×

Spatial information detecting apparatus

  • US 7,755,743 B2
  • Filed: 10/10/2007
  • Issued: 07/13/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A spatial information detection apparatus comprising:

  • a light-emitting element (100) configured to emit an intensity-modulated light to a target space;

    a lighting signal generation circuit (10) configured to generate a lighting timing signal (E1) which determines a lighting timing of said light-emitting element,a light-emitting element driving circuit (30) configured to output a light-emitting element driving signal (E2) in response to said lighting timing signal for generation of said intensity-modulated light from said light-emitting element;

    a light-receiving element (200) configured to receive said intensity-modulated light reflected from an object in said target space;

    an information output circuit (300) configured to extract a light intensity of the light received at the said light-receiving element for each of a plurality of phase ranges (P0, P1, P2, and P3), determine a relation between said intensity-modulated light from said light-emitting element and said intensity-modulated light received at said light-receiving element based upon a variation of said extracted light intensities, and output spatial information within said target space;

    a light-receiving element driving circuit (40;

    40A;

    40B) configured to output a plurality of light-receiving element driving signals D2 which are out of phase relation from each other to said light-receiving element in order to activate said light-receiving element for each of said phase ranges;

    a detection signal generation circuit (20) configured to provide to said light-receiving element driving circuit a detection timing signal (D1) for determination of a timing of generating said light-receiving element driving signal; and

    a timing synchronization circuit (70;

    70A;

    70B) configured to compare a cyclic variation associated with the output from said light-emitting element driving circuit with a cyclic variation determined by said detection timing signal, and modify at least one of said detection timing signal (D1) and said lighting timing signal (E1) in order to keep a constant phase difference between said cyclic variations.

View all claims
  • 4 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×