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:
Oct. 17, 2017
Filed:
Apr. 17, 2014
Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno, ′s-Gravenhage, NL;
Lun Kai Cheng, ′s-Gravenhage, NL;
Ronald Antonius Jan Hagen, ′s-Gravenhage, NL;
Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO, 's-Gravenhage, NL;
Abstract
Distance to a target is sensed using a common path interferometer, wherein a first fraction of light from a light source is collected after reflection by a partially reflective element together with reflection from a target of a second fraction of light from the light source that has been transmitted by the partially reflective element. The collected light is split in two parts, both containing a part of the first fraction and part of the reflection from the target. The parts are fed through a first and second optical branch path to an input side of a three-way optical coupler respectively. Light from at three terminals on a second side of the N way coupler is fed to respective light intensity detectors. Information representing an excess distance traveled by the first fraction from detection signals determined by the least three light intensity detectors.