US 12,092,743 B2
System, method, and apparatus for object velocity and acceleration measurement in imaging system
Eugene M. Petilli, Victor, NY (US); and Francis J. Cusack, Jr., Wilmington, NC (US)
Assigned to OWL AUTONOMOUS IMAGING, INC., Fairport, NY (US)
Filed by OWL AUTONOMOUS IMAGING, INC., Fairport, NY (US)
Filed on Oct. 2, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/062,441.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/910,686, filed on Oct. 4, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0280703 A1, Aug. 22, 2024
Int. Cl. G01S 17/894 (2020.01); G01S 17/10 (2020.01); G01S 17/42 (2006.01); G01S 17/58 (2006.01); G01S 17/66 (2006.01); G01S 17/88 (2006.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 17/894 (2020.01) [G01S 17/10 (2013.01); G01S 17/42 (2013.01); G01S 17/58 (2013.01); G01S 17/66 (2013.01); G01S 17/88 (2013.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); G01S 17/89 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
transmitting a first light beam from a first location to a region of interest at a time t1a, wherein the first light beam is configured to reflect off at least one object disposed in the region of interest to produce a first reflected light beam;
incrementing a time of flight (ToF) counter until the reflected first light beam is received back at the first location;
stopping the ToF counter at a first count value when the reflected first light beam is received at the first location at a time t1b;
transmitting a second light beam from the first location to the region of interest at a time t2a, the time t2a being subsequent to the time t1b, the second light beam configured to reflect off the least one object to produce a second reflected light beam;
decrementing the ToF counter, starting from the first count value, until the reflected second light beam is received back at the first location;
stopping the ToF counter at a second count value when the reflected second light beam is received back at the first location at time t2b; and
computing a real-time velocity of the object based at least in part on the first count value, which is a function of t1a and t1b, and the second count value, which is a function of t2a and t2b.