Non-contact passive ranging system
First Claim
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1. A non-contact passive ranging system comprising:
- a first optical motion sensor on a platform focused on a first object;
a second optical motion sensor on the platform also focused on the first object;
the optical path from the first object to the first optical motion sensor shorter than the optical path from the first object to the second optical motion sensor; and
processing circuitry responsive to an output of the first optical motion sensor and an output of the second optical motion sensor as relative motion is provided between the platform and the first object and configured to calculate the distance from the platform to the object based on a slower velocity output by the first optical motion sensor than the second optical motion sensor and based on the different optical path lengths of the first and second optical motion sensors.
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Abstract
A non-contact passive ranging system wherein a first imager on a platform is focused on a first object and a second imager on the platform is also focused on the first object. The optical path from the first object to the first imager is configured to be shorter than the optical path from the object to the second imager. Processing circuitry is responsive to an output of the first imager and an output of the second imager as relative motion is provided between the platform and the first object and is configured to calculate the distance from the platform to the object.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A non-contact passive ranging system comprising:
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a first optical motion sensor on a platform focused on a first object; a second optical motion sensor on the platform also focused on the first object; the optical path from the first object to the first optical motion sensor shorter than the optical path from the first object to the second optical motion sensor; and processing circuitry responsive to an output of the first optical motion sensor and an output of the second optical motion sensor as relative motion is provided between the platform and the first object and configured to calculate the distance from the platform to the object based on a slower velocity output by the first optical motion sensor than the second optical motion sensor and based on the different optical path lengths of the first and second optical motion sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of determining the distance between a platform and an object, the method comprising:
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focusing a first optical motion sensor on the platform at the object; focusing a second optical motion sensor on the platform at the same object; arranging the optical path from the first object to the first optical motion sensor to be shorter than the optical path from the object to the second optical motion sensor; providing relative motion between the platform and the object; and calculating the distance from the platform to the object based on a slower velocity output by the first optical motion sensor than the second optical motion sensor and based on the different optical path lengths of the first and second optical motion sensors. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification