Electro-optical distance measuring device
AssigneeLeica Geosystems AG
InventorsKurt Giger, Reto Metzler, Bernhard Fiegl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electro-optical distance measuring device includes a laser driver for a laser diode for emitting laser light pulses. The measuring device further includes a laser diode voltage supply having a cascade of at least two voltage regulators, each of which provides an output voltage at a level below a laser threshold voltage of the laser diode. By changing from a first to a second switching position of an electronic switching element of the measuring device, one of the laser light pulses can be emitted and, in the steady-state first and the steady-state second switching positions, no laser light is emitted.
Claims26
An electro-optical distance measuring device including a laser driver for a laser diode for emitting laser light pulses, comprising:
- a laser diode voltage supply having a cascade of at least two voltage regulators, each of which provides an output voltage below its input voltage and at a level below a laser threshold voltage of the laser diode;
- an inductive component in a supply path of the laser diode, and
- an electronic switching element which is arranged interactively in such a way that:
- in a first switching position of the switching element, a current flow through the inductive component can be produced;
- and
- in a second switching position of the switching element, the current flow can be conducted through the laser diode,
- wherein:
- by changing from the first to the second switching position, one of the laser light pulses can be emitted and, in the steady-state first and the steady-state second switching positions, no laser light can be emitted.
A method for generating a laser pulse using a laser diode in an electro-optical distance measuring device, comprising:
- supplying a first voltage, which is below a laser threshold voltage of the laser diode to an input of a second voltage regulator, which second voltage regulator has a second output voltage, which is below the first voltage at its input;
- supplying the second output voltage to the laser diode via an inductive component,
- building up a current through the inductive component by closing a switching element arranged in parallel with the laser diode;
- and
- decreasing the current across the laser diode while emitting the laser pulse by opening the switching element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.