IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,034,950
Granted Patent B2
US 7,034,950 · App. 10/841,445 · Granted Apr 25, 2006

Laser grid for measuring distance

Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,034,950
App. No.
10/841,445
Granted
Apr 25, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

The laser grid ( 1 ) permits a single-sided installation in order to record a person or object in the monitoring area. The grid operates using punctiform sensor units ( 3 ), each including at least one laser diode and two photosensitive pixels. The sensor units are arranged in a line in a housing ( 2 ).

Claims (24)

1. A distance measuring light grid comprising:

a plurality of transmitting and receiving elements arranged in punctiform sensor units that respectively have at least one laser diode and two photosensitive pixels; and

a housing in which the sensor units are arranged in a line,

wherein the housing comprises a clock generator, an analog-to-digital converter and a processing logic circuit,

wherein the clock generator is configured to trigger the sensor units,

wherein the sensor units are configured to execute individual measurements and provide analog measured values,

wherein the analog-to-digital converter is configured to output the measured values to the processing logic circuit, and

wherein the processing logic circuit is configured to process the measured values.

2. The distance measuring light grid as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor units are 3D CMOS sensors.

3. The distance measuring light grid as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing logic circuit is configured to calculate at least one distance from the measured values.

4. The distance measuring light grid as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing logic circuit comprises a background filter that subtracts the measured values from a set of static background values.

5. The distance measuring light grid as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing logic circuit comprises a threshold filter for identifying an object in a plurality of differing approach zones.

6. The distance measuring light grid as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing logic circuit is configured to logically combine the measured values of a plurality of the sensor units and to detect a size of an object from the combined values.

7. The distance measuring light grid as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processing logic circuit comprises a muting function configured to mask out at least one of the measured values.

8. The distance measuring light grid as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises an interface configured to interconnect the processing logic circuit to an external measuring and monitoring system.

9. A light grid comprising:

a plurality of sensor units mounted to form a sensor row, each of the sensor units comprising at least one laser diode and two photosensitive pixels, wherein each of the sensor units is configured to register an object in a laser path of the laser diode; and

a housing mounting the sensor row,

wherein the housing comprises a clock generator, an analog-to-digital converter and a processing logic circuit,

wherein the clock generator is configured to trigger the sensor units,

wherein the sensor units are configured to execute individual measurements and provide analog measured values,

wherein the analog-to-digital converter is configured to output the measured values to the processing logic circuit, and

wherein the processing logic circuit is configured to process the measured values.

10. The light grid as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the housing comprises at least one signal processor processing output signals from the plurality of sensor units into an object distance measurement.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2019
From: ODOS IMAGING LIMITED
To: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 050090/0456 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2011
From: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
To: ODOS IMAGING LTD
Reel/Frame 026715/0951 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 15, 2004
From: MENGEL, PETER; WASCHKE, HOLGER
To: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 015787/0408 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 101 54 797 · Nov 8, 2001 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTDE020399600 · Oct 23, 2002
Related Publication 20050007348A1 · Jan 13, 2005