Rangefinder and method for collecting calibration data
AssigneeMeade Instruments Corporation
InventorsJohn LaBelle, Steven Szczuka, Kenneth Baun
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for calibrating range measurements are provided wherein calibration data is collected with each range measurement or group of range measurements. The calibration data comprise a plurality of simulated range measurements. In one embodiment, the simulated range measurements are used to analyze errors that vary with time and environmental conditions. Range measurements are calibrated by correlating a measured flight time of a transmitted and reflected laser beam with the simulated range measurements and a relationship between laser beam flight times and target ranges based on the speed of the laser beam.
Claims27
A method for estimating a range to a target using a rangefinder, the rangefinder comprising a transmitter and a receiver, the method comprising:
- emitting a beam from the transmitter towards the target;
- detecting a reflected beam from the target in the receiver, wherein a flight time comprises a time between emitting the beam and the detecting the reflected beam;
- accumulating counts at least during the flight time;
- and
- determining the range to the target from the counts.
A method for estimating a distance to a target using a rangefinder, the rangefinder comprising an emitter and a receiver, the method comprising:
- emitting a beam from the emitter towards the target;
- detecting a reflected beam from the target in the receiver;
- at least between the emitting and the detecting, acquiring processor data representative of time;
- and
- determining the distance to the target using the processor data.
A method for estimating a range to a target, the method comprising:
- emitting a beam towards a target;
- starting a timer;
- detecting a reflected beam from the target;
- stopping the timer;
- and
- determining the range to the target using data acquired from the timer, wherein a flight time comprises time between at least the emitting and the detecting, wherein the timer runs at least during the flight time, and wherein the timer comprises a processor.
A rangefinder configured to determine a range to a target, the rangefinder comprising:
- a transmitter configured to emit a beam towards the target;
- a receiver configured to detect a reflected beam from the target;
- and
- timing circuitry including a processor, the timing circuitry configured to measure a flight time between at least the emission of the beam from the transmitter and the detection of the reflected beam by the receiver.
A system for measuring a range to a target, the system comprising:
- a means for transmitting a beam towards a target;
- a means for detecting a beam reflected from the target;
- and
- a means for measuring data during the flight time, the flight time comprising time at least between transmission of the beam and detection of the reflected beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.