Patent ID: 7006203

Claim:
A video guidance sensor system including an integrated range measuring capability, said system comprising: a video guidance sensor including: means, including a stationary tilted mirror and a laser light source for producing an output having an amplitude which can be controlled in real-time, for directing output light for reflection from a target such that return light reflected by said target is received by said sensor; a camera for providing video images of the return light and producing a corresponding video output signal; a signal processing unit, connected to the camera, for receiving and processing said video output signal and for producing a corresponding output signal; and a communications computer for receiving sensor commands and transmitting said output signal from the signal processing unit; and a time of flight range measuring sub-system for measuring a time period taken by output light to travel to the target and to be received as return light, said range measuring subsystem comprising: a first photodetector for directly receiving the output light and for producing a corresponding output signal; a second photodetector for receiving the return light and for producing a corresponding output signal; and a digitizer, comprising at least one analog to digital converter, for receiving the output signals from said first and second photodetectors and for producing corresponding digital data; said signal processing unit comprising a digital signal processor for processing the digital data produced by said digitizer to produce an output representative of said time period and thus of the range to the target and for supplying said output to said computer, said light source being switched between a first optical power level for operation of the system as a video guidance sensor, and a second optical power level for operation of the system as a range measuring device.