Patent ID: 6023322
Filing Date: 2000-02-08
Classification: G01C,G01S

Abstract:
In a laser range finder, said range finder including a fire switch, a mode switch, a laser transmit section operably emitting a series of laser pulses directed toward a target, a laser receive section receiving laser pulses of said series reflected from said target, a microcontroller programmed to time a flight time for each said pulse from a time of emission of said pulse to a time of reception of the reflected pulse, to operably calculate a range to said target based upon said pulse flight times, and to display the calculated range on a display with a range display portion, said microcontroller being programmed with alternative modes, each of which is alternatively selectable via the mode switch, for the range finder including:a) a normal mode in which, upon engagement of said fire switch, a single series of pulses is emitted and reflected pulses from said single series are received and a single target range is calculated and displayed; andb) a Scan mode in which, with continuous engagement of said fire switch, multiple series of pulses are sequentially emitted and reflected pulses of each series are received and a respective target range for each said series is calculated and displayed, in sequence.