Abstract: A vehicle-mountable distance measurement device is mountable in a vehicle and measures a distance from an object existing in surroundings. The vehicle-mountable distance measurement device includes: a light projection unit which projects measurement light in which a two-dimensional predetermined pattern specific to the vehicle is repeated; a light receiving unit including a plurality of light receiving elements which are arranged in a two-dimensional manner and which output light receiving signals in response to reception of light; and a distance detection unit which calculates the distance from the object based on a time when the light projection unit projects light and a time when the light receiving unit receives light. The distance detection unit calculates the distance from the object based on the time when the light receiving unit receives the measurement light having the predetermined pattern projected by the light projection unit.

Abstract: A vehicle-mountable distance measurement device is mountable in a vehicle and measures a distance from an object existing in surroundings. The vehicle-mountable distance measurement device includes: a light projection unit which projects measurement light in which a two-dimensional predetermined pattern specific to the vehicle is repeated; a light receiving unit including a plurality of light receiving elements which are arranged in a two-dimensional manner and which output light receiving signals in response to reception of light; and a distance detection unit which calculates the distance from the object based on a time when the light projection unit projects light and a time when the light receiving unit receives light. The distance detection unit calculates the distance from the object based on the time when the light receiving unit receives the measurement light having the predetermined pattern projected by the light projection unit.

Abstract: A radar device includes a light projecting part that generates laser light, a light projecting lens that converges the generated laser light to form a beam, a reflective mirror for reflecting the converged beam to project it in a specified search direction and for reflecting returning light from this search direction, a light receiving lens for converging the returning light reflected by the reflective mirror, and a scanning part for moving the beam in a scanning manner. There are two light receiving parts which are different in photosensitivity, and a synthesizing part outputs a synthesized signal formed by synthesizing output signals from these two light receiving parts.

Abstract: A radar device has a light projecting circuit for projecting light to an object. Reflected light from the object is received by a first light receiving circuit and a second light receiving circuit and converted into signals. The first and second light receiving circuits each have an activity range in which the outputted signal is proportional to the logarithm of the quantity of received light. The activity range of the first light receiving circuit is lower than the activity range of the second light receiving circuit.

Abstract: A radar device includes a light projecting part for projecting light to an object, first and second light receiving elements each for outputting a signal according to the quantity of received light flux, and an optical system having a first optical path and a second optical path for guiding reflected light from the object respectively to the first light receiving element and to the second light receiving element. The optical system guides more light flux to the first optical path than to the second optical path corresponding to an incident light flux to the radar device.

Abstract: A radar device includes a light projecting part that generates laser light, a light projecting lens that converges the generated laser light to form a beam, a reflective mirror for reflecting the converged beam to project it in a specified search direction and for reflecting returning light from this search direction, a light receiving lens for converging the returning light reflected by the reflective mirror, and a scanning part for moving the beam in a scanning manner. There are two light receiving parts which are different in photosensitivity, and a synthesizing part outputs a synthesized signal formed by synthesizing output signals from these two light receiving parts.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus includes components for transmitting electromagnetic waves such as laser light to scan a detection area, and receiving reflected waves. The detection area is partitioned into standard areas of a fixed width and signals corresponding to waves received from different standard areas are stored separately. Mutually adjacent standard areas are combined to form a single combined area, if the corresponding signals each fail to exceed a specified threshold value, and these signals are cumulatively added. Conditions of a target object, such as its presence and its position, may be judged on the basis of combined areas thus created such that the detection can be made with increased sensitivity although the resolving power is adversely affected. An upper limit may be introduced for the number of standard areas over which cumulative addition of signals may be made.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus includes components for transmitting electromagnetic waves such as laser light to scan a detection area, and receiving reflected waves. The detection area is partitioned into standard areas of a fixed width and signals corresponding to waves received from different standard areas are stored separately. Mutually adjacent standard areas are combined to form a single combined area, if the corresponding signals each fail to exceed a specified threshold value, and these signals are cumulatively added. Conditions of a target object, such as its presence and its position, may be judged on the basis of combined areas thus created such that the detection can be made with increased sensitivity although the resolving power is adversely affected. An upper limit may be introduced for the number of standard areas over which cumulative addition of signals may be made.

Abstract: A plurality of pieces of detection data of a preceding vehicle, which have been collected in a straight line running state in which a self-vehicle and a preceding vehicle are running straight on the same straight line, are extracted as effective detection data. Setting of an inside parameter is automatically changed so that a center of the detection area can coincide with an average center of the preceding vehicle obtained by a statistical treatment of the plurality of pieces of detection data. The above automatic adjusting function is provided in a control circuit 7 of the range finder, and while the self-vehicle is stably running straight on the same straight line while chasing the preceding vehicle, and optical axis adjustment is conducted by operating the automatic adjusting function of the control circuit 7.

Abstract: A safety distance measuring device employing an electromagnetic wave is provided. A laser diode 2 is energized to emit laser beams by a laser diode drive circuit 3 in accordance with a clock signal generated by a control circuit 29. The emitted laser beams are sequentially changed to predetermined scanning directions by a scanner 1 associated with control circuit 29. The scanned laser beams from scanner 1 are reflected by an object 19 to be received by a photodiode 5. An output of the photodiode is applied to control circuit 29 through a light receiving circuit 6 where an elapsed time from emission to receipt is computed to obtain a distance from scanner 1 to object 19. Based on data relating to scanning directions by a scanning position detector 4, a begin-and-end detecting circuit 28 can stop the radiation of electromagnetic waves around a scanning start point and a scanning end point which is danger to human bodies.