Two dimensional object position sensor
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsDavid K. Biegelsen, Bryan Preas, Lars Erik Swartz, Warren B. Jackson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for sensing the position, size, shape and location orientation of one or more objects in two dimensions. The position sensor uses arrays of light sensors mounted on a substrate. When an object passes in proximity to the light sensors light energy from a plurality of light sources is either reflected from the object to the light sensors, or is emitted directly to the light sensors. The light energy is then converted to individual signals and transmitted through circuit traces in a printed circuit board to a local controller. The information may then be processed to determine the size, position, shape and location orientation of an object.
Claims36
An object sensor usable to sense a position of an object, comprising:
- a substrate having a surface;
- a plurality of discrete light energy detectors distributed over the surface of a detector portion of the substrate, each discrete light energy detector having a two dimensional detection surface having an area that is a non-negligible percentage of the detector portion, the plurality of light energy detectors arranged in a two-dimensional array such that the detection surfaces of the plurality of light energy detectors substantially fill the detector portion of the substrate;
- and
- at least one light source arranged relative to the detector portion of the substrate to illuminate the plurality of discrete light energy detectors in absence of the object.
A method of detecting at least one of a presence, a position, a size, a shape and an orientation of an object using a plurality of discrete light energy detectors distributed over the surface of a detector portion of the substrate, each discrete light energy detector having a two dimensional detection surface having an area that is a non-negligible percentage of the detector portion, the plurality of light energy detectors arranged in two dimensions such that the detection surfaces the plurality of light energy detectors substantially fill the detector portion of the substrate, the method comprising:
- passing an object in proximity to the plurality of discrete light energy detectors;
- emitting light energy from a plurality of light sources;
- using the object to controllably determine which of the plurality of light energy detectors receive light from the plurality of light sources;
- receiving the light energy at at least some of the plurality of light energy detectors based on at least some of the position, the size, the reflectivity of the object, the transmissivity of the object, and/or the orientation of the object;
- transmitting a signal from each of the light energy detectors based on an amount of received light energy received at each light energy detector;
- determining the at least one of the presence, the position, the size, the shape and the orientation of the object based on the transmitted signals from the light energy detectors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.