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. 26, 2013
Filed:
Feb. 27, 2010
Masanobu Kaneko, Yokohama, JP;
Masanobu Kaneko, Yokohama, JP;
Nikon Vision Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A range finderincludes a transmission optical systemthat transmits signal light toward a target object, a detection optical systemthat has a different optical axis from that of the transmission optical system and detects the signal light reflected from the target object, and a photodetectorthat is disposed on an imaging surface of the detection optical system. A distance to the target object is measured on the basis of a time difference between a transmission time and a detection time of the signal light. The detection optical systemincludes a variable focal length optical systemthat makes the focal length of the detection optical system variable, thereby providing a range finder capable of measuring a distance to a target object that locates from further away to nearer by using a photodetector having the same size.