1. A connector module comprising:
a housing including a cover and a base, the cover being coupled to the base to define a cavity therebetween, the cavity configured to receive a circuit card therein, the base having a top side and a bottom side, the top side facing the cover and defining part of the cavity, the base defining multiple windows that extend through the base between the top and bottom sides, the base including a conductive layer that is at least partially covered by a non-conductive layer; and
a conductive lead frame coupled to the bottom side of the base, the lead frame including multiple contact beams that extend into the cavity through the windows of the base, the lead frame being electrically isolated from the conductive layer of the base by the non-conductive layer of the base, the lead frame further including multiple mounting contacts configured to be mounted to conductive components of a circuit board.
2. The connector module of claim 1, wherein the lead frame includes multiple locking tabs that are configured to extend at least one of through or around the base and engage the top side of the base to couple the lead frame to the base.
3. The connector module of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive layer of the base is an adhesive layer disposed on the bottom side of the base, the adhesive layer securing to a top side of the lead frame to couple the lead frame to the base.
4. The connector module of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive layer of the base is a powder coating layer.
5. The connector module of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive layer of the base is an electrostatic coating layer.
6. The connector module of claim 1, wherein the lead frame includes multiple signal contacts, each signal contact having one of the contact beams, a corresponding one of the mounting contacts, and an intermediate segment that connects the contact beam to the mounting contact, the signal contacts of the lead frame held together by linking segments, the linking segments configured to be fragmented to mechanically and electrically isolate the signal contacts from each other.
7. The connector module of claim 1, further comprising an insulation pad disposed between the conductive lead frame and the circuit board, the mounting contacts of the lead frame being jogged out of plane with the lead frame to extend across a thickness of the insulation pad to allow the mounting contacts to engage the circuit board.
8. The connector module of claim 1, wherein the base includes at least one lug that extends from the base and is configured to be mounted to the circuit board, the at least one lug being formed of the conductive layer of the base and not covered by the non-conductive layer, the at least one lug providing an electrical current path between the housing and the circuit board.
9. The connector module of claim 1, wherein the cover is formed of a conductive metal, the cover engaging side walls of the base to couple the cover to the base, the side walls of the base composed of the conductive layer and not covered by the non-conductive layer such that the cover electrically connects to the base.
10. A connector module comprising:
a housing including a base that defines a slot, the slot configured to receive a circuit card therein, the base having a top side and a bottom side, the top side defining at least part of the slot, the base having multiple windows that extend through the base between the top and bottom sides, the base including a conductive metal layer that is at least partially covered by a non-conductive powder coating layer; and
a conductive lead frame coupled to the bottom side of the base, the lead frame including multiple contact beams that extend through the windows of the base into the slot, the lead frame being electrically isolated from the metal layer of the base by the powder coating layer of the base, the lead frame further including multiple mounting contacts configured to be mounted to conductive components of a circuit board.
11. The connector module of claim 10, wherein the base includes a floor and two side walls that extend from the top side of the floor along edges of the floor, the slot defined above the top side of the floor between the two side walls.
12. The connector module of claim 10, wherein the bottom side of the base includes the metal layer covered by the powder coating layer, and the top side of the base includes the metal layer not covered by the powder coating layer.
13. The connector module of claim 10, wherein the base includes multiple locking apertures that extend through the base between the top and bottom sides, the powder coating layer covering the metal layer at the top side of the base at least around the locking apertures, wherein the lead frame has multiple locking tabs that are configured to extend through the locking apertures to engage the powder coating layer at the top side of the base to couple the lead frame to the base.
14. The connector module of claim 10, wherein the lead frame includes multiple signal contacts, each signal contact having one of the contact beams, a corresponding one of the mounting contacts, and an intermediate segment that connects the contact beam to the mounting contact, each of the signal contacts having plural locking tabs that engage the base to individually couple the respective signal contacts to the base.
15. The connector module of claim 10, further comprising an insulation pad disposed between the conductive lead frame and the circuit board, the mounting contacts of the lead frame being jogged out of plane with the lead frame to extend across a thickness of the insulation pad to allow the mounting contacts to engage the circuit board.
16. A connector module comprising:
a housing including a base that defines a slot, the slot configured to receive a circuit card therein, the base having a top side and a bottom side, the top side defining at least part of the slot, the base having multiple windows that extend through the base between the top and bottom sides, the base including a conductive metal layer, the base further including a non-conductive adhesive layer disposed on the bottom side of the base; and
a conductive lead frame secured to the adhesive layer such that the adhesive layer is between the metal layer of the base and the lead frame, the lead frame including multiple contact beams that extend through the windows of the base into the slot, the lead frame being electrically isolated from the metal layer of the base by the adhesive layer, the lead frame further including multiple mounting contacts configured to be mounted to conductive components of a circuit board.
17. The connector module of claim 16, wherein the adhesive layer of the base is double-sided tape.
18. The connector module of claim 16, wherein the adhesive layer is arranged in a web that extends around at least some of the windows of the base without covering the windows.
19. The connector module of claim 16, wherein the base includes multiple punch holes that extend through the base between the top and the bottom sides, the lead frame including multiple signal contacts that each include one of the contact beams and a corresponding one of the mounting contacts, the signal contacts of the lead frame held together by linking segments that align with the punch holes, the punch holes configured to guide a punch tool that fragments the linking segments to mechanically and electrically isolate the signal contacts from each other.
20. The connector module of claim 16, wherein the base further includes a non-conductive powder coating layer at least partially covering the metal layer, the powder coating layer extending between the metal layer and the adhesive layer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of automatically selecting operating parameters for a surveying instrument, comprising the steps of:
measuring a current environmental value for at least one environmental parameter outside the surveying instrument;
selecting a range of test values for at least one operating parameter using the current environmental value;
firing series of test pulses using test values selected from the range of test values;
measuring an average delay for each series of test pulses; and
using the average delay to select optimal test values and setting those optimal test values as the operating parameters for the surveying instrument.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:
the at least one environmental parameter is selected from the group consisting of temperature, pressure, and light level.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:
the first and second operating parameters include at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of idle current, pulse current, power, timing delay, pulse timing, pump temperature, laser temperature, pulse intensity, output wavelength, output power, and pulse stability.
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:
selecting a range of test values includes selecting test values over a search space for the laser scanner.
5. A method of automatically selecting operating parameters for a surveying instrument, comprising the steps of:
positioning the surveying instrument near an object to be scanned;
firing at least one test pulse in order to determine a current operating value for at least one first operating parameter of the laser scanner;
measuring a current environmental value for at least one environmental parameter; and
using the current operating value and the current environmental value to automatically determine an optimal value for at least one second operating parameter.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein:
using the current operating value and the current environmental value to automatically determine an optimal value includes using at least one search algorithm.
7. A system for automatically selecting operating parameters for a laser scanner, comprising:
an optical transceiver including a laser for emitting a scan pulse and a detector for receiving a reflected portion of the scan pulse;
a laser temperature detection device positioned relative to the laser to determine a current operating temperature of the laser;
a laser temperature regulation device positioned relative to the laser to adjust the current operating temperature of the laser;
an external temperature sensor operable to determine an environmental temperature about the laser scanner; and
a laser control device in communication with the optical transceiver, laser temperature regulation device, laser temperature detection device, and external temperature sensor, the laser control device operable to use the environmental temperature and operating temperature to automatically select an optimal operating temperature for the laser.
8. A system according to claim 7, wherein:
the laser temperature regulation device is a thermoelectric cooler.
9. A system according to claim 7, wherein:
the laser temperature detection device is a thermistor.
10. A system according to claim 7, wherein:
the laser includes a diode pump laser, whereby the laser temperature regulation device regulates the temperature of the diode pump laser and the laser temperature detection device measures the current operating temperature of the diode pump laser.
11. A system according to claim 7, wherein:
the laser control device is further operable to use only the environmental temperature to automatically select an optimal operating temperature for the laser.
12. A system for automatically selecting operating parameters for a laser scanner, comprising:
an optical transceiver including a laser for emitting a scan pulse and a detector for receiving a reflected portion of the scan pulse;
a laser parameter measurement device operable to determine a current operating value for at least one first laser operating parameter;
an environmental parameter measurement device operable to determine an environmental value for at least one environmental parameter; and
a laser control device in communication with the optical transceiver, laser parameter measurement device, and environmental parameter measurement device, the laser control device operable to use the environmental value and current operating value to automatically select an optimal value for at least one second operating parameter.
13. A system according to claim 13, wherein:
the at least one second operating parameter includes at least one of the at least one first operating parameters.
14. A method of safely operating a laser scanner, comprising the steps of:
determining range information for a first scan point;
determining an orientation of a beam steering portion of the laser scanner;
using the range information and orientation to predict a location of a subsequent scan point; and
waiting to fire the laser scanner for the next scan point until the separation between the first scan point and subsequent scan point reaches a minimum safety threshold.
15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:
selecting the minimum safety threshold using an acceptable exposure limit for the laser scanner.
16. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:
determining at least one of a relative change in distance between scan points and intensity of light measured for the first scan point, and further using this information to predict a location of a subsequent scan point.
17. A method according to claim 14, wherein:
the range information is determined by measuring the time between an emission and a detection of a laser pulse from the scanner, reflected from an object being scanned.
18. A method of safely operating a laser scanner, comprising the steps of:
determining a first position of a first scan point on an object being scanned;
estimating a second position for a second scan point on the object; and
delaying firing of the laser scanner for the second scan point until an estimated separation between the first scan point and subsequent scan point reaches a minimum safety threshold.
19. A method of safely operating a laser scanner, comprising the steps of:
firing a first burst of pulses toward an object to be scanned;
collecting range data for the first burst of pulses;
determining a safe time when a firing of a subsequent pulse will not exceed a safety threshold for the laser scanner; and
firing a second burst of pulses toward the scan point after reaching the safe time.
20. A method according to claim 19, wherein:
the laser scanner has a maximum average speed of 24 Hz for laser pulses.
21. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:
determining a number of pulses to be included in each of the first and second bursts, the number of pulses being determined using an acceptable exposure limit for the laser scanner.
22. A method according to claim 19, wherein:
each of the first and second bursts contains between about 4 and about 20 pulses.
23. A method according to claim 19, wherein:
each of the first and second bursts contains about 6 pulses.