Camera module and folded optical system for laser-based speed gun

• US 10,146,103 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kama-Tech (HK) Limited, Laser Technology Incorporated (Laser Technology)
• Original Assignee: Kama-Tech (HK) Limited, Laser Technology Incorporated (Laser Technology)
• Inventors: Dunne, Jeremy G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Linda B
• Application Number:
  US15/473,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20170285444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 396386
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/92 for velocity measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/008 Systems specially adapted to form image relays or chained systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/08 with reflected image of frame
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/36 Autofocus systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/17 with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/48 adapted for combination with other photographic or optical apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/054 photographing overspeeding vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators

Abstract

A laser-based speed gun includes a camera module and a folded optical system including an objective lens and an eyepiece lens. The folded optical system includes first and second image redirecting elements for redirecting an image pathway from the objective lens to the eyepiece lens adjacent the camera module.

Claims

1. A laser-based speed gun system comprising:

a hand holdable housing comprising sighting optics for viewing a target vehicle;

a processor coupled to laser signal transmission and reception circuitry within said housing for directing laser ranging signals toward, and receiving reflected signals from said target vehicle, said processor operative for storing a sequence of ranges to said target vehicle in a range data queue;

a speed determiner module coupled to said processor and said range data queue for determining a speed of said target vehicle at selected ones of said sequence of ranges;

a camera module associated with said housing and coupled to said processor for recording a sequence of images of said target vehicle over said sequence of ranges and operative for storing said sequence of images in an image data queue;

an image processing module coupled to said processor and said image data queue, said laser speed-gun system operative for storing an image record of said target vehicle speed associated with a corresponding one of at least a subset of said sequence of images; and

a folded optical system comprising an objective lens and an eyepiece lens, having first and second image redirecting elements for redirecting an image pathway from said objective lens to said eyepiece lens adjacent said camera module, wherein said objective lens has a focal length of substantially 150 mm and said eyepiece lens has a focal length of substantially 12 mm.

2. A laser-based speed gun system comprising:

a hand holdable housing comprising sighting optics for viewing a target vehicle;

a processor coupled to laser signal transmission and reception circuitry within said housing for directing laser ranging signals toward, and receiving reflected signals from said target vehicle, said processor operative for storing a sequence of ranges to said target vehicle in a range data queue;

a speed determiner module coupled to said processor and said range data queue for determining a speed of said target vehicle at selected ones of said sequence of ranges;

a camera module associated with said housing and coupled to said processor for recording a sequence of images of said target vehicle over said sequence of ranges and operative for storing said sequence of images in an image data queue;

an image processing module coupled to said processor and said image data queue, said laser speed-gun system operative for storing an image record of said target vehicle speed associated with a corresponding one of at least a subset of said sequence of images; and

a folded optical system comprising an objective lens and an eyepiece lens, having first and second image redirecting elements for redirecting an image pathway from said objective lens to said eyepiece lens adjacent said camera module, said speed gun system further comprising a spacer block interposed between said eyepiece lens and said camera module.