Imaging range finder and method
US4916536A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 7, 1988 |
| Grant date | Apr 10, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 7, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/89
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The imaging range finder of the invention includes a radiation transmitter, a transmitting section and a receiving section. The transmitting section directs radiation across an angular field of view by a first rotating mirror having a plurality of facets. The receiving section includes a second rotating mirror also with a plurality of facets which collects any reflected radiation. An image is produced by measuring the intensity of the reflected radiation at numerous points in the field of view. Range is determined by radiation modulation. Range may be determined more precisely at shorter ranges by modulating the radiation to produce two subcarriers and using one subcarrier to supply short range information. The finder is stabilized to preserve imaging and range finding accuracy when it is exposed to vibration or pitch-angle disturbance. The invention also discloses a method of imaging and range finding over very wide angles and at standard picture frame frequencies.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.