Download Self-calibrating precision timing circuit and method for a laser range

US 6,445,444 B2
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threshold. By setting the noise ?ring rate, noise pulses are
being produced deliberately, all the time and the only Way
the best range to a black target. On the other hand, if the
target’s very re?ective, a high gain is not required, so the
for you to take advantage of that fact is by implementing a
?rmware algorithm in the microcomputer 270 that alloWs
you to discriminate betWeen noise pulses and laser return
noise rate can be loWered, Which then provides the same
probability of a noise pulse appearing over a longer ?ight
range, and therefore a quick acquisition on a bright White
pulses. What the algorithm does is, during the laser ?ring
target can be achieved. Thus, by depressing the mode sWitch
26, different modes of operation of the laser range ?nder 10
process, on the ?rst pulse that ?res, it gets a laser pulse, and
it places it in a stack of pulses. For eXample, the stack may
can be selected. As an eXample, one mode might be utiliZed
to ?nd the range to re?ective road signs out to a distance of
have locations designated 0 through 9, to enable 10 pulses
to be maintained in the stack. The values of the FLIGHTTIME
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are saved, corrected for poWer return, (the microcomputer
270 determines the poWer level of the return signal and
corrects the ?ight time for poWer return) and placed in one
of the locations in the stack. Upon receipt of the neXt pulse,
the microcomputer 270 Will then compare the neXt pulse
With the remaining locations in the stack. Initially, most of
the maXimum range to only 350—400 yards and so a different
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the locations Will be empty, and there Will be no match. If no
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1. A transimpedance ampli?er comprising:
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and a third terminal thereof coupled to an input node;
a second transistor having ?rst and second terminals
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results) or, if higher sensitivity Were desired, a match of
three through N may be speci?ed, depending on the reli
lines and a third terminal thereof coupled to said third
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could be the real target, folloWed by eight noise pulses, and
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may then be used to compare all subsequent pulses, rather
than needing to place them in a stack and only pulses that
match up With that initial match average Will contribute to
the measurement. If a certain number of pulses elapse before
thereof respectively coupled to said ?rst and second
voltage lines and a third terminal thereof coupled to
said second terminal of said ?rst transistor;
a third transistor having ?rst and second terminals thereof
respectively coupled to said second and ?rst voltage
ability needed to guarantee a real target and not a noise
as long as the ninth pulse is again the real target, the distance
to the target can, be accurately determined. The stack can be
increased in siZe up to Whatever memory limit is available
in the system, depending on hoW far into the noise level the
laser range ?nder 10 must Work.
Having found a match, the average of the match values
a ?rst transistor having ?rst and second terminals thereof
respectively coupled to ?rst and second voltage lines
pulses Within the preset tolerance (providing very acceptable
pulse. In an eXemplary operation, the ?rst pulse (pulse 0)
While there have been described above, the principles of
the invention in conjunction With speci?c apparatus, it is to
be clearly understood that the foregoing description is made
only by Way of eXample and not as a limitation on the scope
of the invention.
What is claimed is:
a tolerance of a feW nanoseconds may be set for a match to
be assumed to be a real target and not a noise pulse. UtiliZing
the algorithm, the process continues, trying to lock on the
target until a match is achieved. The match need only be tWo
insight, LCD display 32 Wherein the ?rst mode Would
correspond to the brightest target or most re?ective target,
and the Nth mode Would correspond to the least re?ective
target.
match is very loW. Because the tolerance can be set as any
other ?rmWare parameter, a default value Will be typically
loaded that has been determined empirically. As an eXample,
operational mode might be selected Which Would otherWise
require a relatively long time to hit the road sign, if ever,
because there Would alWays be a noise pulse in the Way. The
mode sWitch 26 alloWs the setting of these variables to
maXimiZe the range of the laser range ?nder 10, depending
on the target quality and a visual indication of the target
quality selected may be provided to the operator on the
match is found, the microcomputer 270 puts the pulse in the
stack and carries on, merely placing pulses in the stack, and
then When it gets to the top, it goes back and overWrites the
base, so you have a history of N number of pulses in the
stack. Any time a neW pulse comes in, it compares the entire
stack for a match, Where N=10, it searches the preceding ten
pulses for a match.
The reason for doing that is, since a high noise ?ring rate
has been deliberately set to get maXimum sensitivity, many
noise pulses are going to have shoWn up, but the noise pulses
Will be of random occurrence and the chance of a precision
1000 yards or more. Alternatively, aiming the laser range
?nder 10 at something like Wet black tree bark, might reduce
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another matching pulse is received, it may be assumed that
an accidental lock-on to noise has been achieved and the
process restart. By adjusting the various parameters, a trade
terminal of said ?rst transistor; and
a fourth transistor having ?rst and second terminals
thereof respectively coupled to said second and ?rst
voltage lines and a third terminal thereof coupled to
said second terminal of said third transistor, said ?rst
terminal of said fourth transistor being coupled to an
output node.
2. The transimpedance ampli?er of claim 1 Wherein said
second terminal of said ?rst transistor is resistively coupled
to said second voltage line.
3. The transimpedance ampli?er of claim 1 Wherein said
?rst terminal of said second transistor is resistively coupled
to said ?rst voltage line.
4. The transimpedance ampli?er of claim 1 Wherein said
?rst terminal of said second transistor is resistively coupled
off can be made betWeen the time it takes to get a measure 55 to said third terminal of said ?rst transistor.
ment to hoW far into the noise the laser range ?nder to must
5. The transimpedance ampli?er of claim 1 Wherein said
Work. Because the noise rate can set to Whatever is desired
second terminal of said third transistor is resistively coupled
by means of the automatic noise threshold section 36, it is
maXimum ?ight time is also less, so a higher noise rate can
to said ?rst voltage line.
6. The transimpedance ampli?er of claim 1 Wherein said
?rst terminal of said fourth transistor is resistively coupled
to said second voltage line.
7. The transimpedance ampli?er of claim 1 Wherein said
second terminal of said fourth transistor is resistively
coupled to said ?rst voltage line.
8. The transimpedance ampli?er of claim 7 Wherein said
second terminal of said fourth transistor is further capaci
be tolerated. Therefore, running at a higher gain Will provide
tively coupled to said ?rst voltage line.
possible to optimiZe the algorithm to provide the optimum
acquisition characteristics against time and against range.
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The higher the value of V3, the more noise is coming out
of the receiver, and the more sensitive the laser receive
section 22 is running. The probability of a noise pulse
shoWing up is proportional to the ?ight time, so given a very
“black” target, the maXimum range Will be less, but the
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