Optical distance measuring apparatus

摘要

An optical distance measuring apparatus operable in accordance with an optical intensity modulating process to optically measure a distance between a driver's vehicle and a vehicle running ahead of his vehicle includes a light emitting portion serving as a light source to emit a distance measuring light beam, an optical lens system, a light receiving portion for receiving a reflected light reflected from the vehicle running ahead of the driver's vehicle through the optical lens system, and a processing system for correcting phase delay between the distance measuring light beam and the reflected light beam utilizing reference light beams emitted from a plurality of reference light sources to determine the distance. A processing system for determining the distance based on a time difference between the time when the distance measuring light beam is emitted from the light emitting portion and the time when the reflected light beam is received by the light receiving portion may be substituted for the processing system for the correcting phase delay between the distance measuring light beam and the reflected light beam. In addition, the system includes an apparatus for mounting on a vehicle body optical distance measuring apparatuses, each operable as a light emitting/receiving portion.