Method and device for measuring distance optically
US4881809A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 14, 1987 |
| Grant date | Nov 21, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 14, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/06
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
For optical measurement of a distance between a hunter and a target, for instance between satellites, back-reflecting means are provided on the target. The hunter carries a source of substantially monochromatic light pulses and a solid state detector having a matrix of sensors. The matrix is read-out by transferring the contents of the sensors line per line or point per point at a predetermined frequency to an output memory. A time base triggers one pulse at a predetermined time selected for causing return of an echo from the target during read-out. The distance is derived from a determination of that line or that point which receives the echo, for two different transfer frequencies.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.