Deposit detector and controller using the detector
First Claim
1. (Amended) An object-sensing device comprising a light source for total reflection and a light source for scattering, wherein an outer surface of a transparent substrate is used as a sensing surface on which an incident light admitted into the transparent substrate from the light source for total reflection is reflected, and an incident light admitted into the transparent substrate from the light source for scattering is irradiated, the light source for total reflection, the transparent substrate and a light receiver are arranged such that the reflected light of the light source for total reflection from the sensing surface can be received by the light receiver, and the light source for scattering and the light receiver are arranged such that scattered light of the light source for scattering from the sensing surface can be received, the object-sensing device comprising:
- an object sensor for detecting a change due to an object in a signal level from the light source for total reflection in a photo detection signal detected by the light receiver so as to detect a presence of the object; and
a light-scattering-object sensor for detecting a change due to an object in a signal level from the light source for scattering in a photo detection signal detected by the light receiver so as to detect whether or not the object is a light scattering object, wherein the light source for total reflection and the light source for scattering are switched for operation.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an object-sensing device capable of estimating the presence of an object attached on a sensing surface, the kind of the object and the state of the object. An image is formed by a lens with light via the sensing surface, and the light is received by a light-receiving element portion in which a plurality of micro-light-receiving elements are arranged. In the object detection mode, totally reflected light from the sensing surface is received by the light-receiving element portion. The components are arranged at an angle that allows total reflection when there is no object, and does not allow the total reflection condition to be satisfied when there is an object. In the light scattering object detection mode, scattered light from the sensing surface is received by the light-receiving element portion. A signal pattern is obtained by joining detection signal levels of the micro-light-receiving elements in accordance with the arrangement of the micro-light-receiving elements. An increase portion or a drop portion of the signal pattern that appears in accordance with the presence of the object or a difference in the state thereof is analyzed, so that the kind and the state of the object such as a rain drop, muddy water, fogging, ice or the like are estimated.
15 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. (Amended) An object-sensing device comprising a light source for total reflection and a light source for scattering,
wherein an outer surface of a transparent substrate is used as a sensing surface on which an incident light admitted into the transparent substrate from the light source for total reflection is reflected, and an incident light admitted into the transparent substrate from the light source for scattering is irradiated, the light source for total reflection, the transparent substrate and a light receiver are arranged such that the reflected light of the light source for total reflection from the sensing surface can be received by the light receiver, and the light source for scattering and the light receiver are arranged such that scattered light of the light source for scattering from the sensing surface can be received, the object-sensing device comprising: -
an object sensor for detecting a change due to an object in a signal level from the light source for total reflection in a photo detection signal detected by the light receiver so as to detect a presence of the object; and
a light-scattering-object sensor for detecting a change due to an object in a signal level from the light source for scattering in a photo detection signal detected by the light receiver so as to detect whether or not the object is a light scattering object, wherein the light source for total reflection and the light source for scattering are switched for operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 15, 17)
-
-
3. (Cancelled)
-
5. (Amended) An object-sensing device comprising two types of light sources for total reflection and scattering,
wherein a portion of an outer surface of a transparent substrate is used as a sensing surface on which an incident light admitted into the transparent substrate from the light source for total reflection is reflected, and an incident light admitted into the transparent substrate from the light source for scattering is irradiated, the object-sensing device comprising: -
an imaging lens for forming an image with each of the reflected light by the light source for total reflection and scattered light by the light source for scattering that are incident from the sensing surface, a light source switch for switching irradiation of the light source for total reflection and irradiation of the light source for scattering; and
a light-receiving element array in which a plurality of micro-light-receiving elements are arranged, wherein light from the imaging lens is received by the light-receiving element array, a signal pattern in which photo detection signals from each micro-light-receiving element are aligned in accordance with an arrangement of the micro-light-receiving elements is generated, the presence of an object is detected based on the signal pattern obtained from the irradiation of the light source for total reflection, and whether or not the object is a light scattering object is detected based on the signal pattern obtained from the irradiation of the light source for scattering. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16)
-
-
6. (Cancelled)
-
14. (Cancelled)
Specification