A video guidance sensor system for use, e.g., in automated docking of a chase
vehicle
with a target vehicle. The system includes an integrated rangefinder sub-system
that uses time of flight measurements to measure range. The rangefinder sub-system
includes a pair of matched photodetectors for respectively detecting an output
laser beam and return laser beam, a buffer memory for storing the photodetector
outputs, and a digitizer connected to the buffer memory and including dual amplifiers
and analog-to-digital converters. A digital signal processor processes the digitized
output to produce a range measurement.