Patent ID: 6094270
Filing Date: 2000-07-25
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
A range finder comprising:light source means having a light source for emitting light onto a subject, for sweeping a light projection direction from the light source;change control means for changing said light projection direction and characteristics of the light based on a preset correspondence rule between changes of said light projection direction and changes of said characteristics of the light;image pick-up means for receiving a reflected light of a light beam emitted onto said subject and for obtaining image data;distance calculation means (1) for determining said characteristics of the light from pixel values of the image data obtained by said image pick-up means, (2) for specifying said projection direction of the light which is incident on pixel corresponding to the pixel values based on said rule and result of said determination, and (3) for calculating a distance to said subject while using said specified projection direction.