Optics: measuring and testing – Velocity or velocity/height measuring – With light detector
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2001-02-13
Buczinski, Stephen C. (Department: 3662)
Optics: measuring and testing
Velocity or velocity/height measuring
With light detector
C073S511000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06188469
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to speed measurement, and in particular, to a laser apparatus and method for speed measurement.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Speed measurement has long been used by traffic enforcement personnel in measuring the speed of vehicles. However, speed measurement is now becoming increasingly popular in a number of other applications. One such application is in the field of sports, where it has become popular to measure the speed of a ball, such as a baseball pitcher's pitches, a tennis serve, and a soccer shot, among others. Another application is in the measurement of the speed of a bullet fired from a gun.
Most of the currently-available speed measurement devices use the Doppler principle, where the target's interference with an emitted wave causes a reflection from the target. The wavelength of the reflected wave is used to determine the speed of the target. One drawback with such speed measurement devices is that they require a user to focus the device on the target, and they cannot be operated effectively without human intervention unless the target is guaranteed to cross the path of the device. This effectively limits the number of applications to which the device can be used.
Laser has also been used to measure the speed of moving objects. As one example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,812,249 to Johnson discloses a system having two opposing laser sources and detectors that are used to measure the speed of a passing vehicle. A significant drawback with this system is that the laser sources and detectors must be set up to be opposite to each other, so that this system is again limited in the number of applications that it can be used with.
Thus, there remains a need for an effective and accurate, yet inexpensive, apparatus and method for measuring the speed of an object, which is simple in construction, is convenient to use, and is capable of measuring the speed of a wide variety of objects in many different applications without the need for human manipulation or control.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for measuring the speed of a moving object.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for measuring the acceleration of a moving object.
The objects of the present invention may be accomplished by providing an apparatus for measuring the speed of an object. The apparatus includes a first laser source for emitting a first laser plane at an intended path, and a second laser source for emitting a second laser plane at the intended path, with the second laser source positioned from the first laser source at a known distance. The apparatus further includes a detector system positioned to receive a first laser light and a second laser light that have been reflected from the first laser plane and the second laser plane, respectively, upon reflection of the first and second laser planes off the object. The detector system generates a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal, respectively, in response to the receipt of the first and second laser lights, respectively. The apparatus also includes a signal processing circuit coupled to the detector system for calculating the speed of an object passing through the intended path based on the first and second pulse signals generated by the detector system.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 4201467 (1980-05-01), Hartmann et al.
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patent: 5512998 (1996-04-01), Puschell
patent: 5617199 (1997-04-01), Dunne
patent: 5715045 (1998-02-01), Dunne
patent: 5812249 (1998-09-01), Johnson et al.
Chen Kuo-Tso
Chen Tony Kuo-Ti
Huang Chao-Chi
Liou Wan-Rone
Buczinski Stephen C.
Quarton Inc.
Sun Raymond
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