Door sensor system for detecting a target object

1. A door sensor system ( 90 ) for detecting a target object ( 56 ) in and/or near a door, comprising:

a door opening ( 96 ),

at least one movable door element ( 76 - 1 , 76 - 2 , 76 - 3 , 76 - 4 ),

at least one light scanner device ( 10 ),

each said light scanner device includes moving mirrors,

each said light scanner device mounted at a given mounting angle with respect to said door element,

said moving mirrors of said light scanner device deflecting light generated by said light scanner device, each said mirror includes a plurality of mirror facets and each said facet oriented at a tilt angle with respect to an axis ( 36 ) of said moving mirrors, said tilt angles of said plurality of mirror facets defining a plurality of tilted detection planes (scanning planes) generated by said moving mirrors,

each detection plane, scanning plane, includes a sweep sector

a scan angle defined by said plurality of detection planes, scanning planes, said scan angle includes a scanning width ( 60 ) and a scanning area ( 59 ), and,

said light scanner device optically measures the distance to a target at regular intervals 15 - i ) within the sweep sector of each scanning plane ( 15 ) covering the scanning area ( 59 ).

2. The door sensor system according to claim 1 comprising a light scanner device for measuring a range and an angular direction of said target object ( 56 ), said device ( 10 ) comprising:

a pulse source ( 12 ) adapted to transmit light pulses,

a transmitter deflection means 20 ) adapted to sweep the transmitted light pulses in variable sweep directions across a sweep sector,

a photo detection means ( 42 ) adapted to detect received light pulses that have been reflected in said sweep sector,

a receiver deflection means ( 24 ) adapted to re-direct light pulses that have been reflected in the sweep plane ( 15 ) to said photo detection means ( 42 ),

further comprising optical shielding means ( 32 ) adapted to optically shield transmitted light pulses on their trajectory from said pulse source ( 12 ) to said transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) and at least a portion of their trajectory extending from said transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) into said sweep sector from reflected light pulses on their trajectory between said photo detection means ( 42 ) and said receiver deflection means ( 24 ) and at least a portion of their trajectory extending in said sweep sector and ending on said receiver deflection means ( 24 ), wherein said transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) and said receiver deflection means ( 24 ) both comprises a multi-facet mirror comprising a plurality of at least one facet that is/are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein the multi-facet mirror of the transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) and the multi-facet mirror of said receiver deflection means ( 24 ) are adapted to be rotated in synchronism with each other on a common rotation axis ( 38 ),

wherein the multi-facet mirror of the transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) and the multi-facet mirror of said receiver deflection means ( 24 ) form a split multi-facet mirror comprising a groove adapted to optically separate the multi-facet mirror of the transmitter deflection means ( 20 ) and the multi-facet mirror of the receiver deflection means ( 24 ).

3. The door sensor system according to claim 1 wherein said scanned area is adjustable, and, said tilted detection planes, scanning planes, are oriented as desired, between a substantially vertical orientation and a substantially horizontal orientation near a door opening and door elements and at a predetermined height above or on the ground ( 80 ).

4. The door sensor system according to claim 1 wherein said light scanner device has an adjustable scanning area and the width ( 50 ) and height ( 52 minus 54 ) of said scanning area is variable according to the dimensions of said door.

5. he door sensor system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one light scanner device ( 10 ) is associated with said door opening ( 96 ) to survey the whole surface of said door opening.

6. The door sensor system according to claim 1 for a door with movable elements wherein at least one light scanner device ( 10 ) is associated with each said movable door elements ( 76 - 1 , 76 - 2 , 76 - 3 , 76 - 4 ).

7. The door sensor system according to claim 5 wherein at least one light scanner device ( 10 ) is associated with each movable door element ( 76 - 1 , 76 - 2 , 76 - 3 , 76 - 4 ).

8. The door sensor system according to claim 1 wherein said light scanner device forms a scanned area ( 59 ), said scanned area ( 59 ) has a scanning length ( 58 ) that is directed substantially parallel to said movable door element ( 76 - 1 , 76 - 2 , 76 - 3 , 76 - 4 ).

9. The door sensor system according to claim 7 wherein:

said scanner device forms a scanned area 59 ), said scanned area has a scanning length ( 58 ),

said scanning length ( 58 ) can be dynamically varied to extend along and not project beyond said movable door element ( 76 - 1 , 76 - 2 , 76 - 3 , 76 - 4 ) when said movable door element is between door frame elements ( 72 , 78 ), and,

said scanning length ( 58 ) projects beyond said movable door element when said movable door element is not between said door frame elements.

10. The door sensor system according to claim 1 wherein said light scanner device transmits and receives non-visible light pulses and said door sensor system further comprises an illumination means adapted to emit visible light so as to visibly illuminate a scanned area ( 59 ).

11. The door sensor system according to claim 1 further comprising adjustment means for adjusting the orientation of the door sensor device such that a position of a scanned area can be aligned with respect to door elements ( 76 - 1 , 76 - 2 , 76 - 3 , 76 - 4 ).

12. The door sensor system according to claim 11 wherein said adjustment means comprises a screw ( 62 , 64 , 66 , 68 ) adapted to adjust said tilt angle of said sweep sector.

13. The door sensor system according to claim 12 comprising a mounting bracket means ( 94 ) adapted such that said system can be mounted to a door frame element ( 70 , 72 , 78 ) in at least three different angular positions ( 92 - 1 , 92 - 2 , 92 - 3 ) corresponding with at least three different tilt angles generating three different sweep sectors.

14. The door sensor system according to claim 3 wherein said light scanner device has an adjustable scanning area and the width ( 50 ) and height ( 52 minus 54 ) of the scanning area can be adjusted according to the dimensions of said door.

15. The door sensor system according to claim 14 wherein said at least one light scanner device ( 10 ) is associated with said door opening ( 96 ) to survey the whole surface of said door opening.

16. The door sensor system according to claim 15 wherein at least one light scanner device ( 10 ) is associated with each movable door element ( 76 ; 76 - 1 , 76 - 2 , 76 - 3 , 76 - 4 ).

17. The door sensor system according to claim 4 wherein said light scanner device transmits and receives non-visible light pulses, and said door sensor system further comprises an illumination means adapted to emit visible light so as to visibly illuminate scanned area ( 59 ).

18. The door sensor system according to claim 17 wherein said adjustment means comprises a screw ( 62 , 64 , 66 , 68 ) adapted to adjust the tilt angle of the sweep sector.