US3610754A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for determining distances
Assignee: USNR LLC
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Filing: 1968-11-21
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Granted: 1971-10-05
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Expires: 1988-11-21
Abstract
Abstract The invention is a method for determining distances and in particular for determining the profile of a surface. A ray of electromagnetic radiation is directed from a given emission point on to the surface whose profile is to be determined. A television camera, whose optical axis is fixed in relation to the axis of emission, is arranged at a reception point which is fixed in relation to the emission point. A ray reflected by the surface is collected by the camera. The position of the axis of emission is measured while the position of the image on the sensitive surface of the camera is recorded by carrying out a single time count. The distance of the surface from the point of emission is computed from this time count.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Alfred Pirlet
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 01:27
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C3/00; G01C3/10; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/02; G01B11/022; G01S; G01S17/00; G01S17/02; G01S17/06; G01S17/46; H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/0007
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of determining the distance of a point on a surface from a given point, comprising directing a beam of electromagnetic radiation from said given point along a given axis of emission onto said surface; receiving rays reflected from said surface, by means of a television camera having an objective lens having an optical axis which is fixed in relation to said axis of emission, whereby an image of said point on the surface is formed on said photosensitive screen; electronically scanning said photosensitive screen; measuring the time taken to scan between a given reference point and said image; and calculating said distance from said time.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of determining the distance of a point on a surface from a given point, comprising directing a beam of electromagnetic radiation from said given point along a given axis of emission onto said surface; receiving rays reflected from said surface, by means of a television camera having an objective lens having an optical axis which is fixed in relation to said axis of emission, whereby an image of said point on the surface is formed on said photosensitive screen; electronically scanning said photosensitive screen; measuring the time taken to scan between a given reference point and said image; and calculating said distance from said time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distance is calculated from said time and from the geometry of the system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising generating an electrical signal representative of said time, and feeding said signal into an analog computer arranged to provide an output signal representing said distance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said objective lens has a solid angle of observation which presents, in a plane perpendicular to its optical axis, an elongate cross section whose greatest dimension lies in a plane parallel to the plane defined by said axis of emission and the optical center of said objective lens.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is laser radiation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is pulsed laser radiation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising filtering the radiation received by the camera, by means of a highly selective interference filter, to eliminate radiation originating from the surface itself.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising synchronizing the release of a pulse of radiation with the line synchronizing pulse of the scanning line on which time counting is to be carried out.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said given reference point is the frame synchronization signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2996946A
Cited
US3409368A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-04 | 1975-04-05 | 1975-10-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-04 | 1979-04-05 | 1979-10-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-04 | 1983-04-05 | 1983-10-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |