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:
May. 12, 1998
Filed:
Nov. 20, 1995
Fumihiko Nakazawa, Kawasaki, JP;
Hitoshi Okumura, Kawasaki, JP;
Satoshi Sano, Kawasaki, JP;
Fumitaka Abe, Kawasaki, JP;
Fujitsu Limited, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
A range finding apparatus includes; M photoprojectors (M: greater than one) provided in one-to-one correspondence with M range-finding axes radially extending within a virtual plane for forwardly projecting detection light along the range-finding axes; a photodetector spaced apart from the virtual plane and having N light detecting portions (N: greater than one), which serves as common photoelectric conversion means for the M photoprojectors; a range-finding axis switching device for selectively allowing the M photoprojectors to emit light; and a distance determination device for determining a distance to an object on the basis of detection values output from the N light detecting portions.