Triangulation-based laser range finder using a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor image sensor for application to automotive systems

A low-cost prototype of a laser range finder using a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor is developed for the automotive field. The system presented here is based on triangulation. The centroid of the infrared laser spot on the CMOS image sensor is converted into pixel coordinates proportional to the distance to be measured. The system is operated in two modes: continuous wave (cw) and pulsed mode. A comparison of these two modes is also conducted and discussed here. Based on the experimental results, the distance can be measured with an accuracy of better than 1.1% within the range of 5 to 45 m.