Distance measuring system and method, and robot system using same

US10788576B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ABB Schweiz AG · CH

Inventors

• Bjoern Matthias · Bad Schönborn, DE
• Richard Roberts · Gilching, DE
• Andreas Decker · Besigheim, DE
• Christoph Byner · Mannheim, DE
• Nicolas Harmen Lehment · Munich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 21, 2019
• Grant date: Sep 29, 2020
• Expiry date: Nov 21, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S13/881
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A distance measuring system includes: at least one emitter, which emits a frequency-variable scanning signal; at least one receiver; and an analysis unit for computing a distance to an object reflecting the scanning signal on the basis of a difference between the frequencies of the emitted and the received scanning signal. The rate of change of the frequency of the scanning signal in a first operating mode of the distance measuring system has a first finite value. The rate of change of the frequency in a second operating mode has a second finite value. The analysis unit is configured to compute a first distance on the basis of a frequency difference ascertained in the first operating mode, to compute a second distance on the basis of a frequency difference ascertained in the second operating mode, and to evaluate the correspondence between first and second computed distance.