Active distance measuring apparatus with the remote control function

An active distance measuring apparatus with a remote control function characterized by the provision of:

• a plurality of light projecting portions for projecting light to corresponding points of an object field;
• a plurality of light receiving portions capable of receiving projected light reflected from the corresponding points, respectively, of the object field and also capable of receiving signal light from a remote control transmitter at the corresponding points, respectively, of the object field;
• a distance measuring circuit connected to said light projecting portions and said light receiving portions for effecting active distance measurement to points in the object field by the use of the corresponding light projecting portions, respectively, and the corresponding light receiving portions, respectively, said distance measuring circuit being responsive to signal light received by one of said light receiving portions and outputting a discrimination signal for discriminating which one of said plurality of light receiving portions has received said signal light;
• and
• a control circuit which receives said discrimination signal for judging that said remote control transmitter is located at a point of said object field corresponding to said one light receiving portion, and, based on said judging, which outputs to said distance measuring circuit a command signal;
• said distance measuring circuit being responsive to said command signal for causing light projecting portions, including a light projecting portion corresponding to said one light receiving portion, to project light to corresponding points of said object field in order to measure distances thereto, to weight distance measurement to said point at which the remote control transmitter is located and to produce a distance measurement output.