Patent ID: 8311286
Filing Date: 2012-11-13
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. A ranging apparatus comprising: a light-emitting unit having a light emitter, and a light emission controller for intensity-modulating a light emitted from said light emitter and emitting the intensity-modulated light as said modulated lights; a light-detecting unit for detecting reflected lights from an object that is irradiated with said modulated lights; and a calculating unit for calculating a distance up to said object based on a phase difference between said modulated lights and said reflected lights, wherein the light emission controller comprises a start phase controller for controlling phases of modulated lights which start being emitted at times different from each other, wherein said light-detecting unit samples amounts of the reflected lights in exposure periods established at a constant cycle length from the time when the modulated lights start being emitted, wherein said light-detecting unit comprises: