Abstract: A surveying instrument including a light projecting optical system which projects the distance measuring light, a light receiving optical system which receives the reflected distance measuring light from an object, a frame unit 5 which horizontally rotates around a horizontal rotation shaft, a scanning mirror which is provided in the frame unit, vertically rotates, a horizontal angle detector which detects a horizontal angle of the frame unit, a vertical angle detector which detects a vertical angle of the scanning mirror and an arithmetic control module which calculates the three-dimensional coordinates of the object, in which the light receiving optical system has a reflecting mirror having a reflecting surface which is an off-axis paraboloidal surface or an off-axis free-form surface, and the reflected distance measuring light is configured to be led to a light receiving module by the reflecting mirror while being condensed.

Abstract: Multiplexed phased array sonar systems and methods for consumer fishfinders are described herein. In one embodiment a single curved transmit transducer and an array of receive transducers are provided, and in an embodiment the signals from the receive transducers are multiplexed, which greatly reduces the data load, allowing for the achievement of the near real time, high resolution imagery in a size and price point that enables this technology to be employed in a consumer fish finder.

Abstract: One example provides a method of operating a time-of-flight camera system comprising an illumination source and an image sensor. The method comprises operating the illumination source and the image sensor to control a plurality of integration cycles and a plurality of readout cycles. In each integration cycle, the method comprises performing a plurality of pulse width modulated (PWM) illumination cycles where each PWM illumination cycle is separated from one or more adjacent PWM illumination cycles by a non-illumination cycle. For each PWM illumination cycle, the method comprises directing photocharge to in-pixel memory for each pixel that is performing image integration and for each non-illumination cycle conducting photocharge away from the in-pixel memory for each pixel that is performing image integration. The readout cycle comprises, for each pixel that performed image integration, reading a charge stored in the in-pixel memory after the integration cycle.

Abstract: An underwater ultrasonic device includes a curvilinear ultrasonic transducer and a plurality of straight linear ultrasonic transducers. The straight linear ultrasonic transducers are disposed with respect to the curvilinear ultrasonic transducer. A first angle is included between the straight linear ultrasonic transducers. One of the curvilinear ultrasonic transducer and the straight linear ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit a plurality of ultrasonic signals. Another one of the curvilinear ultrasonic transducer and the straight linear ultrasonic transducer is configured to receive a plurality of reflected signals of the ultrasonic signals.

Abstract: A manually rotatable sonar transducer mounting apparatus for mounting a sonar transducer to a boat and providing a means to mechanically rotate a submerged sonar transducer with little mechanical effort or movement and with very little sound. A method for rotating a submerged sonar transducer using the manually rotatable sonar transducer mounting apparatus.

Abstract: Integrated two-dimensional multi-beam LiDAR transmitter based on the Butler matrix, comprising an tunable laser array, a frequency modulated continuous wave modulator array, an N×N Butler optical matrix network, an N×M optical beam expanding network, an M-path phase shifter array, and an M-path two-dimensional LiDAR emitters.

Abstract: A system for classifying pulses from a sensor configured to detect one or more objects includes a processor and a memory in communication with the processor. The memory has a pulse classification module having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to obtain a signal having a pulse and classify the pulse as one of: (1) a single object pulse indicating that the one or more objects represented by the pulse is a single object and (2) a plurality of objects pulse indicating that the one or more objects represented by the pulse are multiple objects. The classification of the pulse may utilize one or more of the following: a pulse width of the pulse, a rising slope of the pulse during a rising period, a falling slope of the pulse during a falling period, and a saturating width of the pulse.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of operation for capacitive radio frequency micro-electromechanical switches, such as CMUT cells for use in an ultrasound system. An RFMEMS may include substrate, a first electrode connected to the substrate, a membrane and a second electrode connected to the membrane. In some examples, there is a dielectric stack between the first electrode and the second electrode and flexible membrane. The dielectric stack design minimizes drift in the membrane collapse voltage. In other examples, one of the electrodes is in the form of a ring, and a third electrode is provided to occupy the space in the center of the ring. Alternatively, the first and second electrodes are both in the form of a ring and there is a support between the electrodes inside the rings.

Abstract: Techniques, systems, and devices are disclosed for spatial and temporal encoding of transmission in full synthetic transmit aperture imaging to achieve optimal spatial and contrast resolution and large signal-to-noise ratio for medical imaging applications with fewer signal transmissions, which can be equal to or less than the number of array elements within the aperture. In some aspects, a method of signal transmission is disclosed that includes a sequence of one or more sets of transmissions on a plurality of elements with unique, random, and/or optimized combinations of waveforms using amplitude and phase, and/or delay encoding. Sets of echoes corresponding to the sequence are beamformed such that fewer transmissions are needed than the number of array elements within the aperture, while maintaining complete spatial sampling of the aperture as if sampled according to a full set of synthetic transmit aperture transmissions on the same aperture.

Abstract: A method for providing a digital sensor signal (DS) from an ultrasonic sensor (16) for signal transmission to a signal receiver (28) is disclosed, in which a digital output signal (OS) from the ultrasonic sensor (16) is processed to form the digital sensor signal for signal transmission. Provision is made for the processing to comprise the following steps: (i) determining a signal change (SC) of successive values of the output signal (OS), (ii) scaling this signal change (SC) by means of a variable scaling factor (SF) which is specified by a scaling scheme known to the ultrasonic sensor (16) and the signal receiver (28), and (iii) outputting the scaled signal change (SC) as the digital sensor signal (DS).

Abstract: A bracket for holding a universal transducer for use with a fishing or other boat, including a transducer assembly, having a transducer shaft, which brackets a transducer at its bottom end, while its upper end is connected either to the side of the boat, or onto the upper portions, such as the gear box, of the associated trolling motor, to provide the means for scoping the underwater typography through usage of a universal transducer, as available in the art. The upper end of the transducer shaft connects to a bracket, applied onto the bracket is a geared motor, such as a reversing motor, that can pivot the transducer in an approximate 360-degree direction.

Abstract: Disclosed are an object recognition apparatus and method for a vehicle. The object recognition apparatus for a vehicle may include two or more sensors each configured to transmit a signal toward an object and receive signals having a direct path and indirect path and reflected and received from the object, a time of flight (ToF) detector configured to detect ToFs of the direct path and indirect path of each of the two or more sensors using the signals having the direct path and indirect path and received by each of the two or more sensors, and an object recognizer configured to recognize the object using the ToFs of the direct path and indirect path of each of the two or more sensors, detected by the ToF detector.

Abstract: An image capturing method, comprising: scanning with a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor an environment of the LIDAR sensor, wherein the LIDAR sensor progressively rotates about a rotation axis at a step angle, and when scanning each step angle the LIDAR sensor generates a point cloud of a portion of the environment in a predetermined pattern; scanning with an image sensor assembly mechanically coupled to the LIDAR sensor the environment in synchronization with the scanning by the LIDAR sensor to generate on an imaging plane of the image sensor assembly a sequence of image pixel rows of a portion of the environment corresponding to the point cloud of the portion of the environment; and combining the point cloud with the sequence of image pixel rows for the scanning of each step angle to obtain a fused image of the portion of the environment.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a mirror assembly for controlling optical directions in an optical sensing system. The mirror assembly may include a frame and a beam structure mechanically coupled to the frame. The beam structure may define a rotational axis. The mirror assembly may also include a micro mirror suspended by the beam structure. The mirror assembly may further include a plurality of piezoelectric actuators mechanically coupled to the frame and configured to rotate the micro mirror along the rotational axis. Each of the plurality of piezoelectric actuators may be disposed between the rotational axis and an outer edge of the frame.

Abstract: A light detection and ranging system includes synchronously scanning transmit and receive mirrors that scan a pulsed fanned laser beam in two dimensions. Imaging optics image a receive aperture onto an arrayed receiver that includes a plurality of light sensitive devices. Adaptive methods dynamically modify the size and location of the field of view as well as laser pulse properties in response to internal and external sensors data.

Abstract: An ultrasonic data transmission method, apparatus and system, a terminal device and a medium are provided. The method is applied to a transmitting terminal which includes at least two ultrasonic signal transmitting arrays. The method includes: a single-frequency ultrasonic coding signal of to-be-transmitted information corresponding to each ultrasonic signal transmitting array is respectively determined, ultrasonic codes of to-be-transmitted information corresponding to different ultrasonic signal transmitting arrays being different; and corresponding at least two single-frequency ultrasonic code signals are transmitted through the at least two ultrasonic signal transmitting arrays to a receiving terminal in a focusing mode, frequency bands of transmitting frequencies of different ultrasonic signal transmitting arrays being different.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer device comprises a piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT), a transmitter with first and second differential outputs, and a controller. The PMUT includes a membrane layer. A bottom electrode layer, comprising a first bottom electrode and a second bottom electrode, is disposed above the membrane layer. The piezoelectric layer is disposed above the bottom electrode layer. The top electrode layer is disposed above the piezoelectric layer and comprises a segmented center electrode disposed above a center of the membrane layer and a segmented outer electrode spaced apart from the segmented center electrode. The controller, responsive to the PMUT being placed in a transmit mode, is configured to couple the first and second segments of the bottom electrode layer with ground, couple the first output of the transmitter with the segments of the segmented center electrode, and couple the second output with the segments of the segmented outer electrode.

Abstract: System and method for generating Pulse Position Modulated (PPM) lidar waveforms generating Pulse Position Modulated (PPM) waveforms in a lidar includes: a) creating a modulation pool, based on a maximum nominal pulse repetition frequency (PRF); b) eliminating bad modulation levels from the modulation pool to generate a good modulation pool; c) selecting a modulation level from the good modulation pool to generate a PPM code element; d) repeating steps b and c N times to generate an N-element PPM code, wherein the PPM code is PRF independent; e) selecting a PRF less than the maximum nominal PRF; f) generating a PPM waveform by applying the N-element PPM code to the selected PRF; and g) transmitting the PPM waveform by the lidar toward a target to determine a range to the target.

Abstract: Methods and devices for correcting underwater photon displacement and for depth sounding with a single-photon Lidar are provided. The method includes: acquiring a pointing angle of a photon emitted by the single-photon Lidar, and coordinates of a water-surface photon signal and a water-bottom photon signal returned by the photon emitted by the single-photon Lidar; performing a sea wave fitting according to the water-surface photon signal to determine a sea wave model; determining an intersection of the photon and an air-water interface according to coordinates of any water-bottom photon, the pointing angle and the sea wave model; determining an underwater displacement error of the photon according to the intersection, the sea wave model and the pointing angle; and correcting the coordinates of the water-bottom photon according to the underwater displacement error. The invention performs sea wave modeling through water surface photon signal and determines intersection of the photon and water-air interface.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a vehicle sensor of a motor vehicle. The method includes: ascertaining sensor data for a plurality of measuring points in time during a total measuring time period, the total measuring time period being subdivided into partial measuring time periods, and the motor vehicle moving relative to objects in surroundings of the motor vehicle; for each partial measuring time period, computing positions of the objects based on the ascertained sensor data; for each partial measuring time period, computing a partial measuring time period sinogram based on the computed positions; computing a total measuring time period sinogram by adding the partial measuring time period sinograms and correcting using a factor that is a function of the partial measuring time period sinograms; ascertaining an orientation of the vehicle sensor based on the total measuring time period sinogram; and calibrating the vehicle sensor based on the ascertained orientation.