Multiple-field-of-view scannerless optical rangefinder in high ambient background light
US8908159B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 2011 |
| Grant date | Dec 9, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S17/931
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A multiple-field-of-view scannerless optical rangefinder operating in pulsed Time-Of-Flight operation for use in high ambient background light is described. The rangefinder comprises an optical emitter having a LED light source and driver electronics, emitting a train of light pulses having a broad field-of-illumination (FOI); a multi-channel optical receiver (MCOR) for detecting optical return signals, an overall field-of-view (FOV) encompassing each channel instantaneous FOV, the FOI encompassing the overall FOV, the multi-channel optical receiver having analog front-end electronics; an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) for receiving and converting the waveforms into digital format; a control and processing unit (CPU) for generating a pulse trigger signal, sending a synchronization trigger signal to the MCOR for starting the detection of the optical return signals, and for processing the waveforms in digital format; a data interface; wherein a peak present in any of waveforms is a signature of an object located within the instantaneous FOV.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.