Patent ID: 6313907
Filing Date: 2001-11-06
Classification: G01C,G02B

Abstract:
An active distance measurement system comprising:a light source for emitting a series of light pulses toward an object at a distance to be measured;a position sensitive detector for detecting light pulses emitted from said light source and reflected from the object, and outputting signals, each signal corresponding to a position where the reflected light pulse is detected;an arithmetic unit for outputting signals, each signal corresponding to the distance to the object, in response to the signals output from said position sensitive detector;an integrating capacitor set to a first reference voltage before emission of the series of light pulses, said integrating capacitor being charged and discharged in response to signals output from said arithmetic unit;a distance detection unit for detecting the distance to the object based on a voltage of said integrating capacitor present after emission of the series of light pulses; anda charger for preliminarily charging and discharging said integrating capacitor to at least the reference voltage at least twice in a first period, before any distance measurement, and preliminarily charging and discharging said integrating capacitor to the reference voltage in a second period, immediately before charging and discharging of said integrating capacitor in a distance measurement.