Aern E Rider

US Patent:

40632830, Dec 13, 1977

Filed:

Apr 3, 1975

Appl. No.:

5/564788

Inventors:

Aern E. Rider - Hanover PA
Donald R. Neal - Hanover PA

Assignee:

Chemetron Corporation - Chicago IL

International Classification:

H04N 300
G01C 300
G01B 1128

US Classification:

358107

Abstract:

A system for automatically measuring a clearance envelope about a path of travel in a specific embodiment includes a laser and a rotating reflector mounted on a moving vehicle for radially scanning the region around the path of travel in a direction generally perpendicular to the path of travel. A television camera is mounted on the vehicle and is responsive to light from the laser that has been reflected by objects located within the viewing field of the camera. The television camera is radially scanned and provides analog video signals representative of the radial distances between the reflector and the scanned objects. An analog video tape recorder is utilized to record on video tape the distance representative video signals together with binary codes or identification numbers identifying the camera radial scanning information. The video tape may be played at a central or home office where the distance representative analog video signals may be converted to digital computer compatible binary form for suitable processing and storing by the computer.