Apparatus and method for pattern-based configuration of optical sensing systems

An optical sensing system configured for machine guarding or area monitoring and comprising:

• one or more light receivers configured to receive light at the optical sensing system;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• detect a pattern embodied in received light data generated from the received light;
• compare the detected pattern to one or more internally stored patterns, each stored pattern representing a different operational configuration of the optical sensing system;
• and
• when the detected pattern is determined to match one of the stored patterns, select the operational configuration corresponding to the matched stored pattern, thereby setting one or more operating parameters that control the machine guarding or area monitoring behavior of the optical sensing system.

An apparatus comprising:

• an optical sensing system configured for machine guarding or area monitoring, and which includes one or more light receivers for receiving light, and includes a controller configured to:
• detect that received light data corresponding to light received by the optical sensing system exhibits one or more characteristic patterns matching at least one in a set of stored patterns maintained in the optical sensing system;
• and
• select an operational configuration for the optical sensing system in dependence on the particular one or more characteristic patterns detected in the received light data, wherein selecting the operational configuration sets one or more operating parameters that control a machine guarding or area monitoring behavior of the optical sensing system;
• and
• a pattern card having an optical pattern corresponding to one of the stored patterns, such that light received by the optical sensing system from or through the pattern card results in the received light data embodying one of the stored patterns.