SPATIAL INFORMATION DETECTING APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A spatial information detection apparatus comprising:
- a light-emitting element (100) configured to emit an intensity-modulated light to a target space;
a lighting signal generation circuit (10) configured to generate a lighting timing signal (E1) which determines a lighting timing of said light-emitting element,a light-emitting element driving circuit (30) configured to output a light-emitting element driving signal (E2) in response to said lighting timing signal for generation of said intensity-modulated light from said light-emitting element;
a light-receiving element (200) configured to receive said intensity-modulated light reflected from an object in said target space;
an information output circuit (300) configured to extract a light intensity of the light received at the said light-receiving element for each of a plurality of phase ranges (P0, P1, P2, and P3), determine a relation between said intensity-modulated light from said light-emitting element and said intensity-modulated light received at said light-receiving element based upon a variation of said extracted light intensities, and output spatial information within said target space;
a light-receiving element driving circuit (40;
40A;
40B) configured to output a plurality of light-receiving element driving signals D2 which are out of phase relation from each other to said light-receiving element in order to activate said light-receiving element for each of said phase ranges;
a detection signal generation circuit (20) configured to provide to said light-receiving element driving circuit a detection timing signal (D1) for determination of a timing of generating said light-receiving element driving signal; and
a timing synchronization circuit (70;
70A;
70B) configured to compare a cyclic variation associated with the output from said light-emitting element driving circuit with a cyclic variation determined by said detection timing signal, and modify at least one of said detection timing signal (D1) and said lighting timing signal (E1) in order to keep a constant phase difference between said cyclic variations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an apparatus using an intensity-modulated light for detection of spatial information based upon light intensity of light reflected from a target space, a timing synchronization circuit is provided to synchronize a phase of the intensity-modulated light from a light-emitting element with a timing of operating a light-receiving element receiving the intensity-modulated light. The light-receiving element is caused to operate for enabling the detection of intensity of the received light for each of a plurality of phase regions within one cycle of the intensity-modulated light. The timing synchronization circuit functions to compare a cyclic variation determining the operation of the light-receiving element with a cyclic variation associated with an output from a light-emitting element driving circuit in order to keep a constant phase difference between these two cyclic variations.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A spatial information detection apparatus comprising:
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a light-emitting element (100) configured to emit an intensity-modulated light to a target space; a lighting signal generation circuit (10) configured to generate a lighting timing signal (E1) which determines a lighting timing of said light-emitting element, a light-emitting element driving circuit (30) configured to output a light-emitting element driving signal (E2) in response to said lighting timing signal for generation of said intensity-modulated light from said light-emitting element; a light-receiving element (200) configured to receive said intensity-modulated light reflected from an object in said target space; an information output circuit (300) configured to extract a light intensity of the light received at the said light-receiving element for each of a plurality of phase ranges (P0, P1, P2, and P3), determine a relation between said intensity-modulated light from said light-emitting element and said intensity-modulated light received at said light-receiving element based upon a variation of said extracted light intensities, and output spatial information within said target space; a light-receiving element driving circuit (40;
40A;
40B) configured to output a plurality of light-receiving element driving signals D2 which are out of phase relation from each other to said light-receiving element in order to activate said light-receiving element for each of said phase ranges;a detection signal generation circuit (20) configured to provide to said light-receiving element driving circuit a detection timing signal (D1) for determination of a timing of generating said light-receiving element driving signal; and a timing synchronization circuit (70;
70A;
70B) configured to compare a cyclic variation associated with the output from said light-emitting element driving circuit with a cyclic variation determined by said detection timing signal, and modify at least one of said detection timing signal (D1) and said lighting timing signal (E1) in order to keep a constant phase difference between said cyclic variations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A spatial information detection apparatus comprising:
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a light-emitting element (100) configured to emit an intensity-modulated light to a target space; a lighting signal generation circuit (10) configured to generate a lighting timing signal (E1) which determines a lighting timing of said light-emitting element, a light-emitting element driving circuit (30) configured to output a lighting-element driving signal (E2) in response to said lighting timing signal for generation of said intensity-modulated light at said light-emitting element; a light-receiving element (200) configured to receive said intensity-modulated light reflected from an object in said target space; an information output circuit (300 configured to obtain a light intensity of the light received at the said light-receiving element for each of a plurality of phase ranges (P0, P1, P2, P3), determine a relation between said intensity-modulated light from said light-emitting element and said intensity-modulated light received at said light-receiving element based upon a variation of said light intensities, and output spatial information within said target space; a light-receiving element driving circuit (40;
40A;
40B) configured to output a plurality of light-receiving element driving signals (D2) which are out of phase relation from each other to said light-receiving element in order to activate said light-receiving element for each of said phase ranges;a detection signal generation circuit (20) configured to provide to said light-receiving element driving circuit a detection timing signal (D1) for determination of a timing of generating said light-receiving element driving signal; and a timing synchronization circuit (70;
70A;
70B) configured to compare a cyclic variation of the lighting timing signal from said lighting signal generation circuit with a cyclic variation determined by said detection timing signal, and modify at least one of said detection timing signal (D1) and said lighting timing signal (E1) in order to keep a constant phase difference between said cyclic variations,wherein said timing synchronization circuit (70) comprises; an oscillation circuit (78) configured to use a signal of which frequency varies with an input voltage and provide the signal as said modified detection timing signal (E1x) to said light-emitting element driving circuit, and a phase comparator (72) configured to generate a voltage indicative of a phase difference between the cyclic variation (D2) associated with the output from said light-receiving element driving circuit and the lighting timing signal (E1) from said lighting signal generation circuit, and provide said voltage to said oscillation circuit.
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Specification