Multifunction rangefinder

• US 7,184,131 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Asia Optical Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Asia Optical Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Hung, Chih-Wei, Yang, Kuo-Hua, Chien, Pi-Yao, Song, Peng-Fei
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ratcliffe; Luke D.
• Application Number:
  US10/912,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20050185168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 356/4.01
• US Class Current: 356/4.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/06 Use of electric means to obtain final indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurements G01S17/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders

Abstract

A multifunction rangefinder capable of measuring distance, compass location and altitude. A distance measurement unit capable of long and short distance measurements transmits a light beam to a target, receives a reflected light from the target and outputs a distance measurement signal. A compass measurement unit measures terrestrial magnetism and outputs a compass measurement signal. An altitude measurement unit measures atmospheric pressure to generate an altitude measurement signal. A microprocessor calculates a distance between the target and the multifunction rangefinder, altitude and the compass location of the target according to the distance, altitude and compass measurement signals respectively.

Claims

1. A multifunction rangefinder, comprising:

a power supply;

a distance measurement unit capable of short and long distance measurements, coupled to the power supply to transmit a light beam to a target, receive reflected light from the target, and output a distance measurement signal;

a compass measurement unit coupled to the power supply to measure terrestrial magnetism, generating a compass measurement signal;

an altitude measurement unit coupled to the power supply to measure atmospheric pressure, generating an altitude measurement signal;

a microprocessor calculating a distance between the target and the distance measurement unit and altitude according to the distance measurement signal and the altitude measurement signal respectively, and determining the direction to of the target according to the compass measurement signal; and

a display unit coupled to the microprocessor to display the calculated distance between the target and the distance measurement unit, the calculated altitude and the determined direction to of the target, wherein the distance measurement unit comprises;

a transmitter transmitting the light beam to the target;

a receiver receiving the reflected light from the target and outputting a corresponding distance signal;

a comparison/gain device receiving and processing the distance signal in a comparison mode or in a gain mode; and

a mode switching device selectively switching between the comparison and gain modes of the comparison/gain device, wherein the comparison/gain device detects whether a pulse is higher than a reference voltage when the comparison/gain device is switched in the comparison mode by the switching device, and the comparison/gain device amplifies the distance signal to output an amplified signal when the comparison/gain device is switched in the gain mode by the mode switching device.

2. The rangefinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises at least first, second and third power voltages, the microprocessor drives the power supply to power the distance measurement unit, the compass measurement unit and the altitude measurement unit selectively.

3. The rangefinder as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compass measurement unit comprises:

a magnetic sensor measuring the terrestrial magnetism and outputting a first corresponding signal; and

a control circuit converting the first corresponding signal to the compass measurement signal output to the microprocessor.

4. The rangefinder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the altitude measurement unit comprises:

an atmospheric pressure sensor measuring atmospheric pressure and outputting a second corresponding signal; and

a filter circuit filtering noise from the second corresponding signal and outputting the altitude measurement signal to the microprocessor.

5. The rangefinder as claimed in claim 4, wherein the microprocessor comprises an analog/digital converter sampling the altitude measurement signal to obtain a sampled signal, according to which the microprocessor calculates altitude.

6. The rangefinder as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the comparison mode, pulse higher than the reference voltage detected by the comparison/gain device serves as the distance measurement signal for short distance measurement, and in the gain mode, the amplified signal serves as the distance measurement signal for long distance measurement.

7. A multifunction rangefinder, comprising:

a power supply;

a distance measurement unit capable of short and long distance measurements, coupled to the power supply to transmit a light beam to a target, receive reflected light from the target, and output a distance measurement signal;

a compass measurement unit coupled to the power supply to measure terrestrial magnetism, generating a compass measurement signal;

an altitude measurement unit coupled to the power supply to measure atmospheric pressure, generating an altitude measurement signal;

a microprocessor calculating a distance between the target and the distance measurement unit and altitude according to the distance measurement signal and the altitude measurement signal respectively, and determining the direction to of the target according to the compass measurement signal; and

a display unit coupled to the microprocessor to display the calculated distance between the target and the distance measurement unit, the calculated altitude and the determined direction to of the target, wherein the distance measurement unit comprises;

a transmitter transmitting the light beam to the target;

a receiver receiving the reflected light from the target and outputting a corresponding distance signal;

a comparison circuit receiving the distance signal and detecting whether a pulse in the distance signal is higher than a reference voltage level; and

a gain circuit receiving the distance signal from the receiver to amplify and output a corresponding amplified signal, wherein pulse higher than the reference voltage level serves as the distance measurement signal for short distance measurement and the amplified signal serves as the distance measurement signal for long distance measurement.

8. The rangefinder as claimed in claim 7, wherein the power supply comprises at least first, second and third power voltages, the microprocessor drives the power supply to power the distance measurement unit, the compass measurement unit and the altitude measurement unit selectively.

9. The rangefinder as claimed in claim 8, wherein the compass measurement unit comprises:

a magnetic sensor measuring the terrestrial magnetism and outputting a first corresponding signal; and

a control circuit converting the first corresponding signal to the compass measurement signal output to the microprocessor.

10. The rangefinder as claimed in claim 9, wherein the altitude measurement unit comprises:

an atmospheric pressure sensor measuring atmospheric pressure and outputting a second corresponding signal; and

a filter circuit filtering noise from the second corresponding signal and outputting the altitude measurement signal to the microprocessor.

11. The rangefinder as claimed in claim 10, wherein the microprocessor comprises an analog/digital converter sampling the altitude measurement signal to obtain a sampled signal, according to which the microprocessor calculates altitude.