Laser rangefinder and method of measuring distance and direction

A laser rangefinder comprising:

• an enclosure;
• a light source that is disposed inside the enclosure and emits laser light;
• a scanning unit that changes a traveling direction of the laser light;
• a first photodetector that is disposed inside the enclosure, reflects a portion of the laser light directed in a predetermined direction from the scanning unit, and receives another portion of the laser light;
• a second photodetector that receives first reflected light and second reflected light, the first reflected light being reflection of the laser light from a target object outside the enclosure, and the second reflected light being reflection of the portion of the laser light from the first photodetector;
• and
• a signal processor that calculates a distance from the laser rangefinder to the target object and calculates a direction of the target object with respect to the laser rangefinder, the distance being calculated by (i) calculating a first distance from the light source to the target object using the first reflected light received by the second photodetector, (ii) calculating a second distance from the light source to the first photodetector using the second reflected light received by the second photodetector, and (iii) subtracting the second distance from the first distance, and the direction being calculated by using time points of the receiving of the another portion of the laser light by the first photodetector.