IP Library Granted Patent US 7,504,611
Granted Patent B2
US 7,504,611 · App. 11/653,944 · Granted Mar 17, 2009

Moving object detecting photointerrupter and electronic device using the same

Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,504,611
App. No.
11/653,944
Granted
Mar 17, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A moving object detecting photointerrupter includes one light emitting element for emitting light, at least two light receiving elements for receiving and detecting light emitted from the light emitting element and reflected off a moving object, and a detecting programmed logic circuitry for detecting movement of the moving object based on detection output from the light receiving elements when the light reflected off the moving object is received.

Claims (37)

1. A moving object detecting photointerrupter comprising,

one light emitting element for emitting light,

at least two light receiving elements for receiving and detecting said light emitted from the light emitting element which is subsequently reflected off a moving object, wherein said moving object moves relatively to said two light receiving elements, and

detecting programmed logic circuitry for detecting movement of the moving object based on detection output from the light receiving elements when the light reflected off the moving object is received, wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry obtains a difference in light reception start timings of the light receiving elements receiving light reflected off the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements, and detects movement of the moving object when the difference in the light reception start timings is equal to or greater than a prescribed value.

2. A moving object detecting photointerrupter comprising,

one light emitting element for emitting light,

at least two light receiving elements for receiving and detecting said light emitted from the light emitting element which is subsequently reflected off a moving object, wherein said moving object moves relatively to said two light receiving elements, and

detecting programmed logic circuitry for detecting movement of the moving object based on detection output from the light receiving elements when the light reflected off the moving object is received, wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry obtains a difference in light reception start timings of the light receiving elements receiving light reflected off the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements, and detects movement of the moving object when the difference in the light reception start timings falls within a prescribed range.

3. A moving object detecting photointerrupter comprising,

one light emitting element for emitting light,

at least two light receiving elements for receiving and detecting said light emitted from the light emitting element which is subsequently reflected off a moving object, wherein said moving object moves relatively to said two light receiving elements, and

detecting programmed logic circuitry for detecting movement of the moving object based on detection output from the light receiving elements when the light reflected off the moving object is received, wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry obtains a difference in light reception end timings of the light receiving elements receiving light reflected off the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements, and detects movement of the moving object when the difference in the light reception end timings is equal to or greater than a prescribed value.

4. A moving object detecting photointerrupter comprising,

one light emitting element for emitting light,

at least two light receiving elements for receiving and detecting said light emitted from the light emitting element which is subsequently reflected off a moving object, wherein said moving object moves relatively to said two light receiving elements, and

detecting programmed logic circuitry for detecting movement of the moving object based on detection output from the light receiving elements when the light reflected off the moving object is received, wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry obtains a difference in light reception end timings of the light receiving elements receiving light reflected off the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements, and detects movement of the moving object when the difference in the light reception end timings falls within a prescribed range.

5. A moving object detecting photointerrupter comprising,

one light emitting element for emitting light,

at least two light receiving elements for receiving and detecting said light emitted from the light emitting element which is subsequently reflected off a moving object, wherein said moving object moves relatively to said two light receiving elements, and

detecting programmed logic circuitry for detecting movement of the moving object based on detection output from the light receiving elements when the light reflected off the moving object is received, wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry obtains light reception start timings of the light receiving elements and light reception end timings of the light receiving elements receiving light reflected off the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements, and detects movement of the moving object based on the light reception start timings and the light reception end timings.

6. A moving object detecting photointerrupter comprising,

one light emitting element for emitting light,

at least two light receiving elements for receiving and detecting said light emitted from the light emitting element which is subsequently reflected off a moving object, wherein said moving object moves relatively to said two light receiving elements, and

detecting programmed logic circuitry for detecting movement of the moving object based on detection output from the light receiving elements when the light reflected off the moving object is received, wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry detects the movement of the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements when light emitting timing of the light emitting element and light reception timings of the light receiving elements match continuously a plurality of times.

7. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 1 , or claim 2 , or claim 3 , or claim 4 , or claim 5 , or claim 6 , wherein the areas of light receiving regions of the light receiving elements are the same.

8. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 1 , or claim 2 , or claim 3 , or claim 4 , or claim 5 , or claim 6 , wherein an optical system is set for each of the light receiving elements in accordance with the area of the light receiving region of each of the light receiving elements.

9. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 1 , or claim 2 , or claim 3 , or claim 4 , or claim 5 , or claim 6 , wherein the light receiving elements have a plurality of light receiving regions.

10. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 1 , or claim 2 , wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry detects the movement of the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements regardless of the sequence of the light reception start timings of the light receiving elements receiving light reflected off the moving object.

11. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 1 , or claim 2 , wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry obtains the sequence of the light reception start timings of the light receiving elements receiving light reflected off the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements, and detects the direction of movement of the moving object based on the sequence.

12. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 1 , or claim 2 , wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry obtains the sequence of the light reception start timings of the light receiving elements receiving light reflected off the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements, and detects movement of the moving object only when the sequence matches a prescribed sequence.

13. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 1 , or claim 2 , or claim 3 , or claim 4 , or claim 5 , or claim 6 , wherein a collimating lens is provided to the light-emitting side of the light emitting element or the light-incident side of the light receiving elements.

14. An electronic device, wherein the moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 1 , or claim 2 , or claim 3 , or claim 4 , or claim 5 , or claim 6 , is used.

15. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 3 or claim 4 , wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry detects the movement of the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements regardless of the sequence of the light reception end timings of the light receiving elements receiving light reflected off the moving object.

16. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 3 or claim 4 , wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry obtains the sequence of the light reception end timings of the light receiving elements receiving light reflected off the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements, and detects the direction of movement of the moving object based on the sequence.

17. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 3 or claim 4 , wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry obtains the sequence of the light reception end timings of the light receiving elements receiving light reflected off the moving object based on the detection output of the light receiving elements, and detects movement of the moving object only when the sequence matches a prescribed sequence.

18. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 6 , wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry maintains a detection state if a high-frequency light that does not match the light reception timing enters when the light emitting timing of the light emitting element and the light reception timings of the light receiving elements match.

19. The moving object detecting photointerrupter according to claim 6 , wherein the detecting programmed logic circuitry does not detect the movement of the moving object if a high-frequency light that does not match the light reception timing enters when the light emitting timing of the light emitting element and the light reception timings of the light receiving elements match.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2017
From: SHARP CORPORATION AKA SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 044410/0751 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2007
From: TSUJI, MASAKI
To: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 018800/0397 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2006-017921 · Jan 26, 2006 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20070170380A1 · Jul 26, 2007