Light curtain protection system featuring a passive optical module
First Claim
1. A light curtain protection system for monitoring a protected field of view, the light curtain protection system comprising:
- an active optical module having an emitter and a receiver, the emitter and the receiver disposed adjacent to each other to form a transceiving pair;
a passive optical module configurable to be separated from the active optical module by a detection field, and optically aligned with the active optical module to receive an incident light signal from the active optical module and return a reflected light signal to the active optical module, the passive optical detection module comprising;
a first mirror and a second mirror adapted to align with the active optical module, wherein the first mirror is adapted to redirect the incident light signal towards the second mirror, and the second mirror is adapted to redirect the redirected incident light signal to form the reflected light signal;
a polarization control module adapted to impart a first predetermined polarization to the reflected light signal such that the reflected light signal received by the receiver corresponds to a second predetermined polarization;
a first optical barrier and a second optical barrier having a respective first optical aperture and second optical aperture, wherein the incident light signal passes through the first optical aperture to reach the first mirror, and the reflected light signal exits from the second optical aperture to reach the active optical module; and
,a first collimating lens configurable to focus the incident light signal through the first optical aperture, and a second collimating lens configurable to direct the reflected light signal toward the receiver;
a controller operably coupled to the active optical module; and
,a data store operably coupled to the controller, wherein the data store comprises a program of instructions that, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to perform operations to detect an object, the operations comprising;
transmit, via the emitter, the incident light signal towards the passive optical module; and
,receive, via the receiver, the reflected light signal from the passive optical module.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a light curtain protection system having a passive optical module arranged to receive, from an active optical module, a light signal such that a reflector reflects, through a polarization control module, the light signal to be received by a receiver in the active optical module. In an illustrative example, the polarization control module includes a half-wave plate aligned with the reflector to impart a first predetermined polarization to the reflected light signal such that the reflected light signal corresponds to a second predetermined polarization when received by the receiver. The polarization control module includes optical elements, such as, for example, a linear polarizer, to receive the reflected light such that the optical elements polarizes the received reflected light signal to correspond to a predetermined polarization. In some examples, the light curtain protection system may advantageously require operating power only for the active optical module.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A light curtain protection system for monitoring a protected field of view, the light curtain protection system comprising:
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an active optical module having an emitter and a receiver, the emitter and the receiver disposed adjacent to each other to form a transceiving pair; a passive optical module configurable to be separated from the active optical module by a detection field, and optically aligned with the active optical module to receive an incident light signal from the active optical module and return a reflected light signal to the active optical module, the passive optical detection module comprising; a first mirror and a second mirror adapted to align with the active optical module, wherein the first mirror is adapted to redirect the incident light signal towards the second mirror, and the second mirror is adapted to redirect the redirected incident light signal to form the reflected light signal; a polarization control module adapted to impart a first predetermined polarization to the reflected light signal such that the reflected light signal received by the receiver corresponds to a second predetermined polarization; a first optical barrier and a second optical barrier having a respective first optical aperture and second optical aperture, wherein the incident light signal passes through the first optical aperture to reach the first mirror, and the reflected light signal exits from the second optical aperture to reach the active optical module; and
,a first collimating lens configurable to focus the incident light signal through the first optical aperture, and a second collimating lens configurable to direct the reflected light signal toward the receiver; a controller operably coupled to the active optical module; and
,a data store operably coupled to the controller, wherein the data store comprises a program of instructions that, when executed by the controller, causes the controller to perform operations to detect an object, the operations comprising; transmit, via the emitter, the incident light signal towards the passive optical module; and
,receive, via the receiver, the reflected light signal from the passive optical module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A light curtain protection system for monitoring a protected field of view, the light curtain protection system comprising:
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an active optical module having an emitter and a receiver, the emitter and the receiver disposed adjacent to each other to form a transceiving pair; a passive optical module configurable to be separated from the active optical module by a detection field, and optically aligned with the active optical module to receive an incident light signal from the active optical module and return a reflected light signal to the active optical module, the passive optical detection module comprising; a first mirror and a second mirror adapted to align with the active optical module, wherein the first mirror is adapted to redirect the incident light signal towards the second mirror, and the second mirror is adapted to redirect the redirected incident light signal to form the reflected light signal; a polarization control module adapted to impart a first predetermined polarization to the reflected light signal such that the reflected light signal received by the receiver corresponds to a second predetermined polarization; a first optical barrier and a second optical barrier having a respective first optical aperture and second optical aperture, wherein the incident light signal passes through the first optical aperture to reach the first mirror, and the reflected light signal exits from the second optical aperture to reach the active optical module; and
,a first collimating lens configurable to focus the incident light signal through the first optical aperture, and a second collimating lens configurable to direct the reflected light signal toward the receiver. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A light curtain protection system for monitoring a protected field of view, the light curtain protection system comprising:
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an active optical module having an emitter and a receiver, the emitter and the receiver disposed adjacent to each other to form a transceiving pair; a passive optical module configurable to be separated from the active optical module by a detection field, and optically aligned with the active optical module to receive an incident light signal from the active optical module and return a reflected light signal to the active optical module, the passive optical detection module comprising; means for redirecting the incident light signal to form the reflected light signal; a polarization control module adapted to impart a first predetermined polarization to the reflected light signal such that the reflected light signal received by the receiver corresponds to a second predetermined polarization; a first optical barrier and a second optical barrier having a respective first optical aperture and second optical aperture, wherein the incident light signal passes through the first optical aperture, and the reflected light signal exits from the second optical aperture to reach the active optical module; and
,a first collimating lens configurable to focus the incident light signal through the first optical aperture, and a second collimating lens configurable to direct the reflected light signal toward the receiver. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification