Detection apparatus

• US 8,723,955 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Original Assignee: Sick AG (Sick)
• Inventors: Kiehn, Michael, Aikio, Mauri, Aikio, Mika
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chacko, Joe
• Application Number:
  US12/654,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20100165082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/152, 348/161, 348/162, 348/164
• US Class Current: 348/152
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4811 common to transmitter and receiver

Abstract

An apparatus for spatially resolved detection of objects has transmission and reception devices, in which transmission and reception regions overlap or intersect in a detection region which is disposed within a monitored zone. The monitored zone covers a detection angle in which the transmitted radiation is reflected by objects. An imaging arrangement is disposed in the propagation path of the transmitted radiation and/or of the reflected radiation and covers the total detection region at the transmission side and/or at the reception side at all times. Spatial resolution is used for influencing the propagation direction of the radiation and/or for the operation of the reception device, in a time varying manner, such that the spacing of the detection region relative to the imaging arrangement and/or the size of the detection region determined by the degree to which the transmission region and the reception region overlap or intersect changes.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the spatially resolved detection of objects (13) located in a monitored zone (11),

having a transmission device (43) for the transmission of electromagnetic radiation (17) in a transmission region (19);

having a reception device (41) for the reception of radiation (25) reflected from a reception region (23), wherein the transmission region (19) and the reception region (23) overlap or intersect in a detection region (27) which is disposed within the monitored zone (11), which covers a detection angle and in which the transmitted radiation (17) is reflected by objects (13), having an imaging arrangement (29) having a radiation reflection surface (61) and disposed in the propagation path of the transmitted radiation (17) and/or of the reflected radiation (25) and which covers the total detection region (27) at the transmission side and/or at the reception side at all times; and

having spatial resolution means (31) that is arranged in the propagation path of the radiation (17) between a transmitter of the transmission device (43) and the imaging arrangement (29), for the influencing of the propagation direction of the radiation (17, 25) and/or for the operation of the reception device (41), in particular in a time varying manner, such that the position, in particular the spacing, of the detection region (27) relative to the imaging arrangement (29) and/or the size of the detection region (27) determined by the degree to which the transmission region (19) and the reception region (23) overlap or intersect can be changed,

wherein the detection apparatus provides distance measurement in accordance with the time-of-flight principle and/or in accordance with the phase measurement principle, thereby functioning as a distance measurement unit.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that spatial resolution means (31) at the transmission side and spatial resolution means (31) at the reception side can be operated synchronously or asynchronously, with in particular an asynchronous operation being able to be superimposed on a synchronous base operation of the spatial resolution means (31) at least at times.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the spatial resolution means (31) are arranged in the propagation path of the radiation (25) between the imaging arrangement (29) and a receiver (41) of the reception device or include means for the spatially resolved operation of a receiver (41) of the reception device in particular designed as a 3D camera.

4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the spatial resolution means (31) include at least one movable optical element, in particular a mirror, a prism or a wedge, controllable for the carrying out of deflection movements and/or at least one diffractive optical system controllable for the change of the radiation-refractive behavior and/or at least one receiver (41) which can be operated in a spatially resolved manner, in particular a 3D camera, preferably a PMD sensor.

5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the detection angle covered by the detection zone (27) amounts, at least in a transmission plane (35, 35′

), to at least 90°

.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the imaging arrangement (29) is designed for the deflection of the transmitted radiation (17) and/or of the reflected radiation (25).

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the imaging arrangement (29) includes at least one surface (61), in particular an at least partly ring-shaped surface, with the angle at which the radiation (17) transmitted by the transmission device is incident onto the surface (61) at the transmission side and/or the angle at which the radiation (25) coming from the surface (61) is incident onto the spatial resolution means (31) at the reception side can in particular be changed by means of the spatial resolution means (31).

8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the radiation reflection surface of the imaging arrangement (29) is an at least partly conical mirror.

16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the detection angle covered by the detection zone (27) amounts, at least in a transmission plane (35, 35′

), to at least 180°

.

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the detection angle covered by the detection zone (27) amounts, at least in a transmission plane (35, 35′

), to at least 360°

.

9. A method for the spatially resolved detection of objects (13) located in a monitored zone (11) comprising;

using an apparatus which includes a transmission device (43) for the transmission of electromagnetic radiation (17) in a transmission region (19) and a reception device (41) for the reception of radiation (25) reflected from a reception region (23), wherein the transmission region (19) and the reception region (23) overlap or intersect in a detection region (27) which is disposed within the monitored zone (11), which covers a detection angle (27) and in which the transmitted radiation (17) is reflected by objects; and

wherein the apparatus includes an imaging arrangement (29) having at least one radiation reflection surface (61) with a spatial resolution means (31), said imaging arrangement (29) is disposed in the propagation path of the transmitted radiation (17) and/or of the reflected radiation (25) and which covers the total detection region (27) at the transmission side and/or at the reception side at all times, and the spatial resolution means (31) is arranged in the propagation path of the transmitted radiation (17) between the transmission device (43) and the imaging arrangement (29);

wherein the propagation path of the radiation (17, 25) is influenced and/or the reception device (41) is operated such that the position, in particular the spacing, of the detection region (24) relative to the imaging arrangement (29) and/or the size of the detection region (27) determined by the degree to which the transmission region (19) and/or the reception region (23) overlap or intersect is/are changed;

and wherein the detection apparatus provides distance measurement in accordance with the time-of-flight principle and/or in accordance with the phase measurement principle, thereby functioning as a distance measurement unit.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the spatial resolution means (31) is arranged at the transmission side changing the angle at which the radiation (17) transmitted by the transmission device (43) such that the radiation (17) is incident onto the at least one surface (61) and/or at the reception side the angle at which the radiation (25) coming from the surface (61) is incident onto the spatial resolution means (31).

11. A method in accordance with claim 9, characterized in that a plurality of at least partly circular paths (63) with different radius and/or a path (65) deviating from a circle, in particular a spiral or helical path, is/are described on a surface (61) of the imaging arrangement (29) sequentially at the transmission side by means of the spatial resolution means (31).

12. A method in accordance with claim 9, characterized in that spatial resolution means (31) at the transmission side and spatial resolution means (31) at the reception side are operated synchronously or asynchronously, with in particular an asynchronous operation being superimposed on a synchronous base operation of the spatial resolution means (31) at least at times.

13. A method in accordance with claim 9, characterized in that the position and/or the size of the detection region (27) is changed while the (17) transmitted by the transmission device (43) propagates.

14. A method in accordance with claim 9, characterized in that the size of the detection region (27) is changed such that the intensity of the reflected radiation (25) received by the reception device (41) has a predetermined extend over the propagation of the radiation (17) transmitted by the transmission device (43).

18. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein in the radiation reflection surface (61) of the imaging arrangement (29) is at least partly ring-shaped.

15. A method for the spatially resolved detection of objects (13) located in a monitored zone (11), the method comprising:

using an imaging arrangement (29) having a radiation reflection surface (61), which completely covers a detection region (27) at the transmission side and/or at the reception side at all times, in an apparatus for the spatially resolved detection of objects (13) located in a monitored zone (11), wherein the apparatus includes a transmission device (43) for the transmission of electromagnetic radiation (17) in a transmission region (19) and a reception device (41) for the reception of radiation (25) reflected from a reception region (23), wherein the transmission region (19) and the reception region (23) overlap or intersect in the detection region (27) which is disposed within the monitored zone (11), which covers a detection angle and in which the transmitted radiation (17) is reflected by objects (13);

wherein the imaging arrangement (29) is disposed in the propagation path of the transmitted radiation (17) and/or of the reflected radiation (25);

wherein the apparatus includes a spatial resolution means (31) disposed in the propagation path of the electromagnetic radiation (17) between the transmission device (43) and the imaging arrangement (29), the spatial resolution means (31) influences the propagation direction of the radiation (17, 25) and/or the operation of the reception device (41), in particular in a time varying manner, such that the position, in particular the spacing, of the detection region (27) relative to the imaging arrangement (29) and/or the size of the detection region (27) determined by the degree to which the transmission region (19) and the reception region (23) overlap or intersect can be changed;

and wherein the detection apparatus provides distance measurement in accordance with the time-of-flight principle and/or in accordance with the phase measurement principle, thereby functioning as a distance measurement unit.

19. A method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the radiation reflection surface (61) is at least partly from a conical shaped mirror.