Patent ID: 6456368
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: G01C,G01S

Abstract:
A three-dimensional image capturing device, comprising:a distance measuring light beam irradiating processor that irradiates a distance measuring light beam to a measurement subject, said distance measuring light beam being a pulsed beam, the height of the pulse of said distance measuring light beam changing linearly with time, the measurement subject reflecting said distance measuring light beam to generate a first reflected light beam pulse; a first reflected light beam component sensing processor that receives said first reflected light beam pulse for a first sensing period to sense a first reflected light beam component, the first sensing period starting at the extinction of the pulse of said distance measuring light beam; a correction light beam irradiating processor that irradiates a correction light beam to the measurement subject, said correction light beam being a pulsed beam, the height of the pulse being constant, said measurement subject reflecting said correction light beam to generate a second reflected light beam pulse; a second reflected light beam component sensing processor that receives said second reflected light beam pulse for a second sensing period to sense a second reflected light beam component, the second sensing period starting at the extinction of the pulse of said correction light beam; and a distance information calculating processor that divides said first reflected light beam component by said second reflected light beam component to obtain the distance from said device to each point of a surface of the measurement subject.