This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for sensing a scene. In one aspect, a device may illuminate the scene using a sequence of two or more periods. Each period may include a transmission portion during which a plurality of light pulses are emitted onto the scene. Each period may include a non-transmission portion corresponding to an absence of emitted light. The device may receive, during each transmission portion, a plurality of light pulses reflected from the scene. The device may continuously accumulate photoelectric charge indicative of the received light pulses during an entirety of the sequence. The device may transfer the accumulated photoelectric charge to a readout circuit after an end of the sequence.

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for sensing a scene. In one aspect, a device may illuminate the scene using a sequence of two or more periods. Each period may include a transmission portion during which a plurality of light pulses are emitted onto the scene. Each period may include a non-transmission portion corresponding to an absence of emitted light. The device may receive, during each transmission portion, a plurality of light pulses reflected from the scene. The device may continuously accumulate photoelectric charge indicative of the received light pulses during an entirety of the sequence. The device may transfer the accumulated photoelectric charge to a readout circuit after an end of the sequence.

A method for adjusting a detector (110) for determining a position of at least one object (112) within a range of measurement (114) is disclosed. The detector (110) comprises at least two longitudinal optical sensors (116) and at least one transfer device (118) for imaging the object (112) into an image plane. The transfer device (118) has a focal plane. The transfer device (118) is positioned in between the longitudinal optical sensors (116) and the object (112). Each of the longitudinal optical sensors (116) has at least one sensor region (120). Each of the longitudinal optical sensors (116) is designed to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the respective sensor region (120) by at least one light beam (178) propagating from the object (112) to the detector (110), wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given the same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam (178) in the sensor region (120). The detector (110) further comprises at least one evaluation device (124). The method comprises the following steps: (i) subsequently moving the object (112) longitudinally to at least two different calibration positions (134, 136) having at least two different longitudinal coordinates within the range of measurement (114); (ii) recording, for each of the calibration positions (134, 136), at least one first longitudinal sensor signal generated by a first longitudinal optical sensor (126) and at least one second longitudinal sensor signal generated by a second longitudinal optical sensor (128); (iii) forming, for each of the calibration positions (134, 126), at least one calibration signal using the first and second longitudinal sensor signals; (iv) generating a calibration function using the calibration signals, the calibration function defining a relationship between the longitudinal coordinate of the object (112) and the first and second longitudinal sensor signals.

A system for autonomously photographing wildlife includes a camera apparatus, camera mount and actuating unit. The camera apparatus records video data may include a camera, a memory and a processing system which includes a processor and an image analysis module including computer executable instructions stored in the memory. The image analysis module receives a video data file; performs an image analysis of discrete portions of the video data file; detects motion within each respective discrete portion; determines whether the detected motion is caused by an animal; calculates an outline for the animal; and stores a selected discrete portion of the video data file in the memory. The selected discrete portion includes an outline of the animal. The camera mount receives the camera thereon and the actuating unit couples the camera to the camera mount and is actuatable to tilt and/or pan the camera.

A detector (110) for determining a position of at least one object (112), the detector (110) comprising: at least one transfer device (114) for imaging the object (112) into an image plane (116), the transfer device (114) having a focal plane (118), at least one longitudinal optical sensor (122), wherein the longitudinal optical sensor (122) has at least one sensor region (124), wherein the longitudinal optical sensor (122) is at least partially transparent, wherein the longitudinal optical sensor (122) is designed to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of sensor region (124) by at least one light beam propagating from the object to the detector (110), wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given the same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region (124); and at least one evaluation device (129), wherein the evaluation device (129) is designed to generate at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object (112) by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal. Herein the at least one longitudinal optical sensor (122) comprises a focal longitudinal optical sensor (136), wherein the focal longitudinal optical sensor (136) at least substantially is arranged in the focal plane (118).

A detector (110) for determining a position of at least one object (112), the detector (110) comprising: at least one transfer device (114) for imaging the object (112) into an image plane (116), the transfer device (114) having a focal plane (118), at least one longitudinal optical sensor (122), wherein the longitudinal optical sensor (122) has at least one sensor region (124), wherein the longitudinal optical sensor (122) is at least partially transparent, wherein the longitudinal optical sensor (122) is designed to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of sensor region (124) by at least one light beam propagating from the object to the detector (110), wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given the same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region (124); and at least one evaluation device (129), wherein the evaluation device (129) is designed to generate at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object (112) by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal. Herein the at least one longitudinal optical sensor (122) comprises a focal longitudinal optical sensor (136), wherein the focal longitudinal optical sensor (136) at least substantially is arranged in the focal plane (118).

A range finder 10 according to the present embodiment includes a first sensor 440 configured to detect an attitude of a body of the range finder, a correction lens 410 configured to be driven based on a shaking amount detected by a shaking detection sensor 442, a second sensor 450 configured to detect a position of the correction lens, and a processing unit 300 configured to determine an irradiating angle of light. The processing unit can determine, based on a detection result of the attitude of the body by the first sensor and a detection result of the position of the correction lens by the second sensor, the irradiating direction (i.e. measurement direction) in which the light deflected by the correction lens which position is corrected according to the shaking amount of the attitude of the body determined from the detection result of the second sensor is actually irradiated.

A range finder 10 according to the present embodiment includes a first sensor 440 configured to detect an attitude of a body of the range finder, a correction lens 410 configured to be driven based on a shaking amount detected by a shaking detection sensor 442, a second sensor 450 configured to detect a position of the correction lens, and a processing unit 300 configured to determine an irradiating angle of light. The processing unit can determine, based on a detection result of the attitude of the body by the first sensor and a detection result of the position of the correction lens by the second sensor, the irradiating direction (i.e. measurement direction) in which the light deflected by the correction lens which position is corrected according to the shaking amount of the attitude of the body determined from the detection result of the second sensor is actually irradiated.

A method for adjusting a detector (110) for determining a position of at least one object (112) within a range of measurement (114) is disclosed. The detector (110) comprises at least two longitudinal optical sensors (116) and at least one transfer device (118) for imaging the object (112) into an image plane. The transfer device (118) has a focal plane. The transfer device (118) is positioned in between the longitudinal optical sensors (116) and the object (112). Each of the longitudinal optical sensors (116) has at least one sensor region (120). Each of the longitudinal optical sensors (116) is designed to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the respective sensor region (120) by at least one light beam (178) propagating from the object (112) to the detector (110), wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given the same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam (178) in the sensor region (120). The detector (110) further comprises at least one evaluation device (124). The method comprises the following steps: (i) subsequently moving the object (112) longitudinally to at least two different calibration positions (134, 136) having at least two different longitudinal coordinates within the range of measurement (114); (ii) recording, for each of the calibration positions (134, 136), at least one first longitudinal sensor signal generated by a first longitudinal optical sensor (126) and at least one second longitudinal sensor signal generated by a second longitudinal optical sensor (128); (iii) forming, for each of the calibration positions (134, 126), at least one calibration signal using the first and second longitudinal sensor signals; (iv) generating a calibration function using the calibration signals, the calibration function defining a relationship between the longitudinal coordinate of the object (112) and the first and second longitudinal sensor signals.

A detector (110) for determining a position of at least one object (118) is proposed. The detector (110) comprises: at least one optical sensor (112), the optical sensor (112) being configured to detect at least one light spot (156) generated by at least one light beam (150) propagating from the object (118) towards the detector (110), the optical sensor (112) having at least one matrix (152) of pixels (154), each pixel (154) being adapted to generate at least one pixel signal s.sub.i,j in response to an illumination of the pixel (154) by the light beam (150); at least one non-linearization device (123) configured to transform the pixel signals s.sub.i,j of all pixels (154) i, j or of at least one group of pixels (154) into nonlinear pixel signals s.sub.i,j, the nonlinear pixel signals s.sub.i,j each being a nonlinear function of the power of the illumination p.sub.i,j of the respective pixel (154); at least one summing device (125) configured to add up the nonlinearpixel signals s.sub.i,j of all pixels (154) i, j or of the at least one group of pixels (154) and to generate at least one nonlinearsum signal S=.sub.ijs.sub.ij; and at least one evaluation device (126), the evaluation device (126) being configured to determine at least one longitudinal coordinate z of the object (118) by evaluating the nonlinear sum signal S.