Control of monitored zone

A process device for transporting objects (13) within a monitored zone (11), comprising:

• at least one spatially resolving sensor (15) including one of a laser scanner and camera system, wherein the sensor (15) determines positions of object points (23) in the monitored zone (11) and executes a contour search in at least one sub-set (19, 19′, 19″) of the determined positions, wherein the sub-set of positions are examined mathematically as to whether the respective object points (23) lie on at least one model line (21, 21′, 21″) that is pre-determined with respect to one of shape and length within a pre-determinable tolerance, the model line corresponding to at least a part of a contour of the permitted object (13) in the monitored zone (11), wherein the contour search is carried out independently of respective locations of the determined positions relative to the sensor (15).

A sensor for controlling a monitored zone (11) of a transport device for objects (13), comprising:

• an evaluation device that determines positions corresponding to object points (23) in the monitored zone (11) and that executes a contour search in at least one sub-set (19, 19′, 19″) of the determined positions, wherein the sub-set of positions are examined mathematically as to whether the respective object points (23) lie on at least one model line (21, 21′, 21″) that is pre-determined with respect to one of shape and length within a pre-determinable tolerance, the model line corresponding to at least a part of a contour of the permitted object (13) in the monitored zone (11), wherein the contour search is carried out independently of respective locations of the determined positions relative to the sensor (15).