1863 results about "Range finding" patented technology

There are many inventions described herein. Some aspects are directed to methods and / or apparatus to provide relative movement between optics, or portion(s) thereof, and sensors, or portion(s) thereof, in a digital camera. The relative movement may be in any of various directions. In some aspects, relative movement between an optics portion, or portion(s) thereof, and a sensor portion, or portion(s) thereof, are used in providing any of various features and / or in the various applications disclosed herein, including, for example, but not limited to, increasing resolution, optical and electronic zoom, image stabilization, channel alignment, channel-channel alignment, image alignment, lens alignment, masking, image discrimination, range finding, 3D imaging, auto focus, mechanical shutter, mechanical iris, multi and hyperspectral imaging, and / or combinations thereof. In some aspects, movement is provided by actuators, for example, but not limited to MEMS actuators, and by applying appropriate control signal thereto.

A measurement device is provided that allows for determining distance, range and bearing of a target of interest. The distance, range and bearing to the target of interest are determined relative to the position of the measurement device and are stored in memory. The device is further operative to translate these relative positions of the target to an absolute position at the time of measurement, or, when the position of the measurement device becomes known. The absolute position of the measurement device may be determined utilizing GPS technologies or through the measurement of geophysical reference points. Measurement of the relative location of target(s) of interest is performed utilizing an electronic range finding device and elevation and heading sensors. The resulting information is stored in memory for conversions to vector information that may be utilized to generate, for instance, topographical images.

A wearable data acquisition system is described in which the data input devices are contained within a headpiece apparatus thereby permitting the operator to control acquisition integration of image capture and display in a hands free environment. The system includes a portable data terminal communicating with the headpiece apparatus which comprises an image acquisition device having a target pattern generator for providing visual feedback for aiming and range-finding, a microphone for receiving voice commands from a human operator to the portable data terminal, and a speaker whereby the human operator receives audio feedback from the portable data terminal. In another embodiment of the present invention, the headpiece apparatus further comprises an image display system having a scanning laser heads-up display for projecting image data into the vision field of the human operator. This image display system allows the human operator to preview an image to be captured or to recall stored image data from the memory of the portable data terminal.

An automatic focusing system for an imaging-based bar code reader. The automatic focusing system employs a two step process for moving a lens of an imaging system along its path of travel such that a sharp image of a target bar code is projected or focused onto an imaging system pixel array. The first step is laser ranging which utilizes a laser beam for range finding. Laser ranging determines a distance between the imaging system pixel array and the target bar code. Given the determined distance, the automatic focusing system moves the lens to a suitable position for imaging the target bar code. If ambient conditions prevent laser ranging from properly working, the second step is focus analysis. Focus analysis involves moving the lens in accordance with a search routine and analyzing image frames of the target object to find a suitable focus position.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate hitherto restrictive conditions related to photography, like when attempting to register pictures with infinite depth of field, more or less, or attempt full detail-reproduction of light and shade. This is, according to the present invention, accomplished by making several recordings with differing states of focus or exposure, the images registered being similarly subdivided into smaller image-parts and a resultant image bing produced by selecting those image-parts from each set, being most suitable. Optimal image definition of an image-part can for instance be assessed by contrast-measurement techniques or separate range-finding with a laser. An analogous optimal representation of image detail can also be achieved.

A lower cost range-finding image sensor based upon measurement of reflection time of light with reduced fabrication processes compared to standard CMOS manufacturing procedures. An oxide film is formed on a silicon substrate, and two photo-gate electrodes for charge-transfer are provided on the oxide film. Floating diffusion layers for taking charges out from a photodetector layer are provided at the ends of the oxide film, and on the outside thereof are provided a gate electrode for resetting and a diffusion layer for providing a reset voltage.

The present invention is directed toward systems for conducting laser range and enabling optical communication between a plurality of entities and to the application of such systems in a secure covert combat identification system. In one embodiment, the present invention uses a novel laser system that generates high pulse rates, as required for optical communications, while concurrently generating sufficiently high power levels, as required by laser range finding operations. One application of the present invention is in enabling secure covert communications between a plurality of parties. Another application of the present invention is in tracking and identifying the movement of objects.

Dynamic range of a differential pixel is enhanced by injecting, synchronously or asynchronously, a compensating offset (ΔCOMP) into a differential signal capacitor whenever magnitude of the differential signal across the capacitor exceeds a predetermined value. Positive and negative magnitudes of ΔCOMP need not be equal. The number (N) of ΔCOMP offsets made is counted. Effective differential signal capacitor voltage V(t)=Vo±N·ΔCOMP, where Vo is capacitor voltage. In other embodiments magnitude of ΔCOMP in a sequence of compensations can differ, and the sum total of compensations in recorded. Differential pixel signal / noise ratio is increased by dynamically maximizing operational amplifier gain AG for each differential pixel.

The invention discloses an intelligent household air-conditioning system with a linkage function. The system comprises a range finding apparatus used for detecting signal intensity information of terminal equipment carried by a user and selecting whether sending a first air-conditioning linkage command to an intelligent household server or not according to the signal intensity information, the intelligent household server used for sending a door and window closing command to an electric door and window apparatus according to the first air-conditioning linkage command and sending an air-conditioning starting command to an air-conditioning apparatus further according to the first air-conditioning linkage command, the electric door and window apparatus used for executing a closing operation of a door and a window according to the door and window closing command, and the air-conditioning apparatus used for starting an air-conditioner according to the air-conditioning starting command. According to the invention, when a user gets home, the air-conditioning system can automatically start the air-conditioner in advance and close the door and the window simultaneously, temperature, humidity, wind speed and the like in a room can be automatically adjusted, and the air-conditioner can be automatically shut down after leaving of the user.

A spatial data collection apparatus collects and correlates spatial data for use in creating floor plans, maps and models of existing spaces. The apparatus includes a mobile platform with wheels to allow movement around a space. One or more positional sensors on the platform generate positional data related to a position of the platform. The positional data can include odometry data and optionally gyroscopic data for correcting the odometry data. One or more range-finding devices on the platform measure and calculate range data (e.g., 2-D or 3-D) relating to distances and angles between the platform and objects in the space. The apparatus collects, fuses and correlates the positional data and range data to produce spatial data and stores the spatial data for transfer to a PC for use in creating, viewing and / or editing a map of the space. The apparatus can also record media files (e.g., audio, video, or images) to be associated with locations within the map.

The weaponry camera sight has a digital electronic display of the sight picture for the shooter. The display may be magnified as desired, thereby eliminating need for a scope sight. The device may also include a range finding device, with range information being provided on screen. The camera may also be used to record the image viewed on screen, if so desired. Remotely situated controls may be provided for operating the zoom magnification and recording feature, thereby allowing the shooter to operate the present camera sight without need to move his or her hands on the weapon. The present camera sight is particularly well suited for use with an archery bow, but may be used with a firearm if so desired.

The invention provides an indoor range finding and positioning method based on MIMO-OFDM channel state information. A present commercial WiFi network card based on OFDM is fully utilized, channel state information CSI is obtained by a client at a position to be measured, an MIMO system whose receiving / transmitting end includes multiple antennas is combined, a free-space path loss model based on MIMO-OFDM is provided, the line of sight LOS distance between a WiFi access point AP of an indoor anchor point and a user at the position to be measured is calculated, and finally the position of the user is obtained by a classic three-side positioning method. The method is based on the multi-antenna WiFi AP which is used most widely at present and a mainstream wireless network card based on OFDM, and can realize rapid, simple and efficient indoor range finding and positioning.

A method and apparatus for ranging finding of signal transmitting devices is provided. The method of signal reception is digitally based only and does not require receivers that are analog measurement devices. Ranging can be achieved using a single pulse emitting device operating in range spaced relation with a minimum of a single signal transmitter and a single digital receiver and processing circuitry. In general a plurality of transmitting pulsed emitters may be ranged and positioned virtually simultaneously in 3-dimensions (XYZ coordinates) using a configuration of a plurality of digital receivers arranged in any fixed 3-dimensional configuration. Applications may involve at least one single transmitter to receiver design to determine range, or at least one transmitted reflecting signal off from an object to determine range.

The invention provides a laser imaging radar device and a distance measurement method thereof. The laser imaging radar device and the distance measurement method thereof aims at the problem that an existing distance range gate laser imaging radar is low in distance resolution. The laser imaging radar device comprises a laser device, a laser modulation unit, an optical antenna unit, a detecting unit, a data processing unit and an image processing unit, wherein the detecting unit is composed of a counter, a gate controller and an array detector, and the data processing unit is composed of an accumulator and a correlator. According to the distance measurement method, an information loading process is carried out on laser signals with constant amplitude by using a phase code pulse amplitude modulation mode. The laser imaging radar device and the distance measurement method thereof have the advantages that the equipment and the method combine the advantages of long detecting distances of the distance ranging gate layer imaging radar and the advantage of high distance measurement resolution of the pulse phase coding mode, and meanwhile the detect of low distance measurement resolution of the distance ranging gate layer imaging radar and the detect of low imaging speed of the pulse phase coding mode are avoided.

A semiconductor range-finding element and a solid-state imaging device, which can provide a smaller dark current and a removal of reset noise. With n-type buried charge-generation region, buried charge-transfer regions, buried charge read-out regions buried in a surface of p-type semiconductor layer, an insulating film covering these regions, transfer gate electrodes arranged on the insulating film for transferring the signal charges to the buried charge-transfer regions, read-out gate electrodes arranged on the insulating film for transferring the signal charges to the buried charge read-out regions, after receiving a light pulse by the buried charge-generation region, in the semiconductor layer just under the buried charge-generation region, an optical signal is converted into signal charges, and a distance from a target sample is determined by a distribution ratio of the signal charges accumulated in the buried charge-transfer regions.

The invention discloses a wireless positioning method and system based on antenna array phase difference direction-finding radio frequency identification (RFID). An antenna array is configured for an RFID reader and comprises multiple receiving antenna units and multiple transmitting antenna units. Through detecting the phase difference of RFID label back scattering radio frequency electromagnetic wave signals received by the receiving antenna units, direction-finding data information of azimuth angles of labels is obtained, then in combination with range-finding data of one single reader or direction-finding data of multiple readers, direction-finding and range-finding positioning or cross direction-finding positioning is performed to obtain physical position data information of the RFID labels, and therefore attached targets of the RFID labels are accurately and wirelessly positioned. The simple, flexible, economical and high-quality RFID wireless positioning service is provided for a user.

A range compensator for a gun sight for an associated gun is provided. The compensator includes at least one Risley prism pair that is rotatable in opposite relative directions about a common axis; mounting means for mounting the Risley prism pair to the sight between the sight and a target at a distance; and, a respective rotator associated with the Risley prism pair for rotating each prism in the Risley prism pair about the axis that is generally aligned with the path. The prisms are rotatable between an unrefracted range finding position in which a “line of departure” required to ensure the projectile strikes the target is determined and a refracted firing position in which the path of light extending between the sight and the target is refractively deviated to maintain the target centered with the sight when the gun is positioned along the required “line of departure”.

The invention provides an adaptive body temperature monitoring method and system, and the method comprises the steps: employing an image collection device for collecting an image of a monitoring region, and obtaining a monitoring object and a corresponding position from the collected image; judging the face posture of a monitoring object in the face, and determining an available temperature measurement region of the monitoring object accordingly; employing a range finding device for collecting the distance between the monitoring object and an infrared temperature measurer; adjusting the infrared temperature measurer to a temperature measurement head and to point to the monitoring object; scanning the available temperature measurement region through the infrared temperature measurer, obtaining a body temperature measurement result of the corresponding monitoring object, and obtaining a body temperature result of an object according to the distance between the monitoring object and the infrared temperature measurer and the body temperature result. The invention provides a body temperature monitoring scheme, and the monitoring object does not need to make specific adaptive motion to adapt to the body temperature monitoring device. The method and system achieve the automatic judgment of whether the monitoring object accords with the measurement condition or not, and also can achieve the active adjustment of the position and posture of the infrared temperature measurer to actively adapt to the monitoring object, so as to achieve the dynamic non-contact monitoring.

Dynamic range of a differential pixel is enhanced by injecting, synchronously or asynchronously, a fixed compensating offset (ΔV) into a differential signal capacitor whenever magnitude of the differential signal across the capacitor exceeds a predetermined value. The number (N) of ΔV offsets made is counted. Effective differential signal capacitor voltage V(t)=Vo+N·ΔV, where Vo is capacitor voltage. Differential pixel signal / noise ratio is increased by dynamically maximizing operational amplifier gain AG for each differential pixel.

Methods and systems are described herein for high-speed observation and recognition of an object which is within or passes through a designated area using 3D image data and tomography, stereo-photogrammetry, range finding and / or structured illumination. Such a security system may comprise multiple pairs of 3D sensors surrounding the designated area such as a portal or doorway. Alternatively, it may comprise a 3D sensor which is capable of acquiring 3D image data of an object that is situated in front of it. Using at least one 3D sensor and a 3D data collection technique such as structured illumination and / or stereo-photogrammetry, 3D image data of the object is acquired. 3D image data representing the object's surface may be determined based on the acquired data and may be compared to data representing known objects to identify the object. Methods for fast processing of 3D data and recognition of objects are also described.

The invention discloses a monocular vision range finding method based on geometric relation, and the method comprises the following steps: S1, calculating the distance between a section straight line of a target object and a camera lens in a horizontal plane; S2, calculating the distance between a target object and the optical axis of a monocular lens through the triangle similarity principle. According to the projection model of a camera, the method obtains the relation between a road surface coordinate system and an image coordinate system through geometric derivation, is simple in calculation process, is low in calculation complexity, and is lower in requirements for hardware. Meanwhile, the method can reach higher precision, and the error of the method is less than 0.5m. The method can effectively calculate the distance between the front vehicles or other obstacles under the conditions that the hardware configuration condition is very simple and almost no additional load and electric quantity is added, thereby achieving the effective avoidance. The method and device are good in application prospect, such as the technical field of automobile automatic driving or intelligent robot walking.

The invention provides a three-dimensional laser radar based on a MEMS scanning micro-mirror and a range finding method in view of the complex structure, the small scanning field of view, and the low refresh rate of a conventional laser radar based on a double-axis MEMS scanning micro-mirror. A single-axis MEMS scanning micro-mirror and an optical component with a one-dimensional amplification function are used in cooperation to realize two-dimensional surface scanning. A photoelectric detector composed of a linear detection unit is used for achieving laser echo detection. The three-dimensional laser radar is simple in structure, large in scanning field of view, and high in refresh rate.

In one embodiment of the range-finding sensor of the invention, a light-emitting element that projects light to a range-finding subject, and a light-receiving element that receives reflected light reflected by the range-finding subject, are disposed on a reference face, and the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are each individually sealed with resin by a translucent resin sealing portion. Further, the outer circumference of the translucent resin sealing portion is covered by an opaque resin sealing portion, and the opaque resin sealing portion is provided with a light-emitting portion slit that constricts the luminous flux of light projected to the range-finding subject, and a light-receiving portion slit that constricts the luminous flux of reflected light reflected by the range-finding subject.

A combination of location measurement apparatuses to measure in three dimensions the location of an excavator with respect to a job site, and to further measure the location of an excavated or a topographical feature with respect to the excavator by range finding from the excavator in proximity of the feature and contemporaneously recording measurement data on a computer.

A personal rescue signal system (PRSS) for quickly finding a transmitting target. More specifically, the PRSS includes as a personal rescue signal device (PRSD), worn on a person and emitting a radio frequency signal in an emergency condition. The PRSD is radio frequency coupled to a receiver within a handheld device and / or base unit. The handheld device would serve in directionally locating the PRSD source signal and also for range finding of the PRSD. One main intention of the PRSS is for rescue of firefighters down, or other operations where human life can quickly be put into harm's way.

An auto-focusing device and an electronic image pickup apparatus facilitates realizing a high focusing accuracy and a quick focusing operation simultaneously using an inexpensive plastic lens mount. The auto-focusing device according includes a means for correcting the conversion reference, if necessary, for converting the object distance measured by the open-control range finding means to a focusing position of the focusing lens based on the conversion reference and for moving the focusing lens to the converted focusing position. The electronic image pickup apparatus includes the auto-focusing device.

The invention discloses a portable crop parameter measurement and growth vigor intelligent analysis device and method. The device comprises a spectral imaging module, a laser structured light scatter emitter, a binocular photography measurement module, an image acquisition control module, a data acquisition module, a data processing module, a data analysis and application module and a battery module. The device and the method provided by the invention realize fast automatic measurement of a crop canopy structure based on a structured light measurement technology of laser triangulation range-finding principle. A laser single-point light source is converted to a specific form to serve as a light source by an optical splitter to generate evenly spaced point-like projection light sources, and the generated light beams can irradiate a measured surface. When a multispectral image is acquired, the three-dimensional coordinate or spatial form of each light spot or light bar by a photogrammetry technology, and three-dimensional reconstruction of a crop canopy structure can be realized by a spatial interpolation technology.