Patent · US Expired

Modulated laser light detector

US7012237B1 · kind B1 · utility

21Cited by
51References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 29, 2003
Grant dateMar 14, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 12, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01C15/006
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A modulated laser light detector that converts laser light energy into electrical signals which exhibit a frequency that is substantially the same as the laser light modulation frequency, in which these signals allow the detector unit to determine a position where the laser light is impacting upon a photodiode array. A synchronous rectifier circuit is provided which, by use of a phase locked loop, converts a full-wave analog signal representative of the modulated laser energy into a half-wave analog signal, which is filtered and demodulated to generate a DC level that is indicative of the strength of the received laser light energy. At least two channels of these signals are used to determine the impacting position of the laser light energy.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.