Abstract: An optical distance measuring device includes a light emitting element in which a plurality of light emitting units 16 that emit light are arranged so that a gap is present between adjacent ones of the light emitting units, a transmission unit through which the light is transmitted, a drive unit that changes a positional relationship between the light emitting element and the transmission unit, and a light receiving unit that receives reflected light of the light. The drive unit changes the positional relationship between the light emitting element and the transmission unit, thereby changing an irradiation path of the light along an arrangement direction.

Abstract: In a ranging device, a characteristic setting unit is configured to extract, from one or more pieces of received-light information representing changes with time in amount of received light acquired by the light receiving unit, at least one of a received-light amount range and a light reception time range of pulsed light other than emitted light from the light emitting unit, as a specified range. A received-light integration unit is configured to generate integrated received-light information by integrating the received-light information on a time axis with emission timings matched over a plurality of light receptions. A distance calculation unit is configured to exclude or identify distance noise formed of pulsed waveforms arising from pulsed light other than the emitted light, using the specified range extracted by the characteristic setting unit, and calculate a distance to the object reflecting the emitted light.

Abstract: In a ranging device, a characteristic setting unit is configured to extract, from one or more pieces of received-light information representing changes with time in amount of received light acquired by the light receiving unit, at least one of a received-light amount range and a light reception time range of pulsed light other than emitted light from the light emitting unit, as a specified range. A received-light integration unit is configured to generate integrated received-light information by integrating the received-light information on a time axis with emission timings matched over a plurality of light receptions. A distance calculation unit is configured to exclude or identify distance noise formed of pulsed waveforms arising from pulsed light other than the emitted light, using the specified range extracted by the characteristic setting unit, and calculate a distance to the object reflecting the emitted light.

Abstract: A LIDAR device for measuring a distance to an object in a scanning zone includes a light source, a light receiver, a rotatable mirror, a motor, an angle sensor, and a controller. The rotatable mirror is configured to reflect the light beam emitted from the light source toward the scanning zone. The motor is configured to rotate the mirror back and forth between a first position and a second position. The angle sensor is configured to detect a rotation angle of the mirror and to output a detection signal indicative of the rotation angle of the mirror at a plurality of predetermined angle intervals during each rotation cycle between the first position and the second position of the mirror. The controller is configured to output a control signal to the light source to emit a light beam upon receiving the detection signal from the angle sensor.

Abstract: A LIDAR device for measuring a distance to an object in a scanning zone includes a light source, a light receiver, a rotatable mirror, a motor, an angle sensor, and a controller. The rotatable mirror is configured to reflect the light beam emitted from the light source toward the scanning zone. The motor is configured to rotate the mirror back and forth between a first position and a second position. The angle sensor is configured to detect a rotation angle of the mirror and to output a detection signal indicative of the rotation angle of the mirror at a plurality of predetermined angle intervals during each rotation cycle between the first position and the second position of the mirror. The controller is configured to output a control signal to the light source to emit a light beam upon receiving the detection signal from the angle sensor.

Abstract: An optical distance measuring device includes a light emitting part, a mirror, a scanner that scans a predetermined scanning range with an irradiation light by operating the mirror in a forward movement motion and a backward movement motion, a light receiving part that detects a reflected light returned by reflecting the irradiation light from a target existing in the scanning range, a distance calculating part that calculates a distance to the target, a timing signal generating part that generates the timing signal according to a signal from an outside of the optical distance measuring device, and a control unit that controls a light emission of the light emitting part and an operation of the scanner. The control unit synchronizes the operation of the scanner with a predetermined timing signal by adjusting a time of one cycle of the scanner while maintaining the distance measuring period of the forward movement motion.

Abstract: In an apparatus, each of light receiving elements outputs an intensity signal based on a corresponding intensity of return light from a measurement space. The return light includes reflected light reflected based on reflection of the measurement light by a target object. An identifying unit identifies a light receiving area in the light detection region as a function of the intensity signals of the respective light receiving elements. The light receiving area is based on specified light receiving elements in the plurality of light receiving elements. The specified light receiving elements are arranged to receive the reflected light. An estimating unit estimates, based on a geometry of the light receiving area, a state of the apparatus including a state of the optical system.

Abstract: A LIDAR device for measuring a distance to an object in a scanning zone includes a light source, a light receiver, a rotatable mirror, a motor, an angle sensor, and a controller. The rotatable mirror is configured to reflect the light beam emitted from the light source toward the scanning zone. The motor is configured to rotate the mirror back and forth between a first position and a second position. The angle sensor is configured to detect a rotation angle of the mirror and to output a detection signal indicative of the rotation angle of the mirror at a plurality of predetermined angle intervals during each rotation cycle between the first position and the second position of the mirror. The controller is configured to output a control signal to the light source to emit a light beam upon receiving the detection signal from the angle sensor.

Abstract: An optical distance measurement apparatus that measures a distance using a round-trip time of light to an object includes an irradiator, a plurality of SPADs, a plurality of signal output units, a response number detector, a timing identifier, and a timing corrector. The response number detector detects a response number representing the number of responding one of the SPADs based on a pulse signal. The timing identifier identifies a temporary timing based on a state of variation in the response number along a time series and identifies a detection timing representing a timing when the optical distance measurement apparatus detects light in accordance with the temporary timing. The timing corrector acquires a correction time representing a time difference between the temporary timing and a true timing corresponding to a distance to an object and sets a timing corrected from the temporary timing by the correction time as the detection timing.

Abstract: In an apparatus, each of light receiving elements outputs an intensity signal based on a corresponding intensity of return light from a measurement space. The return light includes reflected light reflected based on reflection of the measurement light by a target object. An identifying unit identifies a light receiving area in the light detection region as a function of the intensity signals of the respective light receiving elements. The light receiving area is based on specified light receiving elements in the plurality of light receiving elements. The specified light receiving elements are arranged to receive the reflected light. A distance measuring unit measures the distance of the target object in accordance with the intensity signals received by the specified light receiving elements.

Abstract: An optical distance measurement apparatus includes a casing, a light emitting unit, a mirror, a rotating unit, a light receiving unit, a window portion, and a reference angle marker. The light emitting unit emits laser light. The mirror is arranged inside the casing and reflects the laser light that is emitted from the light emitting unit. The rotating unit rotates the mirror. The light receiving unit includes a light receiving element for receiving incident light. The window portion is provided in the casing and is for emitting the laser light that is reflected by the mirror outside the casing. The reference angle marker is provided in at least either of the casing and the window portion, and is detected by the light receiving unit based on a rotation angle of the mirror being a reference rotation angle that is prescribed in advance.

Abstract: A distance measuring device includes a deflecting mirror configured to reflect transmission waves, and a swing motor configured to swing the deflecting mirror round a swing shaft so that scanning with the transmission waves is performed within a predetermined scanning region. The swing motor is configured to swing the deflecting mirror within a range of a predetermined rotation angle from a reference position, which is a rotational position of the deflecting mirror that reflects the transmission waves in a direction to a substantial center of the scanning region. The deflecting mirror is configured to return to the reference position when a distance measuring process, in which scanning with the transmission waves is repeated, ends.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus includes a light emitter, a receiver, a calculator, a case having a window, and a determiner for determining that dirt is adhered to the window in response to determination that a dirt determination condition is satisfied. The dirt determination condition includes a first condition that a specified light intensity level at a specified value of a time of flight for at least one pixel of a view region in a histogram is larger than or equal to at least one value of an intensity threshold calculated for the at least one pixel of the view region.

Abstract: In a ranging device, a characteristic setting unit is configured to extract, from one or more pieces of received-light information representing changes with time in amount of received light acquired by the light receiving unit, at least one of a received-light amount range and a light reception time range of pulsed light other than emitted light from the light emitting unit, as a specified range. A received-light integration unit is configured to generate integrated received-light information by integrating the received-light information on a time axis with emission timings matched over a plurality of light receptions. A distance calculation unit is configured to exclude or identify distance noise formed of pulsed waveforms arising from pulsed light other than the emitted light, using the specified range extracted by the characteristic setting unit, and calculate a distance to the object reflecting the emitted light.

Abstract: An optical ranging device comprises: a light emitting portion emitting laser light; a scanning portion performing a scan using the laser light emitted from the light emitting portion; a light receiving portion receiving incident light; a rotation angle sensor detecting a rotation angle of the scanning portion; and a control device configured to: acquire the rotation angle and output a drive signal to the light emitting portion, and use a correction value determined using at least an emission delay period from when the rotation angle is acquired to when the laser light is emitted, to perform at least one of a first correction control of an emission timing of the laser light and a second correction control of a detection angle of distance data generated using a received light signal output from the light receiving portion that received the laser light.

Abstract: An optical distance measuring device using light includes a light-emitting part in which a first and second light-emitting elements that have a light-emitting region, in which a length in a first direction is longer than that in a second direction intersecting the first direction, are separated from each other in the second direction; two projection lenses that are respectively provided to correspond to the first and second light-emitting elements, and are separated from each other in the second direction and arranged at positions overlapping each other in the first direction; a scanner that scans a measurement region with emitted beams emitted from the light-emitting part and have passed through the projection lenses; a light receiving part that receives reflected light of the emitted beams emitted from the light-emitting part; and a measurement section measuring a distance to an object according to a time period from light emission to light reception.

Abstract: In a system for monitoring surroundings of a vehicle, an optical ranging device including a light emitting unit, a light receiving unit configured to receive reflected light from a measurement region, toward which the illumination light from the light emitting unit is projected, and a measurement unit configured to measure a distance to an object within the measurement region using a signal corresponding to a state of the reflected light, output from the light receiving unit. A shape of the measurement region as the illumination light is projected along a horizontal direction onto a cylindrical plane along a vertical direction, surrounding the optical ranging device, is a narrow-at-end shape. The optical ranging device and another optical ranging device are arranged on the vehicle such that the illumination light from the optical ranging device has a larger depression angle than illumination light from the other optical ranging device.

Abstract: A LIDAR device for measuring a distance to an object in a scanning zone includes a light source, a light receiver, a rotatable mirror, a motor, an angle sensor, and a controller. The rotatable mirror is configured to reflect the light beam emitted from the light source toward the scanning zone. The motor is configured to rotate the mirror back and forth between a first position and a second position. The angle sensor is configured to detect a rotation angle of the mirror and to output a detection signal indicative of the rotation angle of the mirror at a plurality of predetermined angle intervals during each rotation cycle between the first position and the second position of the mirror. The controller is configured to output a control signal to the light source to emit a light beam upon receiving the detection signal from the angle sensor.

Abstract: An optical distance measuring device includes a light emitting element in which a plurality of light emitting units 16 that emit light are arranged so that a gap is present between adjacent ones of the light emitting units, a transmission unit through which the light is transmitted, a drive unit that changes a positional relationship between the light emitting element and the transmission unit, and a light receiving unit that receives reflected light of the light. The drive unit changes the positional relationship between the light emitting element and the transmission unit, thereby changing an irradiation path of the light along an arrangement direction.

Abstract: An optical distance measurement apparatus according to an aspect of the disclosure includes an irradiator, a plurality of SPADs, a plurality of signal output units, a response number detector, a timing identifier, and a timing corrector. The response number detector detects a response number representing the number of responding one of the SPADs based on a pulse signal. The timing identifier identifies a temporary timing based on a state of variation in the response number along a time series and identifies a detection timing representing a timing when the optical distance measurement apparatus detects light in accordance with the temporary timing. The timing corrector acquires a correction time representing a time difference between the temporary timing and a true timing corresponding to a distance to an object and sets a timing corrected from the temporary timing by the correction time as the detection timing.