Pseudo-stabilization for Laser Rangefinders Using Rate Gyroscope Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laser rangefinders face limitations in increasing their effective range while adhering to Class 1 eye-safety standards, as they must reduce pulse energy and frequency to avoid off-target emissions, leading to inefficiencies in signal detection due to background noise.
Innovation Solution
A pseudo-stabilization technique using a rate gyroscope to monitor pitch and yaw motion, enabling more precise targeting and increased pulse energy output by only firing pulses when the device is aimed within a tolerance of the target, thereby reducing off-target emissions and enhancing signal-to-noise ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If laser pulse energy and frequency are increased to improve measurement range and speed, then measurement efficiency is improved, but off-target emissions increase causing eye-safety violations
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a rate gyroscope that continuously monitors the instrument's pitch and yaw deviations from the aiming point, providing real-time feedback on aiming accuracy. This feedback mechanism enables the control system to adjust pulse emission timing and timing, ensuring pulses are only emitted when the instrument is properly aimed at the target, thus preventing off-target emissions while maintaining high measurement efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary aiming verification using the rate gyroscope to track and confirm proper target acquisition before initiating laser pulse emission. By pre-verifying the aiming point and ensuring the instrument is correctly positioned, the system prevents off-target emissions from occurring in the first place, resolving the contradiction between high productivity and eye-safety compliance
2Reliability
If pulse energy is reduced to comply with Class 1 eye-safety standards, then eye-safety compliance is improved, but signal detection accuracy deteriorates due to background noise
Solution Approach 1:
The rate gyroscope provides continuous feedback on angular deviations, enabling the system to maintain precise targeting even with lower pulse energies. By ensuring every emitted pulse is accurately directed at the target through real-time monitoring and adjustment, the system maximizes the effectiveness of each lower-energy pulse, maintaining signal detection accuracy while complying with Class 1 eye-safety standards
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temporal parameter of pulse emission by using higher pulse repetition frequency combined with precise timing control based on gyroscope feedback. This parameter change allows the system to emit multiple lower-energy pulses in quick succession, each precisely targeted, thereby accumulating sufficient signal strength for accurate detection while maintaining eye-safety compliance
3Loss of time
If pulse repetition frequency is increased to improve measurement speed, then measurement time is reduced, but the proportion of off-target pulses increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rate gyroscope provides real-time feedback on instrument orientation during the measurement process, enabling the control system to dynamically adjust pulse emission timing based on current aiming accuracy. This feedback mechanism ensures that even at high pulse repetition frequencies, pulses are only emitted when the instrument is properly aimed, preventing energy waste while maintaining fast measurement times
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic pulse emission synchronized with the periodic sampling of the rate gyroscope. By rhythmically emitting pulses at optimized intervals and only when aiming criteria are met, the system achieves high measurement speed through increased pulse frequency while minimizing off-target energy waste through synchronized, condition-based emission timing
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This technique allows for a higher pulse repetition frequency and energy output while maintaining compliance with Class 1 eye-safety standards, improving the instrument's range by concentrating pulses on the target and reducing noise, leading to faster and more accurate distance measurements.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a rate gyroscope to track the instrument's aiming point
Implementation Method 2
a laser transmit section operatively controlled by said microprocessor
Implementation Method 3
operate to calculate distance by measuring the time of flight of very short pulses of infrared light
Data Source
AI summary
A pseudo-stabilization technique for laser-based speed and rangefinding instruments utilizing a rate gyroscope to monitor the device pitch and yaw motion to operationally increase the effective range of the device by serving to obviate the emission of laser pulses off-target. In this manner, the pulse firing rate can be increased when the instrument is correctly aimed at the target as well enabling the concomitant emission of pulses with greater energy while remaining within the applicable Class 1 eye-safety constraints.