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.

Date of Patent:
Apr. 18, 2006

Filed:

Jun. 16, 2004
Applicant:

Frank Beard Douglas, Tipp City, OH (US);

Inventor:

Frank Beard Douglas, Tipp City, OH (US);

Assignee:

Trimble Navigation Limited, Sunnyvale, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01C 3/08 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A laser beam receiver with non-interdigitated photosensors arranged in a repeating pattern of 'n' channels of photosensors in each of 'm' sectors is disclosed. The photocurrent from both the anode and cathode terminals of the photosensor is used to determine laser beam position. The repeating patterns connect one set of “n” channel amplifier channels with the corresponding set of “m” sector amplifier channels. The position of the laser beam is determined by its position relative to the sector and channel the laser beam impinges on. The laser beam position relative to sector boundaries is determined by the distribution of photosensor current into the “n” channels of amplifiers from the “n” photosensors within each sector. The sector of the photosensor the laser beam impinges on is determined by the distribution of photosensor current into the “m” channels of sector amplifiers from the “m” groups of “n” photosensors.


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