US 5,703,718 AGranted

Object reflector detecting apparatus

AssigneeTopcon Corporation

InventorsFumio Ohtomo, Kunihiro Hayashi, Jun-ichi Kodaira, Hiroyuki Nishizawa, Kenichiro Yoshino

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Abstract

An object reflector detecting apparatus for identifying an object reflector by emitting a light from a polarized light source toward the object reflector and then detecting a reflected light from the object reflector characterized in that the light emitted from said polarized light source is a polarized light of which direction of polarization is specially defined, the polarized lights between said reflected light and said emitted light are different in the direction of polarization, and said object reflector detecting apparatus is adapted to detect only a component of the direction of polarization from said object reflector.

Claims9

Dependent claims

Apparatus for detecting polarized light comprising;

a polarized light source for emitting polarized light;
circular polarizing means for circularly polarizing the polarized light emitted from said polarized light source;
rotary means for irradiating said circularly polarized light on a reference plane;
an objective reflector positioned to reflect light emitted by said polarized light source, said object reflector comprising at least one retro-reflective member and a quarter-wave birefringent member disposed in front of said at least one retro-reflective member, and said at least one retro-reflective member and said birefringent member being configured so that light impinging on said object reflector and light reflected from said object reflector have different directions of polarization;
detector means for detecting only the polarized light reflected from said object reflector;
and
control means for moving the emitted polarized light in a reference plane on said object reflector.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/265,145Filed 24 Jun 1994
Priority: JP 5-15560825 Jun 1993
Granted: 30 Dec 1997
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G01S 7/499
Of systems according to group G01S17/00: using polarisation effects
G01C 15/002
Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00: active optical surveying means
G01S 7/491
Of systems according to group G01S17/00: details of non-pulse systems
G01S 17/04
Systems using the reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves: systems determining the presence of a target

Family

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