Distance measuring apparatus
First Claim
1. A distance measuring apparatus comprising:
- light projecting means for projecting a flash of light which spreads as it travels from a discharge lamp which discharges by consuming a charge stored in a capacitor,light receiving means comprising an array of light receiving devices for receiving light reflected from an object, a distance to which is to be measured, said array of light receiving devices comprising a predetermined number of light receiving devices each having a predetermined restricted directivity with their optical axes of directivities at predetermined substantially uniform angular pitches, and each outputting signals respectively representing their received reflected light, anda distance signal producing circuit which detects the one signal which is the highest output level among plural output signals output by said light receiving devices, said distance circuit comprising a differentiating circuit for differentiating said output signals of said light receiving devices to thereby produce a distance signal by comparing said detected highest output level with plural predetermined reference levels corresponding to respective various distances.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a distance measuring apparatus in accordance with the present invention, a light beam of a wide solid angle is projected on a photographic object by means of a strobo light source, and reflected rays are received by a photoelectric device array which has a predetermined number of photoelectric devices each with narrow directivity which are comparable to solid angles necessary to see the object from the photoelectric devices disposed with their optical axes at predetermined angular pitches. When the output of a photoelectric device, which is issuing maximum amplitude output, is selected by means of a maximum value detector circuit, and a distance signal is discriminated from background noises such as sun light or electric illumination light by passing through a differentiating circuit, and then being processed by a function circuit and fed to a lens driving system or indicator.
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Citations
1 Claim
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1. A distance measuring apparatus comprising:
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light projecting means for projecting a flash of light which spreads as it travels from a discharge lamp which discharges by consuming a charge stored in a capacitor, light receiving means comprising an array of light receiving devices for receiving light reflected from an object, a distance to which is to be measured, said array of light receiving devices comprising a predetermined number of light receiving devices each having a predetermined restricted directivity with their optical axes of directivities at predetermined substantially uniform angular pitches, and each outputting signals respectively representing their received reflected light, and a distance signal producing circuit which detects the one signal which is the highest output level among plural output signals output by said light receiving devices, said distance circuit comprising a differentiating circuit for differentiating said output signals of said light receiving devices to thereby produce a distance signal by comparing said detected highest output level with plural predetermined reference levels corresponding to respective various distances.
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeWest Electric Company Limited
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Original AssigneeWest Electric Company Limited
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InventorsMakino, Hiroshi, Murata, Kazuou, Higuchi, Masaru
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Primary Examiner(s)BUCZINSKI, STEPHEN C
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Application NumberUS06/352,066Time in Patent Office1,161 DaysField of Search356/1, 356/4, 356/5, 356/141, 356/152US Class Current356/4.07CPC Class CodesG01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation d...
