Patent · US Expired

Distance measurement device and distance measurement method

US7535555B2 · kind B2 · utility

43Cited by
5References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 21, 2006
Grant dateMay 19, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 10, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S7/4817
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A distance measurement device that provides high speed and accuracy. A light divider separates pulsed light emitted from an ultrashort pulse fiber laser into reference light A and signal light. A scanning mirror unit irradiates an object with the signal light and receives scattered light B, which is reflected from the object. An optical path length adjustment unit adjusts an optical path length of the reference light A. A differential detector detects the degree of interference of the reference light A having the adjusted optical path length with the scattered light B and outputs the detected degree of interference as an interference signal. A computer specifies an adjustment value, set in the optical path length adjustment unit, to attain a specific optical path length maximizing the interference signal and uses the specified adjustment value to compute the distance from the scanning mirror unit to the object.

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