Level sensor implemented with a plurality of light receiving elements

A level sensor which detects a center of a light receiving position of a laser beam, the level sensor, comprising:

• a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in parallel which receive a laser beam, each light receiving element having first and second nodes, wherein the first nodes of the light receiving elements are mutually connected;
• a first electric signal conversion element which converts a received laser beam into an electric signal proportional to a light quantity of the received laser beam, the first electric signal conversion element being connected between second nodes of adjacent light receiving elements wherein a value of the first electric signal conversion element is defined according to an interval between the light receiving elements adjacent to each other;
• a second electric signal conversion element which converts a received laser beam into an electric signal proportional to a light quantity of the received laser beam, the second electric signal conversion element being connected to the second node of the light receiving element at a first end of the arrangement of light receiving elements;
• a third electric signal conversion element which converts a received laser beam into an electric signal proportional to a light quantity of the received laser beam, the third electric signal conversion element being connected to the second node of the light receiving element at a second end of the arrangement of light receiving element;
• and
• a computer which receives a first electric signal generated in the second electric signal conversion element and a second electric signal generated in the third electric signal conversion element, the computer, comprising:
• an operation analysis processing section that performs an operation of obtaining a ratio between the first electric signal and the second electric signal based on the first electric signal and the second electric signal;
• and
• a comparison analysis processing section that compares a result obtained by the operation with a signal ratio at an origin position in the arrangement of the plurality of light receiving elements.

A level sensor which detects a center of a light receiving position of a laser beam, comprising:

• a first light receiving section comprising a plurality of first light receiving elements arranged in parallel;
• a first electric signal conversion element which converts a received laser beam into an electric signal proportional to a light quantity of the received laser beam, the first electric signal conversion element being connected to one end of the first light receiving section;
• a second electric signal conversion element which converts a received laser beam into an electric signal proportional to a light quantity of the received laser beam, the second electric signal conversion element being connected to the other end of the first light receiving section;
• a middle section electric signal conversion element which converts a received laser beam into an electric signal proportional to a light quantity of the received laser beam, the middle section electric signal conversion element being connected to adjacent first light receiving elements, wherein a value of the middle section electric signal conversion element is defined according to an interval between its connected first light receiving elements;
• a second light receiving section having the same optical-electrical characteristics as those of the first light receiving section and being linked to the first light receiving section;
• a third electric signal conversion element which converts a received laser beam into an electric signal proportional to a light quantity of the received laser beam, the third electric signal conversion element being connected to one end of the second light receiving section;
• a fourth electric signal conversion element which converts a received laser beam into an electric signal proportional to a light quantity of the received laser beam, the fourth electric signal conversion element being connected to the other end of the second light receiving section;
• and
• a computer which receives a first electric signal generated in the first electric signal conversion element, a second electric signal generated in the second electric signal conversion element, a third electric signal generated in the third electric signal conversion element, and a fourth electric signal generated in the fourth electric signal conversion element, the computer, comprising:
• an operation analysis processing section that performs an operation of obtaining a ratio between the first electric signal and the second electric signal based on the first electric signal and the second electric signal, and
• a comparison analysis processing section that compares a result obtained by the operation with a signal ratio at an origin position in the arrangement of the plurality of light receiving elements.