Position reference sensor

摘要

A position reference sensor for a marine vessel comprises an optical assembly including a pulsed laser device for emitting laser light, a lens arrangement comprising a lenticular lens for producing a vertically fanned beam (18) of the laser light emitted by the pulsed laser device and a photodiode (32) comprising a plurality of photodetectors Rx, Ry, Rz for detecting laser light (28) that has been emitted by the pulsed laser device and reflected by a retro-reflective target (22) towards the photodiode (32). The level of reflected laser light incident upon each photodetector is individually detectable and the position reference sensor further comprises an actuator for varying the inclination of the optical assembly. The actuator is automatically controllable based on the level of reflected laser light incident upon each photodetector Rx, Ry, Rz. A position reference sensor for a marine vessel comprises an optical assembly including a pulsed laser device for emitting laser light, a lens arrangement comprising a lenticular lens for producing a vertically fanned beam (18) of the laser light emitted by the pulsed laser device and a photodiode (32) comprising a plurality of photodetectors Rx, Ry, Rz for detecting laser light (28) that has been emitted by the pulsed laser device and reflected by a retro-reflective target (22) towards the photodiode (32). The level of reflected laser light incident upon each photodetector is individually detectable and the position reference sensor further comprises an actuator for varying the inclination of the optical assembly. The actuator is automatically controllable based on the level of reflected laser light incident upon each photodetector Rx, Ry, Rz.

主权项

1. A position reference sensor comprising an optical assembly including:
a pulsed laser device for emitting laser light; a lens arrangement comprising a lenticular lens for producing a vertically fanned beam of the laser light emitted by the pulsed laser device; and a plurality of photodiode photodetectors for detecting laser light reflected by a retro-reflective target, the level of reflected laser light incident upon each photodetector being individually detectable; the position reference sensor further comprising an actuator for varying the inclination of the optical assembly, the actuator being automatically controllable based on the level of reflected laser light incident upon each photodetector.