Abstract: A target detecting device projects measuring light over a predetermined range in front of a vehicle, receives reflected light from a target, and detects the target or a distance to the target, based on a light reception signal output according to the light reception state. The light projecting unit includes a light emitting element emitting measuring light and light diffusion members. The light diffusion members are provided on an upper end portion and a lower end portion of a light projecting lens constituting part of a light projecting path, and diffuses, in the vertical direction, measuring light emitted from the light emitting element and traveling through the end portions in the vertical direction of the light traveling path while transmitting the measuring light.

Abstract: A projection optical system includes a laser diode; a laser diode module having a plurality of the laser diodes one-line arranged; a light projecting lens to adjust spread of light emitted from the respective laser diodes; and an optical deflector to deflect light passing through the light projecting lens and irradiate a target with the deflected light. The laser diodes emit light such that the light spreads at a first angle in a first direction and spreads at a second angle being wider than the first angle in a second direction being perpendicular to the first direction. The laser diode modules are disposed such that an arrangement direction thereof coincides with the first direction and they are placed along the second direction and shifted in position relative to each other in the first direction. The light projecting lenses are disposed with corresponding to the laser diode modules.

Abstract: A target detecting device projects measuring light over a predetermined range in front of a vehicle, receives reflected light from a target, and detects the target or a distance to the target, based on a light reception signal output according to the light reception state. The light projecting unit includes a light emitting element emitting measuring light and light diffusion members. The light diffusion members are provided on an upper end portion and a lower end portion of a light projecting lens constituting part of a light projecting path, and diffuses, in the vertical direction, measuring light emitted from the light emitting element and traveling through the end portions in the vertical direction of the light traveling path while transmitting the measuring light.

Abstract: A target detecting device includes: an optical scanner including a mirror; and a casing. The target detecting device further includes a light shielding portion configured to partition the casing into a light projecting space through which projected light travels and a light receiving space through which reflected light travels and configured to block light. The mirror has a first reflecting region which reflects the projected light and a second reflecting region which reflects the reflected light, the first reflecting region and the second reflecting region being located in an identical reflecting surface. The light shielding portion includes: a movable light shielding portion provided on the mirror so as to separate the first reflecting region and the second reflecting region and configured to be movable in conjunction with the mirror; and a fixed light shielding portion fixed to the casing so as to surround the movable light shielding portion.

Abstract: A target object detection device includes: a projection unit; a light receiving unit; an object detection unit; a distance measurement unit; and a region setting unit that sets a short distance detection region and a long distance detection region. The object detection unit detects a change state of a path based on a result of measurement performed by the distance measurement unit. The region setting unit sets the short distance detection region and the long distance detection region based on the change state of the path detected by the object detection unit. A projection distance of the measurement light is longer, a spread angle of the measurement light is smaller, and a detection sensitivity of the target object is higher in the long distance detection region than those in the short distance detection region.

Abstract: During a first scanning duration in which projection light is reflected by a first reflection surface of a mirror of the rotary scanning unit, light emitting elements are caused to sequentially emit light, a light receiving element corresponding to a light emitting element in a light-emitted state is caused to sequentially receive the reflection light, and a light reception signal output from the light receiving element in the light-received state is sequentially selected by a signal selection unit. During a second scanning duration in which the projection light is reflected by a second reflection surface of the mirror, a specific light emitting element of the light emitting elements is caused to emit light with a prescribed period, the light receiving elements are caused to sequentially receive the reflection light, and the light reception signal output from the light receiving element in the light-received state is sequentially selected.

Abstract: An object detection apparatus includes: a light emitting unit; a light receiving unit; an object detection unit; a lightness and darkness determination unit that determines an ambient state of lightness or darkness; a signal amplification unit that sets an amplification ratio for a light reception signal and causes the light reception signal to be output from the light receiving unit at a level in accordance with the amplification ratio; and an amplification control unit that controls the amplification ratio for the light reception signal. The amplification control unit causes an amplification ratio for the light reception signal in a case where the lightness and darkness determination unit determines that the ambient state is dark to be higher than an amplification ratio for the light reception signal in a case where the lightness and darkness determination unit determines that the ambient state is light.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus includes: a light emitter emitting a light pulse, a light receiver receiving reflected light of the light pulse by an object, a comparator that compares an output signal from the light receiver to a threshold and outputs a predetermined signal when the output signal is larger than the threshold, and a distance calculator that detects a reception time of the reflected light when the comparator outputs the predetermined signal and calculates a distance to the object based on the reception time and an irradiation time of the light pulse. The distance measuring apparatus further includes a maximum value detector that detects a maximum value of the output signal from the light receiver during a non-light receiving period, and a threshold setting unit that sets the threshold in the non-light receiving period based on the maximum value.

Abstract: An object detection device includes a first substrate with a laser diode thereon; a second substrate with a photodiode thereon; a holding member holding the first and second substrates; an optical deflector deflecting light projected from the LD to irradiate a target with the deflected light, and deflects light reflected off the target; and a reflecting mirror guiding the reflected light deflected by the optical deflector to the PD. The LD is mounted on a mounting surface of the first substrate to project light mainly in a direction parallel to the mounting surface. The PD is mounted on a mounting surface of the second substrate to receive light coming mainly in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface. The holding member parallelly holds the first and second substrates such that projection planes of the first and second substrates perpendicular to the mounting surfaces overlap each other.

Abstract: A scanning-type distance measuring apparatus includes: a light projector projecting laser beams at predetermined intervals; a light receiver including light receiving elements, receiving a reflected beam of a laser beam that the light projector projects, and outputting a light reception intensity signal of the reflected beam; a scanning operation unit projecting a laser beam projected by the light projector to perform scanning; an integrator integrating, for each light receiving element, time-series light reception intensity signals output by the light receiver when the light receiver receives reflected beams corresponding to the laser beams projected at the predetermined intervals; and a distance calculator calculating a distance to an object for each light receiving element, based on integration that the integrator performs.

Abstract: An object detection device includes: a light emitter; a light receiver; a rotating scanner having a mirror and reflecting light from the light emitter off the mirror by rotating the mirror to scan the reflected light over a predetermined range, and reflecting light reflected off a target off the mirror to guide the reflected light to the light receiver; an object detector detecting whether there is a target, based on a light reception signal; a light guider guiding light from the light emitter to the light receiver; and a failure detector detecting whether there is a failure, based on a light emission state of the light emitter and a light reception state by the light receiver. The light guider receives light emitted from the light emitter and reflected off the mirror, and reflects the light off the mirror to guide the reflected light to the light receiver.

Abstract: An object detection device includes a first substrate with a laser diode thereon; a second substrate with a photodiode thereon; a holding member holding the first and second substrates; an optical deflector deflecting light projected from the LD to irradiate a target with the deflected light, and deflects light reflected off the target; and a reflecting mirror guiding the reflected light deflected by the optical deflector to the PD. The LD is mounted on a mounting surface of the first substrate to project light mainly in a direction parallel to the mounting surface. The PD is mounted on a mounting surface of the second substrate to receive light coming mainly in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface. The holding member parallelly holds the first and second substrates such that projection planes of the first and second substrates perpendicular to the mounting surfaces overlap each other.

Abstract: A laser radar system is installed in a moving body and includes a plurality of scanning type laser radar devices which detect distances to an object. The scanning type laser radar device has a first direction and a second direction in a scanning range. In the first direction, a detectable distance to an object having identical reflectance is longer. In the second direction, a detectable distance to an object having identical reflectance is shorter. The scanning range of one scanning type laser radar device overlaps with the scanning range of another scanning type laser radar device adjacent to the one scanning type laser radar device such that the detectable area in the first direction of the one scanning type laser radar device overlaps with the detectable area in the second direction of the other scanning type laser radar device.

Abstract: A projection optical system includes a laser diode; a laser diode module having a plurality of the laser diodes one-line arranged; a light projecting lens to adjust spread of light emitted from the respective laser diodes; and an optical deflector to deflect light passing through the light projecting lens and irradiate a target with the deflected light. The laser diodes emit light such that the light spreads at a first angle in a first direction and spreads at a second angle being wider than the first angle in a second direction being perpendicular to the first direction. The laser diode modules are disposed such that an arrangement direction thereof coincides with the first direction and they are placed along the second direction and shifted in position relative to each other in the first direction. The light projecting lenses are disposed with corresponding to the laser diode modules.

Abstract: Teaching processing using a model of a workpiece is performed by accepting at least one input of a target value for a response time and a tolerance value for a detection error as a parameter representing a condition for a displacement sensor to operate. A CPU during teaching processing determines a maximum exposure time while it causes repeated detection processing by a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit, calculates variation in measurement data of an amount of displacement, and derives the number of pieces of data of moving average calculation suitable for a value for the input parameter as a result of operation processing using the maximum exposure time and variation in measurement data. This number of pieces of data is registered in a memory and used for moving average calculation in a normal operation mode.

Abstract: A sensor device has a display part that displays a numerical value and a character on a casing and at least three switches. The switches have an up switch and a down switch. The up switch has a function of changing the numerical value to increase and also the down switch has a function of changing the numerical value to decrease. Each switch has a different function and each switch has a different symbol.

Abstract: Teaching processing using a model of a workpiece is performed by accepting at least one input of a target value for a response time and a tolerance value for a detection error as a parameter representing a condition for a displacement sensor to operate. A CPU during teaching processing determines a maximum exposure time while it causes repeated detection processing by a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit, calculates variation in measurement data of an amount of displacement, and derives the number of pieces of data of moving average calculation suitable for a value for the input parameter as a result of operation processing using the maximum exposure time and variation in measurement data. This number of pieces of data is registered in a memory and used for moving average calculation in a normal operation mode.

Abstract: A radio detection device includes two or more reception antennas, for detecting a detecting object by a mono-pulse method; the radio detection device including: a variable gain unit for discretely changing respective signal intensity of a difference signal and a sum signal of each reception signal received by the two or more reception antennas; an A/D conversion unit for performing A/D conversion process on the difference signal or the sum signal, the difference signal or the sum signal having the signal intensity changed by the variable gain unit; an angle calculating portion for calculating an angle by the mono-pulse method using the difference signal and the sum signal after the A/D conversion process by the A/D conversion unit; and a control unit for performing a control of individually switching a conversion magnification of the signal intensity by the variable gain unit with respect to the difference signal and the sum signal.

Abstract: A radio detection device includes two or more reception antennas, for detecting a detecting object by a mono-pulse method; the radio detection device including: a variable gain unit for discretely changing respective signal intensity of a difference signal and a sum signal of each reception signal received by the two or more reception antennas; an A/D conversion unit for performing A/D conversion process on the difference signal or the sum signal, the difference signal or the sum signal having the signal intensity changed by the variable gain unit; an angle calculating portion for calculating an angle by the mono-pulse method using the difference signal and the sum signal after the A/D conversion process by the A/D conversion unit; and a control unit for performing a control of individually switching a conversion magnification of the signal intensity by the variable gain unit with respect to the difference signal and the sum signal.

Abstract: A radar device for detecting an object in front of the radar device, has a plurality of antennas, wherein the object is detected based on each reception signal received by two or more of the plurality of antennas, a position specification section for specifying a position of the object by using each reception signal received by the two or more of the plurality of antennas; and an object detection section for confirming an existence of the object if the position specified by the position specification section is in a predetermined range.