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US 6,377,166 B1Granted
Omni-directional movement sensor
OwnerJoseph Cauchiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A movement sensor has a spherical body freely movable within a chamber. Radiation is passed through the chamber from at least two different sources. Detectors opposite the radiation sources produce signals responsive to the amount of detected radiation which is dependent on the position of the spherical body relative to the chamber.
Claims16
An omni-directional movement sensor comprising:
- a chamber containing a non-liquid, substantially spherical body freely movable within the chamber, wherein said body does not significantly deform under normal operation of the sensor;
- a first radiation emitting means located relative to the chamber, said emitting means being adapted to emit a beam of radiation which passes through the chamber, said radiation beam having a maximum beam width less than the diameter of the chamber,
- a second radiation emitting means located relative to the chamber and adapted to emit a second radiation beam which passes through the chamber, said second radiation beam having a maximum beam width less than the diameter of the chamber,
- first and second radiation detecting means located substantially opposite said respective first and second emitting means, said detecting means adapted to detect emitted radiation passing through the chamber from the respective emitting means, the body blocking a predetermined amount of the first and second radiation beam dependent on the relative position of the body within the chamber, and
- signal generating means to generate an electrical signal in response to detected emitted radiation.
2 more elements
An alarm system for a motor vehicle, the alarm system comprising:
- a movement sensor including:
- a chamber containing a non-liquid, substantially spherical body freely movable within the chamber wherein said body does not significantly deform under normal operation of the sensor,
- a first radiation emitting means located relative to the chamber, said emitting means being adapted to emit a beam of radiation which passes through the chamber, said radiation beam having a maximum beam width less than the diameter of the chamber,
- a second radiation emitting means located relative to the chamber and adapted to emit a second radiation beam which passes through the chamber, said second beam having a maximum beam less than the diameter of the chamber,
- first and second radiation detecting means located substantially opposite said respective first and second emitting means, said detecting means adapted to detect emitted radiation passing through the chamber from the respective emitting means, the body blocking a predetermined amount of the first and second radiation beam dependent on the relative position of the body within the chamber, and
- signal generating means to generate an electrical signal in response to detected emitted radiation.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.