Photoelectric sensing array apparatus and method of using same
First Claim
1. Photoelectric sensing array apparatus, comprising:
- a pair of rails mounted in photoelectric communication with one another for detecting the presence of an opaque object disposed therebetween, each one of said rails including a row of alternating photoelectric transmitters and receivers;
means for energizing and sensing one of said rails;
means for energizing and sensing the other one of said rails;
means responsive to the energizing and sensing of the pair of rails for determining the location of an opaque object disposed in the communication path between said rails and for supplying an address to one of said rails and an inverted address to the other one of said rails, said means including a processor; and
means for sensing receiver saturation error conditions, and said processor being responsive to the sensing of said error conditions to utilize only the detected information from one of said rails;
wherein said processor is adapted to determine the difference between the detected information from said pair of rails, and to cause the utilizing of only the detected information of one of said pair of rails, said one of said pair of rails having a smaller detected information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A photoelectric sensor array apparatus and method, relates to at least two photoelectric rail elements each having alternating light emitting diode transmitters and photo detecting receivers. The array produces a plurality of light devices with corresponding sensors, whereby the light beams are blocked in the region where an opaque object is located. Each rail contains both transmitters and receivers so that control circuits for the transmitters and receivers are substantially identical and mounted on opposite sides of the array apparatus, to provide a more compact unit of higher resolution and to reduce the design and manufacturing costs. Such construction and method enable the sensing array apparatus to function in direct sunlight or other such photoelectric saturation conditions, which would otherwise blind conventional light sensitive sensor arrays.
73 Citations
9 Claims
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1. Photoelectric sensing array apparatus, comprising:
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a pair of rails mounted in photoelectric communication with one another for detecting the presence of an opaque object disposed therebetween, each one of said rails including a row of alternating photoelectric transmitters and receivers;
means for energizing and sensing one of said rails;
means for energizing and sensing the other one of said rails;
means responsive to the energizing and sensing of the pair of rails for determining the location of an opaque object disposed in the communication path between said rails and for supplying an address to one of said rails and an inverted address to the other one of said rails, said means including a processor; and
means for sensing receiver saturation error conditions, and said processor being responsive to the sensing of said error conditions to utilize only the detected information from one of said rails;
wherein said processor is adapted to determine the difference between the detected information from said pair of rails, and to cause the utilizing of only the detected information of one of said pair of rails, said one of said pair of rails having a smaller detected information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of using a photoelectric sensing array apparatus, comprising:
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arranging a pair of rails for communicating photoelectrically with one another, each one of said rails including a rail of alternating receivers and transmitters;
energizing and sensing one of said rails;
energizing and sensing the other one of said rails;
determining the location of an opaque object disposed in the communication path between said rails in response to the energizing and sensing of the rails; and
determining the difference between the detected information from said pair of rails, and then causing the utilizing of only the detected information of one of said pair of rails, said one of said pair of rails having a smaller detected information.
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8. A photoelectric sensing array system, comprising:
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a first rail having a row of alternating transmitters and receivers;
a second rail having a row of alternating transmitters and receivers, each of said receivers of said second rail adapted to receive a photoelectric signal from a corresponding one of said transmitters of said first rail, and each of said receivers of said first rail adapted to receive a photoelectric signal from a corresponding one of said transmitters of said second rail; and
a processor adapted to determine a first number indicative of number of receivers in said first rail receiving a signal and a second number indicative of number of receivers in said second rail receiving a signal;
wherein when a difference between said first number and second number is greater than a predetermined threshold, said processor is adapted to use signals received by receivers of only one rail to detect an opaque object, said one rail corresponding to the lower of the first number and the second number.
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9. A method of detecting an opaque object, comprising:
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transmitting signals from transmitters mounted on a first rail, said transmitters being mounted alternatingly with receivers on said first rail, said signals being directed at receivers mounted on a second rail, said receivers on said second rail being mounted alternatingly with transmitters on said second rail;
transmitting signals from said transmitters mounted on said second rail, said signals being directed at said receivers mounted on said first rail;
determining a first number indicative of number of said receivers in said first rail receiving a signal;
determining a second number indicative of number of said receivers in said second rail receiving a signal;
calculating a difference between said first number and second number;
determining whether said difference is greater than a predetermined threshold; and
when said difference is greater than said predetermined threshold, using only received signals from one rail to determine the existence of an opaque object between said first rail and said second rail.
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Specification