Method and apparatus for directing energy based range detection sensors

• US 6,373,612 B1
• Filed: 11/08/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quantapoint, Inc. (Team Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Quantapoint, Inc. (Team Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hoffman, Eric, Sullivan, Ryan M., Ingimarson, William Darin
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, James
• Application Number:
  US09/435,755
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 359/198-203, 359/212-214, 359/223, 359/226, 250/234-236, 250/559.38, 235/462, 235/467, 235/470
• US Class Current: 359/196.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4811 common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/484 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/486 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

A directing apparatus includes a mechanism for producing steerable energy. The directing apparatus also includes a mechanism for scanning steerable energy from the producing mechanism. The scanning mechanism is in communication with the producing mechanism and operable in any orientation.

Claims

1. A directing apparatus comprising:

a mechanism for producing steerable energy which includes electromagnetic radiation; and

a mechanism for scanning steerable energy from the producing mechanism which continuously scans a surrounding in a first direction, said scanning mechanism in communication with the producing mechanism and operable in any orientation, the scanning mechanism includes a guide mechanism which guides the radiation, the scanning mechanism includes a yoke assembly which holds the guide mechanism, the scanning mechanism includes a spindle assembly upon which the yoke assembly is mounted and which rotates continuously in the first direction, the scanning mechanism includes a controller which regulates the spindle assembly, the scanning mechanism includes an encoder mechanism which measures the angular position of the spindle assembly, the scanning mechanism includes a cam mechanism connected to the guide mechanism and the spindle mechanism which moves the guide mechanism in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

2. A directing apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic producing mechanism includes a mechanism for producing laser energy.

3. A directing apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein the guide mechanism includes a mirror assembly, wherein the yoke assembly includes a yoke having a top and a bottom and an optical bore for laser energy to travel through the yoke, said optical bore in alignment with the mirror assembly, said mirror assembly includes an axle which connects the mirror assembly and which is housed at the top of the yoke, and wherein the laser energy producing mechanism is disposed at the bottom of the yoke and in alignment with the optical bore so laser energy from the laser energy producing mechanism can transmit along the optical bore and be reflected by the mirror assembly.

4. A directing apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein the scanning mechanism includes a speed differential ring mechanism bearinged coaxially with the yoke and which rotates, said cam mechanism moves along the speed differential ring mechanism which causes the mirror assembly to rotate in the second direction as a function of the relative difference in rotational speed between the speed differential ring mechanism and the spindle assembly.

5. A directing apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein the speed differential ring mechanism has a vertical surface having a shape of a triangular wave pattern.

6. A directing apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein the cam mechanism is comprised of a cam follower wheel which moves along and tracks the vertical surface of the speed differential ring mechanism, a toothed rack which is attached to the cam follower wheel, and a linear bearing which houses the toothed rack;

and wherein the guide mechanism includes a spur gear mounted coaxially on each end of the axle, said spur gear meshes with the toothed rack which actuates the axle to move the mirror assembly in the second direction as a function also of the gear tooth ratio between the toothed rack and the spur gear.

7. A directing apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein the cam mechanism comprises a spring mechanism disposed between and connected with the cam wheel follower and the toothed rack which preloads the mirror assembly to reduce backlash of and maintain the mirror assembly in a stable configuration during rotation.

8. A directing apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein the mirror assembly has a weight distribution which is loaded to tip it backwards to keep the cam wheel follower on the speed differential ring mechanism as the mirror assembly rotates by centrifugal force which is a function of the rotational speed of the mirror assembly.

9. A directing apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein the scanning mechanism includes a sensor mechanism which receives the laser energy back from the surrounding and determines how the surrounding looks from the energy.

10. A directing apparatus as described in claim 9 wherein the scanning mechanism continually scans in the first direction at a speed which is adjustable.

11. A directing apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein the scanning mechanism continually scans in the first direction at a speed which is adjustable between 10-4000 rpm.

12. A directing apparatus as described in claim 11 wherein the guide mechanism has a nod rate which is adjustable.

13. A directing apparatus as described in claim 12 wherein the guide mechanism has a nod rate which is adjustable from 0.01-8 Hz.

14. A directing apparatus as described in claim 13 wherein the scanning mechanism has a single motor which drives the yoke and the speed differential ring mechanism with different gear ratios to obtain a fixed scan pattern at a given rpm.

15. A directing apparatus comprising:

a mechanism for producing steerable energy which includes laser energy; and

a mechanism for scanning steerable energy from the producing mechanism which continuously scans a surrounding in a first direction, said scanning mechanism in communication with the producing mechanism and operable in any orientation, the scanning mechanism includes a guide mechanism which guides the radiation, the scanning mechanism includes a yoke assembly which holds the guide mechanism, the scanning mechanism includes a spindle assembly upon which the yoke assembly is mounted and which rotates continuously in the first direction, the scanning mechanism includes a controller which regulates the spindle assembly, the scanning mechanism includes an encoder mechanism which measures the angular position of the spindle assembly, the scanning mechanism includes a cam mechanism connected to the guide mechanism and the spindle mechanism which moves the guide mechanism in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the guide mechanism includes a mirror assembly, wherein the yoke assembly includes a yoke having a top and a bottom and an optical bore for laser energy to travel through the yoke, said optical bore in alignment with the mirror assembly, said mirror assembly includes an axle which connects the mirror assembly and which is housed at the top of the yoke, and wherein the laser energy producing mechanism is disposed at the bottom of the yoke and in alignment with the optical bore so laser energy from the laser energy producing mechanism can transmit along the optical bore and be reflected by the mirror assembly, the scanning mechanism includes a speed differential ring mechanism bearinged coaxially with the yoke and which rotates, said cam mechanism moves along the speed differential ring mechanism which causes the mirror assembly to rotate in the second direction as a function of the relative difference in rotational speed between the speed differential ring mechanism and the spindle assembly.

16. A directing apparatus comprising:

a mechanism for producing steerable energy; and

a mechanism for scanning steerable energy from the producing mechanism, said scanning mechanism in communication with the producing mechanism and operable in any orientation, the scanning mechanism includes a sensor mechanism for receiving the steerable energy reflected from an object and determining distance between the object and the sensor mechanism.