Light projecting apparatus, distance measuring apparatus, and light projection control method of laser light

A distance measuring apparatus comprising:

• a light projecting apparatus;
• a light receiving device that receives a reflected optical signal obtained by reflecting an optical signal emitted from the light projecting apparatus by an object;
• and
• a distance measurer that measures a distance to the object based on the optical signal emitted from the light projecting apparatus and the reflected optical signal received by the light receiving device,
• wherein the light projecting apparatus comprises:
• a plurality of light projectors, each being capable of individually controlling an emission direction and an emission timing of an optical signal;
• a plurality of first controllers, each controlling an emission direction and an emission timing of an optical signal emitted from a corresponding light projector among the plurality of light projectors;
• a second controller that supplies an angle command signal related to an emission direction of an optical signal to each of the plurality of first controllers;
• and
• a storage device that stores a correspondence relationship between a reference command signal commonly used by the plurality of light projectors and a plurality of the angle correction signals respectively corresponding to the plurality of light projectors,
• wherein the second controller generates the angle command signal by adding the reference command signal to the corresponding angle correction signal read out from the storage device corresponding to each of the plurality of light projectors.

A light projection control method of laser light comprising:

• radiating, by a plurality of light projectors, laser light such that beams of the laser light at least partially overlap each other in a range separated from emission positions of the laser light by a predetermined distance or more;
• setting light intensity of the laser light emitted by the plurality of light projectors and an interval between the plurality of light projectors such that light intensity of the laser light at the time of emission and light intensity of the overlapping laser light conform to a laser safety standard,
• controlling, by a plurality of first controllers, an emission direction and an emission timing of the laser light emitted from a corresponding light projector among the plurality of light projectors;
• supplying an angle command signal related to an emission direction of the laser light to each of the plurality of first controllers;
• and
• storing, by a storage device, a correspondence relationship between a reference command signal commonly used by the plurality of light projectors and a plurality of the angle correction signals respectively corresponding to the plurality of light projectors,
• wherein the angle command signal is generated by adding the reference command signal to the corresponding angle correction signal read out from the storage device corresponding to each of the plurality of light projectors.

A distance measuring apparatus comprising:

• a light projecting apparatus;
• a light receiving device that receives a reflected optical signal obtained by reflecting an optical signal emitted from the light projecting apparatus by an object;
• and
• a distance measurer that measures a distance to the object based on the optical signal emitted from the light projecting apparatus and the reflected optical signal received by the light receiving device,
• an object detector that detects a position of the object based on the reflected optical signal received by the light receiving device;
• and
• a scanning speed adjuster that makes a scanning speed when an optical signal is scanned within a range where the object detected by the object detector is present slower than a scanning speed when an optical signal is scanned outside the range,
• wherein the light projecting apparatus comprises:
• a plurality of light projectors, each being capable of individually controlling an emission direction and an emission timing of an optical signal;
• and
• a plurality of first controllers, each controlling an emission direction and an emission timing of an optical signal emitted from a corresponding light projector among the plurality of light projectors,
• wherein each of the plurality of light projectors comprises:
• a light source that emits an optical signal according to control of the first controller;
• an optical system that shapes the optical signal emitted from the light source;
• and
• a scanner that scans the optical signal shaped by the optical system in a one-dimensional direction or a two-dimensional direction,
• wherein the light projecting apparatus comprises a second controller that supplies an angle command signal related to an emission direction of an optical signal to each of the plurality of first controllers,
• when the object detector detects positions of a plurality of the objects, the second controller divides the plurality of light projectors into a plurality of light projecting groups in accordance with the number of the detected objects and associates one of the objects with each of the light projecting groups, and
• the light projector belonging to each of the plurality of light projecting groups scans the optical signal at a scanning speed when an optical signal is scanned within a range where a corresponding object is present slower than a scanning speed when an optical signal is scanned outside the range based on control by the scanning speed adjuster.