Patent attributes
An electronic method for distance measurement based on pulsed laser time-of-flight is provided. The method comprises generating a wave of outgoing radiant energy pulses having a substantially stable period for providing a wave of pulses reflected from a target object and then measuring reflected energy from the pulse wave over a scanning time window. The scanning time window is shorter than the laser pulse time-of-flight to and from the measurement target. An offset between outgoing pulses and the scanning window is adjusted to capture reflected pulses at desired positions within the scanning window for selected conditions including when the outgoing wave is reflected from a reference surface and when the outgoing wave is reflected from the distance target. Distance is then calculated according to the offset and reflected energy data recorded for the selected conditions.
