US5032023A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical fiber based sensor for a variable depth range camera
Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1990-07-02
•
Granted: 1991-07-16
•
Expires: 2010-07-02
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for a variable depth triangulation ranging system, the ranging system including means for emitting a light beam, means for focusing an emitted light beam on an object, and lens means for imaging reflected light onto an input end of said apparatus. The present apparatus includes an optical fiber bundle, the bundle including an input end and an output end, the bundle input end being disposed so as to intercept transmissions from said lens means, means for scanning, in a time-based manner, the bundle output end, the scanning means being configured to generate a time-based signal indicative of a light signals present at the bundle ouput end, and means for calculating system geometry and range from the time-based signal.
Inventors
- 👤 John L. Schneiter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 15:06
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S17/00; G01S17/02; G01S17/06; G01S17/46; G01S17/48; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
An apparatus for a variable depth triangulation ranging system, the ranging system including means for emitting a light beam, means for focusing an emitted light beam on an object, and lens means for imaging reflected light onto an input end of said apparatus, said apparatus comprising: an optical fiber bundle, said bundle including an input end and an output end, said bundle input end being disposed so as to intercept transmissions from said lens means; means for scanning, in a time-based manner, said bundle output end, said scanning means being configured to generate a time-based signal indicative of a light signal present at said bundle output end; and means for calculating system geometry and range from said time-based signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
119 words
An apparatus for a variable depth triangulation ranging system, the ranging system including means for emitting a light beam, means for focusing an emitted light beam on an object, and lens means for imaging reflected light onto an input end of said apparatus, said apparatus comprising: an optical fiber bundle, said bundle including an input end and an output end, said bundle input end being disposed so as to intercept transmissions from said lens means; means for scanning, in a time-based manner, said bundle output end, said scanning means being configured to generate a time-based signal indicative of a light signal present at said bundle output end; and means for calculating system geometry and range from said time-based signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said optical fiber bundle comprises 10 μm optical fibers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said optical fiber bundle comprises a plurality of 10 μm optical fibers bundled to form a coherent fiber optic ribbon one inch wide and one-sixteenth of an inch thick, said optical fibers having a numerical aperture of 0.66.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said scanning means comprises: an opaque encoder wheel having at least one transparent scanning slit, said encoder wheel disposed adjacent said fiber bundle output end and rotatable relative thereto.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said encoder wheel includes three scanning slits.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein each scanning slit is substantially rectangular shaped.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein each scanning slit is spiral shaped.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said encoder wheel includes encoding tracks.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said encoding tracks comprise a "once per rev" track, a scan onset track, and a 3600 pulse per rev track.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 further comprising: a light pipe aligned with said fiber bundle output end, said encoder wheel being disposed between said light pipe and said fiber bundle output end; and a photomultiplier tube disposed adjacent an output end of said light pipe.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said light pipe comprises a truncated pyramid including an assembly of front surface mirror glass for reflecting light along its inside surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said photomultiplier tube comprises a Hamamatsu side-on type photomultiplier tube.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said scanning means comprises: a polygon mirror aligned with said optical fiber bundle output end; and a photomultiplier tube aligned with said polygon mirror for receiving light reflected by said polygon mirror from said optical fiber bundle output end.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 13 wherein said photomultiplier tube comprises a Hamamatsu side-on type photomultiplier tube.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
71 words
An apparatus for converting light signals output from an optical fiber bundle output end to temporal-based electrical signals, said apparatus comprising: an opaque encoder wheel having at least one transparent scanning slit, said encoder wheel disposed adjacent said fiber bundle output end and rotatable relative thereto, said encoder wheel including means for enabling sensing of a position of said at least one scanning slit relative to said fiber bundle output end.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
71 words
An apparatus for converting light signals output from an optical fiber bundle output end to temporal-based electrical signals, said apparatus comprising: an opaque encoder wheel having at least one transparent scanning slit, said encoder wheel disposed adjacent said fiber bundle output end and rotatable relative thereto, said encoder wheel including means for enabling sensing of a position of said at least one scanning slit relative to said fiber bundle output end.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said encoder wheel includes three scanning slits.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein each scanning slit is substantially rectangular shaped.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein each scanning slit is spiral shaped.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 wherein said means for enabling sensing of a position of said at least one scanning slit includes at least one encoding track.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein said encoding tracks comprise a "once per rev" track, a scan onset track, and a 3600 pulse per rev track.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 15 further comprising: a light pipe aligned with said fiber bundle output end, said encoder wheel being disposed between said light pipe and said fiber bundle output end; and a photomultiplier tube disposed adjacent an output end of said light pipe.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 21 wherein said light pipe comprises a truncated pyramid including an assembly of front surface mirror glass for reflecting light along its inside surface.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 21 wherein said photomultiplier tube comprises a Hamamatsu side-on type photomultiplier tube.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3036153A
Cited
US3354319A
Cited
US3636365A
Cited
US4171160A
Cited
US4269512A
Cited
US4373805A
Cited
US4453083A
Cited
US4494868A
Cited
US4692613A
Cited
US4830485A
Cited
US4900146A
Cited
US4939379A
Cited
US4963017A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-07-15 | 1995-01-14 | 1995-07-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-07-15 | 1999-01-14 | 1999-07-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-07-15 | 2003-01-14 | 2003-07-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |