Thomas A Mccracken

US Patent:

20040075847, Apr 22, 2004

Filed:

Oct 18, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/273157

Inventors:

Thomas McCracken - Detroit MI, US

International Classification:

G01B011/14

US Classification:

356/622000

Abstract:

A system where the height of road vehicles can be determined using two vertical columns, one column having a vertical linear array of sensors, facing and aligned with an opposite column having a vertical linear array of sources. The columns are spaced apart enough for the road vehicle to pull in between. The sensors and sources are mounted at increasing height levels until they reach the top of the columns, or a height that is well above any possible maximum height that a road vehicle may have, or height that is needed to be measured. As the vehicle pulls in between the two columns, a computer consecutively tests the sensors starting from the bottom to see which, if any, of the sensors has its light source blocked. The accumulated number of blocked light sensors is counted to reveal the height of that portion of the vehicle between the columns.