The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 11, 1992
Filed:
Feb. 20, 1990
Yoshiyuki Kaneko, Kawasaki, JP;
Ryoichi Suzuki, Yokohama, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Disclosed is a distance measuring apparatus for projecting a signal and measuring a distance up to an object according to a reception position of a signal reflected by the object, the apparatus being arranged such that a ratio of a plurality of outputs from a receiver for receiving the reflected signal is changed according to the reception position of the reflected signal, the change state is detected by ascending and descending integrations of the plurality of outputs, and the reception position of the reflected signal is detected, comprising: projecting means for projecting the signal; timer means for counting a predetermined period of time within a period required for the ascending integration; detecting means for detecting whether an amplitude of the reflected signal received by the receiving means has reached a predetermined level within the predetermined period of time counted by the timer means; and switching means for causing the projecting means to project the signal onto one of central and peripheral areas within a field of view and the signal to the other one of the central and peripheral areas to measure a distance for the other one of the areas when the amplitude of the reflected signal does not reach the predetermined level within the predetermined period of time, thereby accurately measuring a distance to the object within a short period of time regardless of the position of the object and with only a compact arrangement.