US 5,682,229 AGranted

Laser range camera

AssigneeSchwartz Electro-Optics, Inc.

InventorRichard J. Wangler

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Abstract

A laser range camera provides both imaging and range information using laser radar techniques. A laser transmitter having a fan shaped beam that creates a column shaped beam in a far field is scanned along a single axis within a defined field of view using an acoustical optical device. A staring focal array of multiple line receivers having a long narrow field of view by using a linear array of fiber optics receives reflected energy from the scanned scene and transfers the received information to an avalanche photo diode by bundling the linear array into a circular array for interfacing with the diode. The range and intensity of each pixel within a scene is measured using a CCD measurement system which communicates with the receiver through the electrical signals. Range is determined for each pixel of the scene using the exposure characteristics of a CCD with analog type time of flight measurements. Range and intensity data are stored on odd and even CCD elements and used to display a three dimensional range image.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A range camera comprising:

first light transmitting means for transmitting a series of at least one fan shaped energy beam pulse for illuminating an energy column onto a scene for reflection of the energy column from the scene, the transmitting means providing a start signal representative of a transmission of the beam pulse;
first light receiving means for receiving a portion of the energy reflected from the scene, the receiving means providing a stop signal upon receipt of the reflected energy;
and
range measuring means for measuring the range between the camera and the scene, the range measuring means comprising:
second light transmitting means for transmitting an optical source light, the second light transmitting means responsive to the start and stop signals for transmitting the source light and for terminating transmission of source light, respectively;
and
second light receiving means for receiving the source light from the second light transmitting means, the second light receiving means including an optical detector positioned for exposure to the source light transmitted from the second light transmitting means during a time period between the start signal and the stop signal, wherein the second light receiving means provides an electrical output signal related to an amount of exposure to the source light, the second light receiving means electrical output signal indicative of the range measurement from the camera to the scene.

4 more elements

A range camera comprising:

first light transmitting means for transmitting a series of laser beam pulses for illuminating an energy column onto a scene and reflecting therefrom;
scanning means cooperating with the first light transmitting means for scanning the energy column across the scene;
first light receiving mean for receiving reflected beam pulses returning from the scene;
and
range measuring means for measuring a range from the camera to the scene, the range measuring means comprising:
second light transmitting means responsive to a transmitted laser beam pulse, the second light transmitting means having an optical source for transmitting a source light in response to the transmitting of each laser beam pulse, the second light transmitting means further responsive to a time of receipt of the reflected beam pulse for a corresponding transmitted pulse for terminating the source light transmission from the second light transmitting means;
and
second light receiving means for receiving the source light from the second light transmitting means, the second light receiving means including an optical detector positioned for exposure to the transmitted source light from the second light transmitting means, the second light receiving means providing an electrical output signal relating to an amount of exposure to the source light, the amount of exposure to the source light from the second light transmitting means and thus the output signal indicative of the range measurement from the camera to the scene.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.