Method and apparatus for determining the position of a mobile body
First Claim
1. A method for determining the position of a mobile body movable along a rectilinear path and transversely with respect to a fixed reference body comprising the following steps:
- providing one said body with a source of optical radiation having an intensity which varies in a continuous way in the direction of movement of the mobile body;
providing the other said body with at least two optical receivers aligned side-by-side in the direction of movement of the mobile body;
aiming the optical receivers directly at the source of optical radiation without any interposed encoding device, and with the optical receiver disposed so that they are completely illuminated by the radiation from said source;
converting the intensity of the optical radiation detected by each optical receiver into first electrical signal and a second electrical signal of corresponding intensity;
determining the ratio between at least said first electrical signal and at least said second electrical signal;
comparing the value of said ratio with predetermined ratio reference values corresponding to the position of the mobile body.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining the position of a mobile body which is movable along a rectilinear path relative to a fixed reference body in which the position of the mobile body is independent of any spurious movements of the body or variations in the intensity of the source of radiation.
In the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, an optical sensor includes a source of optical radiation integral with the mobile body and the intensity of which varies continuously in the direction of movement of the mobile body, two optical receivers integral with the fixed reference body and side-by-side in the direction of movement of the mobile body and directly facing the source of optical radiation without any interposed device, the optical receivers always being fully illuminated by the source of optical radiation, photoelectric diodes to transform the optical signals falling on the optical receivers into electrical signals of corresponding intensity, a subtractor and an adder to provide signals corresponding to the difference and the sum of the electric signals, a divider to provide a signal corresponding to the ratio between the difference and the sum of the signals and a comparator to compare the ratio signal with the contents of a memory in which the correspondence between the ratio signal and the position of the mobile body is stored.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for determining the position of a mobile body movable along a rectilinear path and transversely with respect to a fixed reference body comprising the following steps:
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providing one said body with a source of optical radiation having an intensity which varies in a continuous way in the direction of movement of the mobile body; providing the other said body with at least two optical receivers aligned side-by-side in the direction of movement of the mobile body; aiming the optical receivers directly at the source of optical radiation without any interposed encoding device, and with the optical receiver disposed so that they are completely illuminated by the radiation from said source; converting the intensity of the optical radiation detected by each optical receiver into first electrical signal and a second electrical signal of corresponding intensity; determining the ratio between at least said first electrical signal and at least said second electrical signal; comparing the value of said ratio with predetermined ratio reference values corresponding to the position of the mobile body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An optical sensor for determining the position of a mobile body movable along a rectilinear path and transversely with respect to a fixed reference body comprising the combination of:
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a source of optical radiation affixed to one said body and having an intensity which varies in a continuous way in the direction of movement of the mobile body; at least two optical receivers affixed to the other said body and aligned side-by-side in the direction of movement of the mobile body, said receivers having radiation receiving surfaces and being disposed with their radiation receiving surfaces facing directly towards the source of optical radiation, without any interposed encoding device and with said surfaces completely illuminated by the radiation from said source; means for transforming the intensities of the optical radiation detected by each optical receiver into a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal; means connected to said transforming means for providing a signal corresponding to the ratio of at least said first signal to a least said second signal; means for comparing the value of said ratio with a predetermined ratio reference values corresponding to the position of the mobile body. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification