Distance measuring apparatus capable of measuring a distance depending on moving status of a moving object
First Claim
1. A distance measuring apparatus mounted on a moving object, comprising:
- a speed detector which detects a moving speed of said object; and
a controller which varies an area to be measured and measurement accuracy of said distance measuring apparatus depending on the moving speed of said moving object detected by said speed detector.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A distance measuring apparatus of an apparatus having a moving mechanism includes: a speed detector; and a mechanism responsive to a moving speed signal supplied from the speed detector which varies a focus lens position and a focal length of a light receiving optical system, a scanning range of a light projecting optical system, a base length, a position where light axes of a pair of light receiving optical systems or light axes of the light receiving and light projecting optical systems cross with each other, or responsive to a moving direction signal supplied from a moving direction detecting means of the apparatus having the moving mechanism which changes a measurement direction of a field of view. Thus, optimal measurement accuracy and a field of view to be measured can always be provided even though the moving speed or the moving direction of the apparatus having the moving mechanism is varied.
36 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A distance measuring apparatus mounted on a moving object, comprising:
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a speed detector which detects a moving speed of said object; and a controller which varies an area to be measured and measurement accuracy of said distance measuring apparatus depending on the moving speed of said moving object detected by said speed detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A distance measuring apparatus mounted on a moving object, comprising:
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a speed detector which detects a moving speed of said moving object; and a controller which varies measurement accuracy of said distance measuring apparatus depending on the moving speed of said moving object detected by said speed detector. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A distance measuring apparatus mounted on a moving object, comprising:
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a speed detector which detects a moving speed of said moving object; a light receiving optical system which defines an area to be measured, said area being varied by changing optical characteristics of the light receiving optical system; a controller which varies the area to be measured depending on the moving speed of said moving object detected by said speed detector. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A distance measuring apparatus mounted on a moving object, said distance measuring apparatus optically detecting a distance to an object, comprising:
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a light receiving optical system which defines an area to be measured, said distance measuring apparatus measuring the distance to an object within said area; a moving direction detector which detects a moving direction of said moving object; and a controller which varies the direction of the area of measurement defined by said light receiving optical system depending on the detection of said moving direction detector. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A moving object, comprising:
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a driving mechanism which moves said moving object; a speed detector which detects a moving speed of said moving object; a distance detector having a light receiving optical system which defines a detection area, said detection area being varied by changing optical characteristics of the light receiving optical system, and said distance detector detecting a distance to an object existing in the moving direction of said moving object; and a measurement controlling portion which controls said detection area depending on said detected speed. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A distance measuring apparatus comprising:
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a light receiving optical system which has a variable focal length, said light receiving optical system defining an area to be measured, and said area being varied by changing the focal length; an image detector which detects an image of an object in the area defined by the light receiving optical system and generates a signal; and a computing unit which calculates a distance between the object and the distance measuring apparatus based on the signal.
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37. A distance measuring apparatus comprising:
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a pair of light receiving optical systems spaced apart from each other by a variable base length, said light receiving optical systems defining an area to be measured, and said area being varied by changing the base length; a pair of image sensors which sense images formed by said light receiving optical systems; and a computing unit which calculates a distance between the object and the distance measuring apparatus in response to a pair of output signals from said image sensors.
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38. A distance measuring apparatus mounted on a moving object comprising:
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a pair of light receiving optical systems which define an area to be measured, said area being varied by changing a position where optical axes of said light receiving optical systems cross with each other; a pair of image sensors which sense images formed by said light receiving optical systems; a detector which detects a condition of said moving object; and a controller which varies said area defined by said light receiving optical systems based on the condition detected by said detector and which calculates a distance between the object and the distance measuring apparatus in response to a pair of signals output from said image sensors. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A distance measuring apparatus mounted on a moving object, comprising:
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a speed detector which detects a moving speed of said object; a light receiving optical system which obtains an image of an object to be measured; an image sensor which senses the image formed by said light receiving optical system; a computing unit which calculates a distance to said object to be measured in response to an output signal from said image sensor; and a controller which changes a condition of the light receiving optical system depending on the moving speed of said moving object detected by said speed detector.
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- 41. A distance measuring apparatus mounted on a moving object comprising an area changing unit which changes an area over which distance is measured by said distance measuring apparatus and a direction changing unit which changes the direction of said distance measuring unit relative to said moving object.
Specification