US 4,290,693 AGranted

Arrangement for measuring the range or speed of an object

AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft

InventorKarl-Ulrich Stein

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Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for measuring the range or speed of an object, in which two optical devices are offset from one another transversely to the direction of the object to produce auxiliary images of such an object, which are photoelectrically analyzed relative to one another. The minimum difference signal indicates the congruency of the two auxiliary images and supplies a criterion for the range of the object. In accordance with the invention, the auxiliary images are analyzed by CTD image sensors, whose read-out signals are supplied to a differential amplifier and are then rectified and integrated. The read-out signals from one sensor are changed, as to their phase state, with respect to the read-out signals from the other sensor, by means of a pivotal movement of the relevant optical device, by means of a delay element which can be adjusted in a stepped manner. The range criterion is obtained from the phase state assigned to the minimum difference signal. The invention can be used in range measuring devices, speed measuring devices and photographic cameras.

Claims24

Dependent claims

In an arrangement for measuring the range of an object, wherein two optical devices are provided which are offset relative to one another transverse to the direction of the object and which supply two images of such object, with a device being provided which analyzes the images, in the form of electrical signals, and by a comparison of the signals, forms a measured value which indicates the range, combination of the analyzing device containing two CTD image sensors which are individually assigned to the auxiliary images, and whose aligned image points are arranged parallel to one another and in the direction of mutual displacement of the auxiliary images, an evaluating circuit, having one input to which the output of one CTD image sensor is operatively connected, and a second input to which the output of the other image sensor is connected over a delay element which can be adjusted, in a stepped manner, in a setting sequence, for forming from the difference between a sequence of read-out signals from the two image sensors assigned to the setting sequence, a sequence of read-out signals integrated over said image points, and means in said evaluating circuit for forming a signal in correspondence to such read-out signals, which is characteristic of the delay set on the occurrence of the integrated read-out signal having the smallest amplitude, and which is representative of the range of the object.

In an arrangement for measuring the range of an object, wherein two optical devices are provided which are offset relative to one another transverse to the direction of the object and which supply two images of such object, with a device being provided which analyzes the images, in the form of electrical signals, and by a comparison of the signals, forms a measured value which indicates the range, the combination of the analyzing device containing two CTD image sensors which are individually assigned to the auxiliary images, and whose aligned image points are arranged parallel to one another and in the direction of mutual displacement of the auxiliary images, the output of one CTD image sensor being connected to a first delay line having a plurality of mutually offset outputs, a series of differential amplifiers respectively having first inputs to which said outputs of said first delay line are connected, and respectively having second inputs operatively connected in common to the output of the other CTD image sensor, an evaluating circuit having respective inputs, each of the outputs of said amplifiers being connected to a corresponding one of said inputs of said evaluating circuit by a rectifier and a serially connected integrator, said evaluating circuit having means for determining the integrator having the smallest output signal and means for producing a signal which is characteristic of said smallest output signal and is representative of the range of the object.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.