Patent ID: 6047136
Filing Date: 2000-04-04
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An apparatus comprising:a detecting device which includes a first sensor having arrayed pixels and a second sensor having arrayed pixels;a selector which selects predetermined pixels within said first and said second sensors;a controller which controls said selector so that a first shift manner and a second shift manner are alternately repeated, wherein the first shift manner is so executed that selected pixels of said first sensor are fixed and selected pixels of said second sensor are shifted by one pixel, and the second shift manner is so executed that selected pixels of said second sensor are fixed and selected pixels of said first sensor are shifted by one pixel, wherein said controller controls said selector so that said selector starts said repetition with said first manner in a first situation to generate first outputs, and said selector starts said repetition with said second manner in a second situation to generate second outputs; anda calculator which calculates correlations based on the first and second outputs from said selected pixels, and calculates an object distance based on the calculated correlations.