Back to results
US 5,313,262 AGranted
Systems and methods for object detection using beam widening optics
AssigneeImra America, Inc.
InventorCarl D. Leonard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In exemplary embodiments, a diffraction grating is placed in the beam path of the generated light source. The grating expands the beam's field of view by distributing the transmitted radiation into plural sub-fields. Sub-fields associated with distant objects are set to a greater intensity to ensure reflection of the sub-fields back to the receiver. Sub-fields directed to closer objects have a lesser intensity to avoid detection of false objects.
Claims23
System for detecting an object comprising:
- means for generating a beam of light;
- means for separating said beam of light into a plurality of sub-fields, each of said sub-fields being transmitted with a different intensity, each different intensity being proportional to a distance from said light beam generating means to an expected location of said object;
- and
- means for receiving portions of at least one of said sub-fields to detect said object.
1 more element
A system for controlling a moving vehicle comprising:
- means for generating a beam of light from said vehicle;
- means for separating said beam of light into plural transmitted sub-fields, a first of said transmitted sub-fields being oriented toward an expected location of a first object while a second of said transmitted sub-fields is oriented toward an expected location of a second object wherein said first and second sub-fields are transmitted with different intensities of light, each of said different intensities being proportional to different expected distances from said light beam generating means to said first and second objects;
- means on said vehicle for simultaneously receiving reflected portions of at least two of the transmitted sub-fields;
- and
- means, responsive to said receiving means, for controlling said vehicle position relative to said first and second objects.
2 more elements
A method of detecting an object, said method comprising the steps of:
- generating a beam of light;
- separating said light beam into plural sub-fields and transmitting the plural sub-fields of view using said beam, each sub-field being of a different intensity, each different intensity being proportional to a different expected distance to said object;
- and
- receiving portions of said plural sub-fields for detecting said object.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.