초록 ▼

A LIDAR scanning system having a rotating multifaceted polygon mirror for transmitting modulated light from one of its facets to a surface. Diffuse light reflected off said surface is received by another facet of the polygon mirror and reflected to a photo detector. The phase difference between the

A LIDAR scanning system having a rotating multifaceted polygon mirror for transmitting modulated light from one of its facets to a surface. Diffuse light reflected off said surface is received by another facet of the polygon mirror and reflected to a photo detector. The phase difference between the transmitted and received light is then used to compute the range of the surface from the scanning system. The intensity of the returned light is used to create a gray scale image of the surface. The use of separate optical paths for the transmitted and returned light, and a small scanned field of view results in an improved signal-to-noise ratio.

대표청구항 ▼

A LIDAR scanning system for providing a three-dimensional image of a surface, said system comprising: a modulated light source; a light detector; a rotating multifaceted mirror including a first facet reflecting light emitted from said light source onto said surface, and a second facet receiving dif

A LIDAR scanning system for providing a three-dimensional image of a surface, said system comprising: a modulated light source; a light detector; a rotating multifaceted mirror including a first facet reflecting light emitted from said light source onto said surface, and a second facet receiving diffuse light reflected back from said surface, said diffuse light received by said second facet being reflected to said light detector; and range determining means for determining the range of said surface relative to a predetermined datum in accordance with the state of modulation of the light received by said light detector relative to the modulated light emitted by said light source, and including zero reference means comprising a pair of fiber optic light pipes of differing predetermined lengths for receiving light at first terminals thereof located adjacent to said modulated light source and emitting light from second terminals thereof located adjacent to said light detector for providing reference signals to said light detector having known states of modulation.