Abstract: A wading sensor for a vehicle comprises an ultrasonic parking distance control. An embodiment detects wading by sensing the difference in the settling time of the diaphragm of a transmitter/receiver, in water and in air. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus is characterized in that: a detection unit 1 is provided with a light beam generating unit 12 which is provided with a plurality of light beam generation optical units each of which is provided with a laser light source, and a collimator, and a light beam lighting control unit which generates pulse signals for lighting laser beams as pulse lights in time series, a camera unit 11 which generates position detection information of a plurality of the laser beams, and an optical setting unit 13 which sets the light beam generating unit and the camera unit; and projects the plurality of laser beams, and sets distances of cut lines which are respectively locus lines of the laser beams between intersection points of viewing angle end lines of the camera unit and locus lines of the laser beams, in the vertical direction, as the plurality of distance measurement ranges; and a distance calculation unit 2 obtains a distances from a reference surface, from the position detection information,

Abstract: An electro-optical distance measuring device includes a laser driver for a laser diode for emitting laser light pulses. The laser driver has a laser diode voltage supply for providing a voltage below a laser threshold voltage of the laser diode, an inductive component in a supply path of the laser diode, and an electronic switching element. The electronic switching element is arranged in an interacting manner such that a current flow through the inductive component can be generated in a first switching position of the switching element and the current flow can be conducted through the laser diode in a second switching position of the switching element. One of the laser light pulses can be emitted as the result of a switch from the first switching position to the second switching position, and laser light cannot be emitted in the static first switching position or the static second switching position.

Abstract: Techniques describe structures and methods for generating larger output signals and improving image quality of ultrasonic sensors by inclusion of an acoustic cavity in the sensor stack. In some embodiments, an ultrasonic sensor unit may be tuned during manufacturing or during a provisioning phase to work with different thicknesses and materials. In some embodiments, a standing wave signal may be generated using an acoustic cavity in the ultrasonic sensor unit for capturing an ultrasonic image of an object placed on a sensor surface. In some implementations, the ultrasonic sensor may include an ultrasonic transmitter, a piezoelectric receiver, a thin film transistor (TFT) layer and a TFT substrate positioned between the transmitter and the receiver, one or more adhesive layers, and optional cover materials and coatings. The thickness, density and speed of sound of the sensor materials and associated adhesive attachment layers may be used to attain the desired acoustic cavity and improved performance.

Abstract: A technique is presented for tracking a target illuminated by a laser designator. A light beam scattered from the target in response to illumination by the designator is received and projected on a detector as an unfocused spot. The detector is divided into a plurality of sectors, each sector being adjacent to two sectors and all sectors meeting at a common point. Each sector outputs a signal indicative of a respective energy of the portion of the light beam illuminating the sector of the detector. A sum of the signals is determined. A plurality of ratios is determined, each ratio corresponding to a respective sector and being calculated by dividing a signal from the respective sector by the sum of the signals. The orientation of the system with respect to the target is determined based on the three ratios, via a look-up table and/or via one or more algorithms.

Abstract: A laser distance comparator incorporates a case housing a laser controller for producing a laser beam. The case has a handle and a button for engagement of a positioning device over a reference ball. A switch control is present on the case for activating the laser controller and a central processing unit (CPU) receives an input from the switch control, providing outputs to the laser controller to obtain a distance measurement to at least one competition ball.

Abstract: An acoustic wave generator including a stack having a plurality of first layers configured to receive electrical and/or magnetic energy and a plurality of second layers configured in contact with the plurality of first layers, the plurality of second layers comprising one or more materials configured to change mechanical properties when electrical and/or magnetic energy is applied thereto. The generator further having at least one source configured in operational communication with the plurality of first layers and configured to supply at least one of phased electrical and/or magnetic energy to the plurality of first layers, wherein the stack is configured to (i) generate phased acoustic energy and (ii) at least one of amplify and store the generated phased acoustic energy in a first state and release said generator acoustic energy in a second state.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for measuring distance from an instrument origin to each of a plurality of points in an environment. Laser pulses are emitted along a measurement axis at successive displacements about the origin. The emission time of each pulse is time-shifted relative to a fixed rate. The time shift corresponds to an index of a repetitive sequential pattern. Received pulses are detected at respective arrival times. For each received pulse: a current apparent distance is determined, a measured delta distance is calculated, a range interval is assigned by comparing measured delta distance with an expected delta distance synchronized with the index of the latest emitted pulse, the current apparent distance is defined to be a true measured distance for any received pulse assigned to a first time interval, otherwise the current apparent distance is defined to be a false measured distance.

Abstract: The invention provides a measuring method for performing monitoring measurement on two or more objects to be measured by a measuring instrument, which comprises a telescope unit for sighting an object to be measured, a distance measuring unit for projecting a distance measuring light through the telescope unit and for measuring a distance to the object to be measured, an image pickup unit for taking an image by projecting a sighting light in sighting direction and for acquiring digital image, an angle detecting unit for detecting a directional angle in sighting direction of the telescope unit and an automatic sighting unit for carrying out automatic sighting on the object to be measured by the telescope unit, comprising a step of setting up a searching range, a light amount switch-over step of switching over a light amount of projected sighting light to a light amount for a short distance or for a long distance, a short distance searching step of searching the searching range as the light amount for short dis

Abstract: A motion sensor assembly is adapted to determine an angular velocity of a moving contrast in its field of view. The motion sensor assembly includes: a motion sensor with a first and a second analog photoreceptor each adapted for observing the moving contrast, the first and the second photoreceptors being separated by a predetermined interreceptor angle; and an angular velocity calculating unit connected to the first and second photoreceptors for calculating the angular velocity of the moving contrast based on a first and a second analog signal delivered by the first and the second photoreceptors, respectively. The first and the second analog signals delivered by the first and the second photoreceptors at are sampled a given sampling frequency to obtain a first and a second digital signal, respectively. An interpolator is configured to interpolate the first and the second digital signals upon their crossing a predetermined threshold between successive samples.

Abstract: In the present disclosure, a structure of a 3-dimensional space measurement device is maximally simplified to be easily carriable by a user to measure a 3-dimensional spatial data. For simplifying the structure, a light transmission unit and a light reception unit are fixed to a support plate, and the support plate is fixed to a rotation unit. Provided are a 3-dimensional space measurement device capable of adjusting a rotation angle of the rotation unit and a tilt angle of the support plate to efficiently measure a distance and space, and a measurement method of a distance and space for making 3-dimensional spatial data.

Abstract: A gas detector (10) includes a cell internal space (130) into which a target gas is supplied, the target gas exhibiting an absorption peak in an absorption spectrum; a light source (410) configured to generate light having at least a wavelength belonging to the absorption peak; and a photodetector (420) configured to detect the light that has emitted from the light source (410) and has propagated through the cell internal space (130). The gas detector (10) further includes a conductive thin film (220) in which a plurality of optical apertures (222) are regularly arranged such that a transmission peak in a transmission spectrum is superimposed over the absorption peak in the absorption spectrum along a wavelength axis. The conductive thin film (220) is provided on an optical path extending from the light source (410) to the photodetector (420), and is provided so as to be contactable with the target gas within the cell internal space (130).

Abstract: An ultrasonic measuring apparatus includes an ultrasonic transducer device having a substrate and an ultrasonic transducer element array that has a first channel group and a second channel group that are arranged on the substrate, a first integrated circuit apparatus that is mounted on the substrate, at one edge portion of the ultrasonic transducer element array in a first direction, such that a long-side direction coincides with a second direction that intersects the first direction, and performs at least one of signal transmission to the first channel group and signal reception from the first channel group, and a second integrated circuit apparatus that is mounted on the substrate, at the other edge portion of the ultrasonic transducer element array in the first direction, such that the long-side direction coincides with the second direction, and performs at least one of signal transmission to the second channel group and signal reception from the second channel group.

Abstract: An automotive lighting device includes a housing and at least one optical sensor disposed in the housing. The at least one optical sensor is configured to emit an optical signal and generating a data signal in response to a received reflected optical signal.

Abstract: Circuits, systems and methods that utilize two transducers, of which at least one is a piezoelectric transducer, adapted and coupled to receive and/or generate signals in the forms of sound waves, mechanical vibrations, and/or electromagnetic energy. In one version, two transducers each receive and/or generate separate vibrational energy signals that bear information. Two or more transducers coupled to a switching circuit may send or receive piezo-electrical circuit output signals that include a carrier wave having different frequencies that are within separate frequency ranges. Two or more transducers may generate output signals that are simultaneously processed by or multiplexed by a switching circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for monitoring a power line. The system includes a ground unit and one or more airborne measurement devices for measuring distances between the power line and objects spatially located in proximities of the power line. Each of the one or more airborne measurement devices includes a computing hardware, one or more cameras for capturing images and a data memory for storing pattern-recognition software. The pattern-recognition software is executed on the computing hardware to process the images to identify a unique identifier attached to the ground unit. Each of the one or more airborne measurement devices maintains a line-of-sight with the ground unit during flight by tracking with computer vision the unique identifier attached to the ground unit.

Abstract: This disclosure is related to hydrophones, for example hydrophones that may be used in marine seismic surveying, permanent reservoir monitoring, downhole acoustic monitoring in a wellbore, and/or various other applications. Some embodiments of a hydrophone according to this disclosure are constructed such that a longitudinal stiffness of the hydrophone is greater than a circumferential stiffness of the hydrophone. In some embodiments, however, the longitudinal stiffness may be somewhat less than the circumferential stiffness. For example, the longitudinal stiffness may be greater than one half the circumferential stiffness in some cases.

Abstract: A scanning device includes a scanner, which includes a base and a gimbal, mounted within the base so as to rotate relative to the base about a first axis. A receive mirror is mounted within the gimbal so as to rotate about a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis. A detector is mounted on the gimbal so as to rotate with the gimbal about the first axis and receive light reflected from the receive mirror while the receive mirror rotates about the second axis. A collection lens is mounted on the gimbal so as to rotate with the gimbal about the first axis while collecting the light so as to focus the light onto the detector by reflection from the receive mirror while the receive mirror rotates about the second axis.

Abstract: A laser diode firing circuit for a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device that includes an inductively coupled feedback system is disclosed. The firing circuit includes a laser diode coupled in series with a transistor, such that current through the laser diode is controlled by the transistor. The laser diode is configured to emit a pulse of light in response to current flowing through the laser diode. A feedback loop is positioned to be inductively coupled to a current path of the firing circuit that includes the laser diode. As such, a change in current flowing through the laser diode induces a voltage in the feedback loop. A change in voltage across the leads of the feedback loop can be detected and the timing of the voltage change can be used to determine the time that current begins flowing through the laser diode.

Abstract: In a TOF distance measurement employing light, the accuracy of distance measurement is improved without a significant increase in cost. A light source emits light to an object during an emission period. A sensor converts received reflected light (delay time ?) into an electrical signal during a plurality of signal accumulation periods, and accommodates the electrical signal. The signal accumulation period is set so that an accumulated signal amount varies depending on a distance to the object. The emission intensity of the light source is changed during the emission period so that the accumulated signal amount and the distance to the object has a nonlinear relationship.