Distance-measuring method and apparatus

Claim 1

APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED HAVING, IN COMBINATION, A LIGHT-FLASH-PRODUCING SYSTEM THAT MAY OCCUPY DIFFERENT PHYSICAL POSITIONS AND PROVIDED WITH VOLTAGE-STORING MEANS FOR FLASHING THE SAME BY UTILIZATION OF THE STORED VOLTAGE, ENERGY-TRANSMITTING MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE FLASH-PRODUCING SYSTEM TO OCCUPY THE SAID POSITIONS THEREWITH FOR TRANSMITTING ENERGY SIGNALS INDICATIVE OF THE POSITION OF THE FLASH-PRODUCING SYSTEM, THE ENERGYTRANSMITTING MEANS BEING CONNECTED TO OPERATE FROM THE SAID VOLTAGE-STORING MEANS IN ORDER THAT, UPON FLASHING OF THE FLASH-PRODUCING SYSTEM THROUGH UTILIZATION OF THE STORED VOLTAGE, THE ENERGY-TRANSMITTING MEANS IS RENDERED AT LEAST MOMENTARILY INOPERATIVE, THEREBY TO INDICATE THAT THE FLASH-PRODUCING SYSTEM HAS FLASHED.

Claim 3

A METHOD OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED THAT COMPRISES DIRECTING ENERGY TRANSMITTED BY A TRANSMITTER SIMULTANEOUSLY ALONG A FIRST DIRECTION TO A REMOTE POINT AND ALONG A SECOND, SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE DIRECTION TOWARD A PREDETERMINED ENERGY-REFLECTIVE SURFACE, MOVING SAID TRANSMITTER AWAY FROM SAID REMOTE POINT TOWARD SAID SURFACE DURING THE TRANSMISSION OF SAID ENERGY AND MAINTAINING SAID TRANSMITTER BETWEEN SAID REMOTE POINT AND SAID PREDETERMINED SURFACE, RECEIVING AT THE REMOTE POINT THE ENERGY TRANSMITTED THERETO ALONG THE FIRST DIRECTION AND THE ENERGY TRANSMITTED ALONG THE SECOND DIRECTION AND REFLECTED FROM THE SAID SURFACE TO THE REMOTE POINT, AND DETERMINING FROM SAID RECEIVED ENERGY THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSMITTER AND THE SAID SURFACE.

Claim 4

A METHOD OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED THAT COMPRISES DIRECTING ENERGY TRANSMITTED BY A TRANSMITTER SIMULTANEOUSLY ALONG A FIRST DIRECTION TO A REMOTE POINT AND ALONG A SECOND, SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE DIRECTION TOWARD A PREDETERMINED ENERGY-REFLECTIVE SURFACE, MOVING SAID TRANSMITTER AWAY FROM SAID REMOTE POINT TOWARD SAID SURFACE DURING THE TRANSMISSION OF SAID ENERGY AND MAINTAINING SAID TRANSMITTER BETWEEN SAID REMOTE POINT AND SAID PREDETERMINED SURFACE, RECEIVING AT THE REMOTE POINT THE ENERGY TRANSMITTED THERETO ALONG THE FIRST DIRECTION AND THE ENERGY TRANSMITTED ALONG THE SECOND DIRECTION AND REFLECTED FROM THE SAID SURFACE TO THE REMOTE POINT, AND DETERMINING FROM SAID RECEIVED ENERGY THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TRANSMITTER AND THE SAID SURFACE.