Highway profile measuring system

Patent 5790243 Issued on August 4, 1998. Estimated Expiration Date:

April 22, 2016. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventor

Herr, William F.

Application

No. 639897 filed on 04/22/1996

US Classes:

356/5.1, Of CW phase delay73/146, TIRE, TREAD OR ROADWAY356/2, CONTOUR PLOTTING356/3.01, Triangulation ranging to a point with one projected beam356/28, With light detector (e.g., photocell)356/612By specular reflection

Examiners

Primary: Buczinski, Stephen C.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Ross; John R.

International Classes

E01C 023/00
G01B 011/24
G01C 003/08
G01P 003/36

Abstract

A system for measuring the quality of pavement surfaces. An amplitude modulated laser scanning system, mounted on a motor vehicle, scans the pavement surface as the motor vehicle travels over it. A detector detects the laser beam reflection from the surface and a phase measuring device counts pulses to digitally determine the phase shift in the reflected laser beam in order to calculate the profile of the surface. The profile information is used to determine various quality features of the pavement surface.