Method for operating an optoelectronic proximity sensor
AssigneeOSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH
InventorHubert Halbritter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method can be used for operating an optoelectronic proximity sensor. The proximity sensor includes a radiation-emitting component, a radiation-detecting component and a control unit. The radiation-emitting component is operated by means of a pulsed current. During each measurement period, the pulsed current of the radiation-emitting component has an on-time and an off-time. The pulsed current has a pulse current intensity during the on-time, and the control unit evaluates a detector signal of the radiation-detecting component and lowers the pulse current intensity for a subsequent measurement period, when the detector signal exceeds a threshold value during at least one measurement period.
Claims20
A method for operating an optoelectronic proximity sensor that comprises a radiation-emitting component, a radiation-detecting component, and a control unit, the method comprising:
- operating the radiation-emitting component with a pulsed current that has an on-time and an off-time during one measurement period, wherein the pulsed current has a pulse current intensity during the on-time and wherein the measurement period is between 1 ms and 2000 ms;
- using the control unit to evaluate a detector signal from the radiation-detecting component;
- and
- reducing the pulse current intensity for a subsequent measurement period when the detector signal exceeds a threshold value during at least one measurement period.
An optoelectronic proximity sensor, comprising:
- a radiation-emitting component configured to be operated via a pulsed current that has an on-time and an off-time during one measurement period, wherein the pulsed current has a pulse current intensity during the on-time and wherein the measurement period is between 1 ms and 2000 ms;
- a radiation-detecting component configured to generate a detector signal;
- and
- a control unit configured to evaluate the detector signal and reduce the pulse current intensity for a subsequent measurement period when the detector signal exceeds a threshold value during at least one measurement period.
A method for operating an optoelectronic proximity sensor that comprises a radiation-emitting component, a radiation-detecting component, and a control unit, the method comprising:
- operating the radiation-emitting component with a pulsed current that has an on-time and an off-time during one measurement period, wherein the pulsed current has a pulse current intensity during the on-time;
- using the control unit to evaluate a detector signal from the radiation-detecting component;
- reducing the pulse current intensity for a subsequent measurement period when the detector signal exceeds a threshold value during at least one measurement period;
- and
- increasing the pulse current intensity by at least 50% for a subsequent measurement period when the detector signal falls below a threshold value during at least one measurement period and the pulse current intensity is less than a predefined maximum value for the pulse current intensity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.