Patent ID: 6452664
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: G01C,G02B

Abstract:
A rangefinder apparatus comprising:light-projecting means for projecting a series of light pulses toward a target object located at a distance to be determined in a rangefinding routine; light-detecting means for detecting reflected light pulses of the series of light pulses projected and reflected from the target object in the rangefinding routine and outputting an output signal corresponding to the distance to the target object; integrating means for charging or discharging an integrating capacitor according to the output signal of said light-detecting means in the rangefinding routine; analog-to-digital (A/D) converting means for converting a voltage on said integrating capacitor upon ending of the rangefinding routine to a digital value; and control means controlling said light-projecting means, said light-detecting means, and said integrating means in a rangefinding operation and determining the distance to the target object upon completion of the rangefinding operation, each rangefinding operation including sequential execution of a plurality of rangefinding routines, wherein each of the rangefinding routines in a rangefinding operation includes emission and detection of a respective, different number of light pulses, and said control means determines the distance to the target object by averaging the respective digital values produced by said A/D converting means in each of the rangefinding routines of the rangefinding operation.