Light wave distance measuring apparatus and method for determining distance of an object
First Claim
1. A light wave distance measuring apparatus in which a distance measurement of an object is obtained by determining a phase difference between a first signal, obtained by emitting intensity-modulated light modulated by a predetermined frequency towards a target and detecting intensity-modulated light reflected from the target to a light-receiving element, and a second signal representing intensity-modulated internal light associated with a reference point, the light wave distance measuring apparatus comprising:
- a light-sending optical system; and
a light-receiving optical system arranged to be parallel to said light-sending optical system,wherein said intensity-modulated light is transformed into collimated rays of light that are emitted towards the target, a portion of said collimated rays of light being utilized as said second signal to determine a reference distance and a reference level,wherein said second signal comprises an internal light, and wherein said light-sending optical system comprises;
a reflecting plate selectively positioned between said light-sending optical system and said light-receiving optical system to obtain said internal light; and
an iris that adjusts an amount of said internal light,wherein one of the light-sending optical system and the light-receiving optical system is disposed rearwardly of the other of the light-sending optical system and the light-receiving optical system.
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Abstract
A light wave distance measuring apparatus includes a light-sending optical system and a light-receiving optical system, which are preferably arranged to be parallel to each other. Intensity-modulated light of the light-sending optical system is transformed into parallel rays of light and projected towards a target, reflected back towards the measuring apparatus and detected by the light-receiving optical system in order to calculate the distance of the target from a reference point.
52 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A light wave distance measuring apparatus in which a distance measurement of an object is obtained by determining a phase difference between a first signal, obtained by emitting intensity-modulated light modulated by a predetermined frequency towards a target and detecting intensity-modulated light reflected from the target to a light-receiving element, and a second signal representing intensity-modulated internal light associated with a reference point, the light wave distance measuring apparatus comprising:
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a light-sending optical system; and a light-receiving optical system arranged to be parallel to said light-sending optical system, wherein said intensity-modulated light is transformed into collimated rays of light that are emitted towards the target, a portion of said collimated rays of light being utilized as said second signal to determine a reference distance and a reference level, wherein said second signal comprises an internal light, and wherein said light-sending optical system comprises; a reflecting plate selectively positioned between said light-sending optical system and said light-receiving optical system to obtain said internal light; and an iris that adjusts an amount of said internal light, wherein one of the light-sending optical system and the light-receiving optical system is disposed rearwardly of the other of the light-sending optical system and the light-receiving optical system.
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2. A method for determining the distance of an object from a reference point, comprising:
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providing a light-sending optical system and a light-receiving optical system arranged to be parallel to said light-sending optical system; obtaining a first signal representing a reference distance Do to a reference point, by said light-receiving optical system detecting internal light removed from a portion of collimated rays emitted by said light-sending optical system; obtaining a second signal representing a distance D to the object; and determining the distance of the object from the reference point based upon a relationship of the first signal to the second signal, wherein one of the light-sending optical system and the light-receiving optical system is disposed rearwardly of the other of the light-sending optical system and the light-receiving optical system. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. A light wave distance measuring apparatus, comprising:
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a light-sending optical system, comprising; an emitter that emits a source of light; an external light generating device that produces external light, from said source of light, said external light being emitted towards an object and comprising collimated rays of light; and an internal light generating device that produces internal light, from a portion of said collimated rays of light of said external light, for obtaining a reference distance to a reference point; a light-receiving optical system that receives external light reflected from the object; and a distance calculating device that determines a distance to the object from said reference point based upon a relationship of a phase of said external light reflected from the object and a phase of light representing said reference distance, wherein one of the light-sending optical system and the light-receiving optical system is disposed rearwardly of the other of the light-sending optical system and the light-receiving optical system. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification