RANGE-FINDING METHOD Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC G01C3/08 G01S17/02 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: method involves generating a time-setting clock pulse sequence with period T, generating and transmitting a probing signal S₀ with duration t_s>T to a target, wherein the time for generating the probing signal is synchronised with one of the pulses in the pulse sequence, taking said time as the point of origin. The form of the probing signal corresponds to the given sequence of its sampled values S_0i taken with interval T, recorded in an array {S_0i}. W ≥ 2 arrays of sampled values {S_0i}_w of the probing signal are generated and recorded, where w = 1…W is the index number of the array, where in the w-th array, the first sampling instance is shifted by an interval δt_w = (w - 1)T/W relative the point of origin. The reflected signal S is received, digitised by determining and recording relative the clock sequence of the array of its sampled values {S_j}. A shift p = P_w of the array {S_j} relative each of the arrays {S_0j}_w, for which the degree of their coincidence best satisfies a predetermined criterion R_W(P_W), is found. The number w = Q of the array of sampled values of the probing signal is determined, for which the estimate R_w(p) best matches the predetermined criterion, and range D to the target is determined using the relationship D = c(P + (Q - 1)/W)T/2 + ΔD₀, where c is the speed of light, ΔD₀ is a value which is determined by calibrating on a reference path for bias error compensation.

EFFECT: high accuracy of range finding.

5 cl, 6 dwg