System, device, and method for monitoring and controlling the position of a remote object
First Claim
1. A device for detecting whether a remote object is in a predetermined position comprising:
- a processor and a memory;
a laser emitter communicatively coupled to the processor;
a photosensor communicatively coupled to the processor,wherein a surface of the remote object comprises a retroreflective portion,wherein the laser emitter and the photosensor are oriented such that a laser beam emitted by the laser emitter points substantially at the retroreflective portion and is reflected by the retroreflective portion such that a portion of the reflection is detected by the photosensor,wherein the memory comprises instructions encoded on non-transitory media that when executed by the processor, cause the device to detect whether the remote object is in a predetermined position, the instructions comprising;
calculating, through the processor, a difference between a pair of light intensity measurements measured by the photosensor; and
detecting, through the processor, whether the difference exceeds a threshold value;
wherein the pair of light intensity measurements comprise a first light intensity measurement captured before a binary state change of the laser emitter and a second light intensity measurement captured after a binary state change of the laser emitter.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various controllers detect whether or not a remote object is in a predetermined position. A controller emits a laser through a laser emitter at the remote object and measures an intensity of light reflected back to the controller through a photosensor disposed in close proximity to the laser emitter. The surface of the remote object may comprise a retroreflective portion, which reflects most of the laser beam'"'"'s light in the direction from which it came. A predetermined position of the remote object is detected when the intensity of light measured by the photosensor reaches a threshold level. The controller and retroreflective portion are configured such that when the remote object is not in the predetermined position, the intensity of the reflected laser light diminishes due to a scattering of the light when the laser beam is incident on any non-retroreflective portion of the remote object.
14 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A device for detecting whether a remote object is in a predetermined position comprising:
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a processor and a memory; a laser emitter communicatively coupled to the processor; a photosensor communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein a surface of the remote object comprises a retroreflective portion, wherein the laser emitter and the photosensor are oriented such that a laser beam emitted by the laser emitter points substantially at the retroreflective portion and is reflected by the retroreflective portion such that a portion of the reflection is detected by the photosensor, wherein the memory comprises instructions encoded on non-transitory media that when executed by the processor, cause the device to detect whether the remote object is in a predetermined position, the instructions comprising; calculating, through the processor, a difference between a pair of light intensity measurements measured by the photosensor; and detecting, through the processor, whether the difference exceeds a threshold value; wherein the pair of light intensity measurements comprise a first light intensity measurement captured before a binary state change of the laser emitter and a second light intensity measurement captured after a binary state change of the laser emitter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer-implemented method for detecting whether a remote object is in a predetermined position comprising:
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calculating, through a processor of a device communicatively coupled to a photosensor and a laser emitter, a difference between a pair of light intensity measurements measured by the photosensor; detecting, through the processor, whether the difference exceeds a threshold value, wherein a surface of the remote object comprises a retroreflective portion, wherein the laser emitter and the photosensor are oriented such that a laser beam emitted by the laser emitter points substantially at the retroreflective portion and is reflected by the retroreflective portion such that a portion of the reflection is detected by the photosensor; and wherein the pair of light intensity measurements comprise a first light intensity measurement captured before a binary state change of the laser emitter and a second light intensity measurement captured after a binary state change of the laser emitter. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A system configured to detect whether a remote object is in a predetermined position comprising:
a controller comprising; a processor; a memory; a laser emitter communicatively coupled to the processor; a photosensor communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the laser emitter and the photosensor are oriented such that a laser beam emitted by the laser emitter points substantially at a retroreflective portion of the remote object and is reflected by the retroreflective portion such that a portion of the reflection is detected by the photosensor, wherein the memory comprises instructions encoded on non-transitory media that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to detect whether the remote object is in a predetermined position, the instructions comprising; calculating, through the processor, a difference between a pair of light intensity measurements measured by the photosensor; detecting, through the processor, whether the difference exceeds a threshold value, and
wherein the pair of light intensity measurements comprise a first light intensity measurement captured before a binary state change of the laser emitter and a second light intensity measurement captured after a binary state change of the laser emitter.- View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
Specification