Patent ID: 6415241
Filing Date: 2002-07-02
Classification: G01C,G01S

Abstract:
An active distance measurement system comprising:a light source for emitting a series of light pulses toward an object at a distance to be measured; a position sensing detector for detecting the light pulses reflected from the object and outputting signals, each signal corresponding to a position where a light pulse reflected from the object is detected; an arithmetic unit outputting signals corresponding to the distance to the object in response to the signals output from said position sensing detector; an integrating capacitor set to a reference voltage before emission of the series of light pulses, said capacitor being charged or discharged by signals output from said arithmetic unit; a distance detection unit for detecting the distance to the object based on a voltage of said capacitor present after emission of the series of light pulses; a temperature sensing unit for measuring ambient temperature; and a control unit for controlling said distance measurement system to adjust charging and discharging operations of said capacitor by said arithmetic unit in response to the ambient temperature measured by said temperature sensing unit to offset a temperature dependency of the voltage of said capacitor present after emission of the series of light pulses.