Method and device for generating distinguishable signals and method of distinguishing signals of similar shape

A steering angle optical sensor for generating distinguishable signals indicative of a direction of turning a steering wheel of a vehicle, said sensor comprising

• a toothed wheel rotating with said steering wheel,
• a first and a second optical receptor adapted to be covered by teeth of said toothed wheel upon turning thereof, said first optical receptor being located on one side and said second optical receptors being located on an opposite side of said toothed wheel relative to a zero-angle position thereof, said optical receptors being thus responsive to turning said wheel in a corresponding direction, and
• a signal generator controlled by either of said optical receptors to separately generate signals respectively responsive to said optical receptors, each of said signals having a lower value and an upper value, said lower value and upper value being within predetermined ranges of permissible lower and upper values,
• wherein said signals that are responsive to said first optical receptor are offset relative to said signals that are responsive to said second optical receptors in such a way that said predetermined ranges do not overlap each other, whereby said signals responsive to said first optical receptor are distinguishable from said signals responsive to said second optical receptor and, if cross-wired, cannot be erroneously taken one for another upon processing same.