Method and apparatus for detecting and for counting any instantaneous variations in a profile, and applications thereof

An optoelectronic method for detecting instantaneous variations in the profile of a continuously traveling object or set of objects, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) reproducing said profile in the plane of an optical detector in the form of a function Y=F(X), with the X axis corresponding to the travel direction and the Y axis corresponding to the direction in which the object or set of objects may have instantaneous variations in the profile;
• b) scanning the profile by means of two receivers delimited by two slots in such a manner that the intersections between the function Y=f(X) defined by the profile and lines representative of the two receivers are reduced approximately to two points, with the distance between the two points being as small as possible;
• c) continuously determining the derivative Y'(X) and actuating an electronic circuit associated with the optical detector to generate an output signal directly proportional to the value of the derivative Y'(X);
• d) exploiting the output signal;
• e) issuing an instruction as a function of the exploitation of the output signal;
• and
• f) adjusting the traveling objects responsive to the instruction issued.

An optoelectronic method for detecting and for counting instantaneous variations in the profile of a continuously traveling object or set of objects, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) reproducing said profile in the plane of an optical detector in the form of a function Y=f(X), with the X axis corresponding to the travel direction and the Y axis corresponding to the direction in which the object or set of objects may have instantaneous variations in the profile;
• b) scanning the profile by means of two receivers delimited by two slots in such a manner that the intersections between the function Y=f(X) defined by the profile and lines representative of the two receivers are reduced approximately to two points, with the distance between the two points being as small as possible;
• c) continuously determining the derivative Y'(X) and actuating an electronic circuit associated with the optical detector to generate an output signal directly proportional to the value of the derivative Y'(X);
• d) comparing the output signal with a predetermined value representative of an instantaneous variation in the profile;
• e) generating a pulse whenever the output signal exceeds the predetermined value;
• f) counting each pulse-generated as a measure of the number of the continuously traveling objects.