Distance measuring apparatus
US5724141A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 19, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 19, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S2007/4975
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A distance measuring apparatus has: light receiving means for receiving light which is emitted from a light emitting element unit and reflected from an obstacle having a reflecting surface, a pair of members of high reflection performance being respectively disposed on portions of the reflecting surface; and a calculating circuit for calculating a distance from the obstacle on the basis of a time period between the emission and the reception of the light. According to the apparatus, in a measurement range of a short distance where light reflected from a reflecting surface positioned between the pair of members of high reflection performance is received, the maximum amount of light received by the light receiving means is set to be smaller than a sensitivity at which a snowfall is detected, and the minimum amount of light is reduced to a level at which an obstacle positioned at the short distance can be detected.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.