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:
Dec. 09, 1997
Filed:
Jun. 02, 1995
Charles E Nourrcier, Jr, Lakewood, CA (US);
Robert A Kuehn, El Segundo, CA (US);
Hughes Electronics, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
Laser range finder circuitry including an avalanche photodiode detector, a capacitor for storing a detector bias voltage, and a transimpedance amplifier for amplifying the detector signal. The capacitor is charged in response to a first control signal by a circuit employing first and second field effect transistors and is discharged in response to a second control signal by a circuit employing a third field effect transistor. An overload protection circuit including a single diode is provided to accommodate excessive charge created by backscatter upon initial laser firing. A temperature sensor is further provided to develop a temperature signal which may be monitored to adjust the detector bias voltage and other parameters so as to permit use of an associated laser range finder over a wide range of temperatures.