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:
Apr. 21, 1998
Filed:
Jun. 14, 1996
Per Krogh Hansen, Burlington, VT (US);
Ascension Technology Corporation, Burlington, VT (US);
Abstract
A system for the determination of the distance and orientation of an object carrying at least three light sensors from a fixed reference point when the object is irradiated by two modulated scanning beams of known angular orientation and rotational frequency. Timing circuitry located in the control processor determines the time interval .DELTA.t, between successive interceptions of the object by each of the beams. Knowledge of this time interval and the scanning beams' relative positions and angular orientations permits calculation of the object's spatial coordinates. The optical beams utilized are fan-shaped in cross-section. The method of operation is also disclosed.