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. 28, 2012
Filed:
Oct. 17, 2008
Robert Alden Lewis, Bend, OR (US);
Robert Alden Lewis, Bend, OR (US);
PulsedLight, LLC, Bend, OR (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the acquisition of repetitive signals in a sensing device comprising a transmitter, a receiver and an object. The transmitter repetitively emits a modulated electro-magnetic signal into a transmission medium, with the emitted signal interacting with the object producing a counter propagating return signal. The return signal may contain properties that reflect all, or a portion, of the initial signal or may be correlated with said signal through a process of absorption and reemission, in which reflected signal characteristics are governed by the object's physical material characteristic. The return signal is detected and converted into digital signals by a receiver via a reception channel through the use of edge transitions rather than logic levels from one or more comparator outputs to reconstruct the return signal waveform. A several waveform acquisition and reconstruction methods are disclosed for use with an edge sampling detection apparatus. When directed towards the time-of-flight distance measurement the invention also discloses a useful method to provide optical feedback using a moving waveguide.