Optical range and speed detection system

• US 5,586,063 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 12/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hardin, Larry C., Nash, Lawrence V.
• Original Assignee: Hardin, Larry C., Nash, Lawrence V.
• Inventors: Nash, Lawrence V., Hardin, Larry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Application Number:
  US08/466,879
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 364/565, 364/560, 364/561, 364/426.04, 364/460, 364/461, 364/436, 382/100, 382/103, 382/106, 382/107, 324/160, 324/161, 340/936, 340/937, 340/942, 356/1, 356/4, 356/28, 356/28.5
• US Class Current: 702/142
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/10 using a parallactic triangle with variable angles and a base of fixed length in the observation station, e.g. in the instrument
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/38 using photographic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/68 using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light G01P3/80 takes precedence ; by reflection of waves G01S17/58

Abstract

A passive optical speed and distance measuring system includes a pair of camera lenses positioned along a common baseline a predetermined distance apart and controlled by an operator to capture images of a target at different times. The camera lenses are focused on light sensitive pixel arrays which capture target images at offset positions in the line scans of the pixel arrays. A video signal processor with a computer determines the location of the offset positions and calculates the range to the target by solving the trigonometry of the triangle formed by the two camera lenses and the target. Once the range to the target is known at two different times the speed of the target is calculated.

Claims

1. An electro-optical system for measuring a range to a moving target comprising:

(a) a stationary pair of optical lenses, each lens in said pair of optical lenses oriented along a line of sight towards the target, said pair of optical lenses positioned a predetermined width apart along a common base line;

(b) at least one light sensitive device responsive to light from each lens in said pair of optical lenses for forming first and second one dimensional images of said target, said first and second one dimensional images being simultaneously formed on respective first and second linear pixel arrays;

(c) a video correlator for comparing said first and second one dimensional images on said first and second linear pixel arrays to find an offset pixel shift between said first and second linear pixel arrays, said offset pixel shift being proportional to an offset distance needed to produce coincidence between said first and second one dimensional images; and

(d) a calculator for determining said range to the target as a trigonometric function of said offset distance and said predetermined width between said pair of optical lenses.

2. The electro-optical system of claim 1 wherein each lens in said pair of optical lenses is associated with a separate light sensitive device.

3. The electro-optical system of claim 1 wherein the range is calculated according to the formula R=b/2 TAN (90-kd), where R is equal to said range, b is equal to said predetermined width, d is equal to said offset pixel shift and k is a proportionality constant.

4. The electro-optical system of claim 1 further including speed determining means comprising control means for obtaining a first range measurement (R₁) at a time T₁, and a second range measurement (R₂) at a time T₂, and calculator means for determining a speed of the target based upon the formula SPEED=(R₂ -R₁)/(T₂ -T₁).

5. The electro-optical system of claim 1 wherein the lenses in said pair of optical lenses are oriented along respective lines of sight that are parallel to each other.

6. The electro-optical system of claim 1 wherein said video correlator compares every Nth pixel in said first and second linear pixel arrays, where N is a number greater than or equal to 2.

7. The electro-optical system of claim 1 wherein said video correlator determines said offset pixel shift by finding differences in light intensities at a plurality of offset pixel positions between the first and second one dimensional images and locates an offset position that provides a least amount of differences in light intensities.