# US 2017/0285148 A1 · Apparatus and method for the recording of distance images > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0285148 A1 - Document ID: US20170285148A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/474,205 - Filed: 2017-03-30 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-30 - Assignees: Triple-IN Holding AG - Applicants: Triple-IN Holding AG - Inventors: Johann Hipp - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170285148A1 ## CPC - G01S 7/4817: {relating to scanning} - G01S 7/4808: {Evaluating distance, position or velocity data} - G01S 7/4814: {of transmitters alone} - G01S 7/4815: {using multiple transmitters} - G01S 7/497: Means for monitoring or calibrating - G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) - G01S 17/89: for mapping or imaging - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract An apparatus in accordance with the invention for the recording of distance images each having a plurality of distance image points comprises a plurality of transmitters arranged in an array respectively for the transmission of electromagnetic radiation into a recording region and at least one reception unit for the detection of radiation reflected from the recording region, an evaluation unit for determining distances of objects at which the transmitted radiation is reflected, with the distances each forming a distance image point, a deflection unit which repeatedly deflects the transmitted radiation within a scanning angle region into a scanning direction in order to consecutively generate a plurality of scanning patterns of distance image points per distance image, and a displacement unit that displaces consecutive scanning patterns against one another in a displacement direction by way of relative movements of optical elements, wherein each distance image comprises a plurality of scanning patterns of distance image points displaced against one another. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-31. (canceled) ### Claim 32 An apparatus for the recording of distance images respectively having a plurality of distance image points, comprising a plurality of transmitters arranged in an array respectively for the transmission of electromagnetic radiation into a recording region and at least one reception unit for the detection of radiation reflected from the recording region; an evaluation unit for determining distances of objects at which the transmitted radiation is reflected, with the distances each forming a distance image point; a deflection unit which repeatedly deflects the transmission radiation into a scanning direction within a scanning angle region in order to consecutively generate a plurality of scanning patterns of distance image points per distance image; and a displacement unit which displaces consecutive scanning patterns against one another in a displacement direction by way of relative movements of optical elements; and each distance image comprising a plurality of scanning patterns of distance image points displaced against one another. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the displacement unit comprises a movable optics, in particular a translatory movable optics, in particular a prism, a mirror or a lens, preferably a common transmission and reception lens. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the displacement unit comprises an actuator that moves an optics arranged between the transmitter array and the deflection unit, the transmitter array and/or the reception unit relative to the deflection unit. ### Claim 35 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein a displacement movement that can be generated by means of the displacement unit is a periodic to and fro movement, in particular having a displacement amplitude corresponding to a transmitter spacing (d) between two transmitters lying directly adjacent to one another and/or having a displacement frequency that lies between a few Hz and a few ten Hz. ### Claim 36 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the transmitter array has a maximum longitudinal extent (L) and a maximum transverse extent perpendicular to the longitudinal extent (L), wherein the transverse extent is smaller than the longitudinal extent (L), in particular is a multiple times smaller than the longitudinal extent. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the transmitters are arranged on a straight line in the array, wherein preferably the transmitters are uniformly spaced apart along the straight line. ### Claim 38 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the scanning direction extends perpendicular to an effective longitudinal extent (L) of the transmitter array, wherein the displacement direction extends perpendicular to the scanning direction and in particular extends in parallel to the effective longitudinal extent (L) of the transmitter array. ### Claim 39 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the number of transmitters lies between 4 and 32, in particular amounts to 8 or 16; and/or in that the spacing (d) between two transmitters lying directly adjacent to one another lies in the range of 1 to 12 mm, in particular amounts to approximately 6 mm; and/or in that the maximum longitudinal extent (L) of the transmitter array lies in the range of 32 to 96 mm, in particular amounts to approximately 42 mm. ### Claim 40 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the spacing (d) between two transmitters lying directly adjacent to one another corresponds to a transmission angle in the range of 2° to 12°, in particular to approximately 4.3°. ### Claim 41 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the deflection unit is configured as a polygonal mirror that is provided with a plurality of n deflection surfaces that can consecutively be impinged by the transmission radiation and that each cover the same angular range of at least approximately 360°/n, wherein preferably n=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8, with n in particular being n=2, 4 or 6. ### Claim 42 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the recording region corresponds to a spatial angle of D×V that can be covered by means of the transmission radiation, wherein D is the scanning angle region that can be covered by means of the deflection unit and V is the displacement angular region that extends perpendicular to the scanning angle region and that results from the sum of the corresponding expansion of the transmitter array and a predefined offset which can be generated by means of the displacement unit and wherein preferably D lies approximately in the range of 45° to 120° and V approximately lies in the range of 12° to 45°. ### Claim 43 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the reception unit comprises a plurality of receivers arranged in an array, wherein preferably exactly one transmitter is associated with each receiver and vice versa. ### Claim 44 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the transmitter array, the reception unit, the deflection unit and the displacement unit are arranged in a common closed housing, wherein in particular the housing has a common outlet window for the radiation transmitted into the recording region and for the radiation reflected from the recording region. ### Claim 45 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the apparatus comprises a common transmission and reception lens, wherein in particular the transmitters are aligned with respect to the lens in such a manner that the transmission radiation passes a common middle region of the lens or such that bunches of radiation from the transmitters are incident essentially in parallel to one another on the lens and bunches of radiation exiting the lens converge, in particular intersect with one another in an outer focal point. ### Claim 46 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the evaluation unit has a plurality of time measurement units for determining the distances on the basis of a respective radiation time of flight. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) An apparatus in accordance with claim 46, wherein at least two transmitters are associated with a respective time measurement unit. ### Claim 48 (depends on 32) An apparatus in accordance with claim 32, wherein the apparatus has a geometric beam splitter for the geometric separation of a transmission radiation region from a reception radiation region. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) An apparatus in accordance with claim 48, wherein the reception radiation region is screened from the transmission radiation region. ### Claim 50 A method for the recording of distance images each having a plurality of distance image points comprising transmitting electromagnetic radiation with a plurality of transmitters arranged in an array into a recording region and radiation reflected from the recording region being detected by at least one reception unit; determining the distances of objects at which the transmitted radiation is reflected, with the distances each forming a distance image point; consecutively generating a plurality of scanning patterns of distance image points per distance image by repeatedly deflecting the transmission radiation into a scanning direction within a scanning angle region; and displacing consecutive scanning patterns against one another in a displacement direction by way of relative movements of optical elements, each distance image being formed from a plurality of scanning patterns of distance image points displaced against one another. ### Claim 51 A method of operating, in particular for self-diagnostics, an apparatus for the recording of distance images each having a plurality of distance image points, comprising transmitting electromagnetic radiation with a plurality of transmitters arranged in an array into a recording region and detecting radiation reflected from the recording region by at least one reception unit; determining the distances of objects at which the transmitted radiation is reflected, with the distances each forming a distance image point; consecutively generating a plurality of scanning patterns of distance image points per distance image by repeatedly deflecting the transmission radiation into a scanning direction within a scanning angle region; displacing consecutive scanning patterns against one another in a displacement direction, in particular by way of relative movements of optical elements; and forming each distance image from a plurality of scanning patterns of distance image points displaced against one another; and wherein, in particular, a plurality of times at regular spacings or irregular spacings in time, distance image points and/or sets of distance image points stemming from at least two different transmitters are compared to one another and a deviation lying outside of a pre-definable or a predetermined tolerance is treated as a non-intended state, in particular as an interference or as an error. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) A method in accordance with claim 51, further comprising a monitoring step for monitoring a work process, with the work process in particular running at least partly automated, wherein in the case of the non-intended state, the work process is adapted and/or stopped. ### Claim 53 (depends on 51) A method in accordance with claim 51, including a respective comparison takes place within a scanning pattern or within a distance image, in particular between a plurality of distance points that belong to different scanning patterns of the same distance image. ### Claim 54 (depends on 51) A method in accordance with claim 51, including determining reference distance image points associated with a reference object; and in that test distance image points corresponding to the reference distance image points are determined in regular or irregular spacings in time and are compared to the reference distance image points, wherein a deviation lying outside of a pre-definable or predetermined tolerance, is treated as the non-intended state, and is in particular treated as an interference or an error. ### Claim 55 (depends on 51) A method in accordance with claim 51, wherein at least two different transmitters and/or reception units or at least two different groups of transmitters and/or reception units are controlled separate from one another, in particular via a respective own interface. ### Claim 56 (depends on 51) A method in accordance with claim 51, further comprising a monitoring step for monitoring a work process, with the work process running at least partly automated, wherein at least one three-dimensional monitored space is defined around at least a part of a monitored object; distance image points lying within the monitored space are determined; and a determination is made whether an interfering object is present in the monitored space on the basis of distance image points lying within the monitored space. ### Claim 57 (depends on 56) A method in accordance with claim 56, wherein the monitored space is newly defined and/or updated in regular or irregular spacings in time; and/or in that the monitored space is moved together with the monitored object . ### Claim 58 (depends on 56) A method in accordance with claim 56, wherein the monitored space is adaptively changed, wherein in particular the shape and/or the size of the monitored space is defined in dependence on the work process monitored, in particular in dependence on the kinematics or the dynamics of the monitored object. ### Claim 59 (depends on 56) A method in accordance with claim 56, wherein the work process is adapted to such an extent that a collision between a monitored object and an interfering object is avoided without stopping the work process. ### Claim 60 (depends on 56) A method in accordance with claim 56, wherein the monitored space is sub-divided into a plurality of protective volumes, in particular into two or three protective volumes, wherein preferably the protective volumes are at least partly nested within one another. ### Claim 61 (depends on 60) A method in accordance with claim 60, wherein an internal protective volume, a middle protective volume and an external protective volume are provided, the work process being stopped when the interfering object infringes the internal protective volume; a movement of an object, in particular an object carrying the apparatus, moving during the work process is slowed down when the interfering object infringes the middle protective volume; and a kinematic track of the movement of the object is adapted, in particular into an evasive movement, when the interfering object infringes the external protective volume. ### Claim 62 (depends on 56) A method in accordance with claim 56, wherein at least two apparatuses are provided that are respectively associated with one monitored space, the monitored spaces overlap one another and distance image points falling into the overlap region are compared to one another, and wherein a deviation lying outside of a pre-definable or predetermined tolerance is treated as a non-intended state, in particular, as an interference or an error.