Aspects of the disclosure are directed to acquiring aligned geographic coordinates of a vertical position. In one aspect, a vertical navigation system includes a light source to generate a source beam; a beam splitter to generate a first and a second source references derived from the source beam; a hollow retroreflector to produce a first and a second vertical references derived from the first and the second source references; an attitude sensor to capture a plurality of reference stars and to measure a first set of angles for the first vertical reference and a second set of angles for the second vertical reference, the first set of angles and the second set of angles are relative to the plurality of reference stars; and a processor to produce the aligned geographical coordinates using the first set of angles, the second set of angles, a gravity vector measurement and a time signal.

A spatial recognition device provided with an analysis unit configured to acquire, from an optical device which receives reflected light obtained by radiating light onto a reflective plate provided on a moving body positioned within a detection area, reflected light information obtained based on the reflected light in accordance with a radiation direction of the light, and analyze a state of the moving body on which the reflective plate is provided, based on a distribution of the reflected light information at coordinates within the detection area.

The present disclosure is related to a method and device for measuring a distance and a storage medium. The method for measuring the distance includes determining a distance between a first device and a second device based on a first time difference and a second time difference, where the first time difference is between a time of receiving a first detection signal by the first device and a time of receiving a second detection signal by the first device, and the second time difference is between a time of receiving the first detection signal by the second device and time of receiving the second detection signal by the second device.

The present disclosure is related to a method and device for measuring a distance and a storage medium. The method for measuring the distance includes determining a distance between a first device and a second device based on a first time difference and a second time difference, where the first time difference is between a time of receiving a first detection signal by the first device and a time of receiving a second detection signal by the first device, and the second time difference is between a time of receiving the first detection signal by the second device and time of receiving the second detection signal by the second device.

In an embodiment, an optical sensor includes (i) a first lens array including a plurality of first lenses, (ii) a photodetector array including a plurality of photodetectors each aligned with a respective one of the plurality of first lenses, and (iii) a plurality of signal-modifying elements each aligned with a respective one of the plurality of first lenses. The plurality of signal-modifying elements includes (a) a first signal-modifying optical element having a first spatially-dependent transmission function, and (b) a second signal-modifying optical element having a second spatially-dependent transmission function differing from the first spatially-dependent transmission function.

In an embodiment, an optical sensor includes (i) a first lens array including a plurality of first lenses, (ii) a photodetector array including a plurality of photodetectors each aligned with a respective one of the plurality of first lenses, and (iii) a plurality of signal-modifying elements each aligned with a respective one of the plurality of first lenses. The plurality of signal-modifying elements includes (a) a first signal-modifying optical element having a first spatially-dependent transmission function, and (b) a second signal-modifying optical element having a second spatially-dependent transmission function differing from the first spatially-dependent transmission function.

A position reference sensor (100) has a light source (120), a detector (160) and a processor (170). The light source (120) is configured to emit light having a first component and a second component. The detector (160) is configured to detect reflected light. The processor (170) is configured to determine a distance between the position reference sensor (100) and a target based on the emitted light and the detected reflected light. The processor (170) is also configured to determine that the target is a selective retroreflector (140) based on the intensity of the first component of the light in the detected reflected light and the intensity of the second component of the light in the detected reflected light.

A system is presented in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the system includes a light source configured to emit light, an emitting lens positioned to obtain the emitted light and configured to produce a shaped beam, an optical element positioned to obtain the shaped beam and redirect the shaped beam toward a near field object to produce scattered light from the near field object, and to obtain and redirect at least a portion of the scattered light, and a collection lens configured to focus the at least the portion of the scattered light on a light detector.

A system is presented in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the system includes a light source configured to emit light, an emitting lens positioned to obtain the emitted light and configured to produce a shaped beam, an optical element positioned to obtain the shaped beam and redirect the shaped beam toward a near field object to produce scattered light from the near field object, and to obtain and redirect at least a portion of the scattered light, and a collection lens configured to focus the at least the portion of the scattered light on a light detector.

A reflector arrangement for position determination and/or marking of target points, comprising a retroreflector and a first sensor arrangement, by means of which the orientation measurement radiation passing through the retroreflector is acquirable. The first sensor arrangement comprises a first optical assembly providing a fisheye lens, and a first sensor, wherein the retroreflector and the first sensor arrangement are arranged in such a way that orientation measurement radiation passing through the retroreflector is projectable onto the detection surface of the first sensor by means of the first optical assembly.