LASER RANGE FINDER

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent variations of measured distances due to changes in the quantity of received light in laser distance measurements. SOLUTION: A laser range finder comprises a light receiving circuit for converting received laser light into an analog electric signal and outputting it, a digitizing circuit for converting the analog electric signal outputted by the light receiving circuit into a rectangular wave and outputting it, and a time measuring device for measuring and recording time by the input of the rectangular wave outputted by the digitizing circuit. The digitizing circuit comprises both a saturation level detecting circuit 216 and a comparison circuit 214. The saturation level detecting circuit 216 outputs a control signal B when the output of an amplifying circuit 211 for amplifying the analog electric signal exceeds an upper limit threshold value as a saturation control means for suppressing the output of the rectangular wave when the analog electric signal exceeding a predetermined voltage is inputted, and the comparison circuit 214 suppresses the conversion from the analog electric signal into the rectangular wave when the control signal B is inputted. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO