 |
| 20160154105 | OPTOELECTRONIC SENSOR | 06-02-2016 |
| 20160161598 | RANGEFINDER WITH A LASER-LIKE LIGHT SOURCE - Some embodiments of the invention may relate to a rangefinder, in particular for a laser scanner, laser tracker, profiler, theodolite, or a total station. In a special embodiment of the invention, the light source of the rangefinder—provided for the emission of pulsed light signals—is configured here as an optical fiber amplifier (e.g. an EDFA, i.e. erbium-doped fiber amplifier) which is optically pumped by a superluminescent diode (SLD) operated in a pulsed manner. | 06-09-2016 |
| 20160161600 | OPTICAL PHASED ARRAY LIDAR SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USING SAME - A lidar-based system and method are used for the solid state beamforming and steering of laser beams using optical phased array (OPA) photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and the detection of laser beams using photodetectors. Transmitter and receiver electronics, power management electronics, control electronics, data conversion electronics and processing electronics are also included in the system and used in the method. | 06-09-2016 |
| 20160178734 | DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE AND SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR | 06-23-2016 |
| 20160187467 | AXLE DETECTION APPARATUS - According to some embodiments of the present invention, an axis detection device includes a plurality of distance measurement devices; a tire candidate extractor; a matching processor; and an axle detector. Each of the plurality of distance measurement devices changes a measurement range to one dimension to measure a distance data set. The tire candidate extractor extracts data whose frequency is higher than a predetermined threshold as tire candidate data based on the distance data set measured by the distance measurement device. The matching processor matches a temporal correspondence for the tire candidate data which are extracted by the tire candidate extractor based on the respective distance data sets measured by the plurality of distance measurement devices. The axle detector detects one or a plurality of axles based on the matched result by the matching processor. | 06-30-2016 |
| 20160187469 | DISTANCE DETECTION APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING DISTANCE INFORMATION HAVING VARIABLE SPATIAL RESOLUTION AND IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME - The present invention relates to a distance detection apparatus for acquiring distance information having variable spatial resolution and an image display apparatus having the same. A distance detection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a light source unit for outputting an output light to detect a distance to an external object, a scanner for performing first direction scanning and second direction scanning to output an output light to an external scan area, a light detection unit for receiving an input light from the scan area, and a processor for detecting a distance to an external object within the external scan area on the basis of the output light and the input light, wherein the processor makes a control to change a frame rate of the scanner and acquires distance information having varied spatial resolution of the external object in accordance with the change in the frame rate. Accordingly, it is possible to acquire distance information having variable spatial resolution on an external object. | 06-30-2016 |
| 20160187471 | Method for Determining the Distance of an Object by Means of a Polarization-Modulated Transmission Light Beam - The invention relates to a method for determining the distance of an object ( | 06-30-2016 |
| 20160195616 | MODULAR LADAR SENSOR | 07-07-2016 |
| 20160252617 | OBJECT RECOGNITION APPARATUS AND NOISE REMOVAL METHOD | 09-01-2016 |
| 20160252618 | METHOD FOR ILLUMINATING AN OBJECT | 09-01-2016 |
| 20160377706 | LIQUID CRYSTAL WAVEGUIDE STEERED ACTIVE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS SENSOR - An active situational sensor achieves SWaP-C and SNR improvements by using a liquid crystal waveguide to steer a spot-beam onto a conical shape of a fixed mirror, which redirects the spot-beam to scan a FOV. The sensor may rapidly scan a 360° horizontal FOV with a specified vertical FOV or any portion thereof, jump discretely between multiple specific objects per frame, vary the dwell time on an object or compensate for other external factors to tailor the scan to a particular application or changing real-time conditions. The sensor can be used to provide object intensity or ranging in complex, dynamic systems such as aviation, air traffic control, ship navigation, unmanned ground vehicles, collision avoidance, object targeting etc. | 12-29-2016 |
| 20160377719 | LASER RANGE FINDING APPARATUS - A laser range finding apparatus includes a light emitting section that emits a laser light, a light receiving section that receives the reflected laser light from a detection object, the light receiving section including a plurality of photo detectors for respectively receiving a plurality of different transmission wavelength bands of the laser light, an identifying section that identifies each of the photo detectors each of whose output indicating signal waveforms of the received reflected laser light is not saturated as an unsaturated photo detector, and a distance calculating section that calculates a distance to the detection object based on a light detection timing at which the reflected laser light is received by the unsaturated photo detector. | 12-29-2016 |
| 20170234972 | RANGE FINDER AND OPTICAL DEVICE | 08-17-2017 |
| 20170234973 | LOW PHOTON COUNT TIMING | 08-17-2017 |
| 20170234977 | LIDAR SYSTEM AND MULTIPLE DETECTION SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD THEREOF | 08-17-2017 |
| 20170234983 | RANGING METHOD AND RANGING DEVICE | 08-17-2017 |
| 20180024231 | DETECTION LIGHT RANGING APPARATUS AND METHOD | 01-25-2018 |
| 20180024232 | MODULAR LADAR SENSOR | 01-25-2018 |
| 20180024241 | LIDAR SYSTEM | 01-25-2018 |
| 20180024242 | LASER RADAR DEVICE | 01-25-2018 |
| 20180024243 | POLARIZATION BASED CODED APERTURE LASER DETECTION AND RANGING | 01-25-2018 |
| 20190146060 | LIDAR DEVICES | 05-16-2019 |
| 20190146061 | COMPACT CHIP SCALE LIDAR SOLUTION | 05-16-2019 |
| 20190146064 | SCANNING LIDAR SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH SPATIAL FILTERING FOR REDUCTION OF AMBIENT LIGHT | 05-16-2019 |
| 20190146066 | VEHICLE LIDAR SENSING SYSTEM WITH SENSOR MODULE | 05-16-2019 |
| 20190146067 | FLASH LIDAR SENSOR ASSEMBLY | 05-16-2019 |
| 20190146071 | Noise Adaptive Solid-State LIDAR System | 05-16-2019 |
| 20190146073 | SYSTEMS, METHODS AND, MEDIA FOR ENCODING AND DECODING SIGNALS USED IN TIME OF FLIGHT IMAGING | 05-16-2019 |
| 20190146091 | UNDERWATER LIDAR | 05-16-2019 |
| 20220137185 | Three Terminal Broad Area Laser - Example embodiments relate to light detection and ranging (lidar) devices or other apparatus that incorporate laser light emitters capable of increased pulse energies and decreased pulse durations. These laser light emitters include a gain medium having two portions to which a pump electrode and a switch electrode, respectively, are coupled. The pump electrode is configured to apply a current through the gain medium that provides energy for lasing and the switch electrode is configured to apply a current through the gain medium that controls a transparency of the second portion of the gain medium. Thus the switch electrode, which controls the timing of emitted light pulses, can be driven by a lower current and thus have shorter pulse widths, rise time, and/or fall times, thereby allowing for shorter, higher-energy laser pulses to be emitted. | 05-05-2022 |
| 20220137222 | TIME-OF-FLIGHT IMAGE SENSOR - A time-of-flight image sensor is disclosed. The time-of-flight image sensor includes an array of pixels. Each pixel of the array of pixels includes a first photogate, a second photogate adjacent the first photogate, an isolation barrier intermediate the first photogate and the second photogate, and an in-pixel ground node intermediate the first photogate and the second photogate. | 05-05-2022 |
| 20220137396 | ATTACHMENT FOR REDUCING TEMPERATURE SENSITIVITY - Embodiments provide a method and mechanism for reducing changes in the resonant frequency of a MEMS mirror structure with temperature due to a mismatch between the CTE of the MEMS die and the package substrate. A die attach layer with a low Young's modulus, such as less than 15,000 psi, is used to allow absorption of some of the stress due to the mismatch in the CTE of the MEMS die and the package substrate. In addition, in embodiments a thicker die attach layer than normal is used to absorb some of the stress, increasing the height of the die attach layer from the normal range around 25 μm to between 50-150 μm thick. In further embodiments a pattern of open cavities is etched in the bottom of the die substrate. The die substrate may be made thicker to provide room for the cavities. | 05-05-2022 |
| 20220140156 | AVALANCHE PHOTODIODE SENSOR AND DISTANCE MEASURING DEVICE - Distance measurement accuracy is improved. An avalanche photodiode sensor according to an embodiment includes a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate bonded to a first surface of the first semiconductor substrate, wherein the first semiconductor substrate includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions arranged in a matrix and an element separation portion, the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions include a first photoelectric conversion portion, the element separation portion has a first element separation region and a second element separation region, the first photoelectric conversion portion is arranged between the first element separation region and the second element separation region, the first semiconductor substrate further includes a plurality of concave-convex portions on a second surface opposite to the first surface and between the first element separation region and the second element separation region, and the second semiconductor substrate includes a reading circuit connected to each of the photoelectric conversion portions. | 05-05-2022 |
