Patent ID: 7787105

Claim:
A method for the taking of a large number of distance images comprising distance picture elements, wherein electromagnetic radiation is transmitted in each case in the form of transmission pulses ( 14 ) using a plurality of transmitters ( 15 ) arranged in an array ( 130 ) for each distance image to be taken and reflected echo pulses ( 1 ) are detected using a plurality of receivers ( 2 ) arranged in an array ( 125 ), with the respective distances of objects at which the transmission pulses ( 14 ) are reflected and which form a distance picture element being measured by determining the pulse time of flight; wherein a plurality of individual measurements are carried out using a time measuring device connected after the receiver array ( 125 ) for each distance image to be taken, in which individual measurements a respective pulse chain is processed which includes a logical start pulse ( 73 ) derived from the respective transmission pulse ( 14 ) and at least one logical receiver pulse ( 79 ) formed from an echo pulse ( 1 ) or a noise pulse ( 76 ); wherein the logical receiver pulses ( 79 ) are each generated by means of at least one reference ( 5 ) of the receiver ( 2 ), the reference being broken through by the underlying echo pulses or noise pulses, with an exceeding of the reference ( 5 ) forming the positive flank of the receiver pulse defining an up event ( 81 ) and a falling below of the reference forming the negative flank of the receiver pulse defining a down event ( 82 ); wherein, for each distance image to be taken, the respective pulse chains ( 80 ) are formed in that the logical start pulses ( 73 ) and the logical receiver pulses ( 79 ) are each combined at a right time; the respective pulse chains ( 80 ) formed in this manner are distributed onto an array of time measuring channels formed by the time measuring device in accordance with a pre-settable measurement procedure; and, for each time measuring channel, time durations are determined which, with reference in each case to a point in time before the start pulse ( 73 ), pass up to a receiver pulse ( 79 ) in that, for each up event ( 81 ) and/or for each down event ( 82 ), at least the respective clock pulses are counted which are made available by a central clock ( 33 ) at a known frequency; and the counter results are stored as an event list in an arrangement taking account of their respective time information; and wherein the stored event lists of all time measuring channels are read out and evaluated in order to convert the respective time information contained in the event lists into distance values corresponding to the distance picture elements.