Optical sensing system
AssigneeSoftronics, Ltd.
InventorsRobert Sternowski, James G. Sliney, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical sensing system for detecting objects passing through a volume of interest, wherein the sensing system has an emitter and a detector. The detector detects motion of object shadows generated as the object passes through the volume of interest between the emitter and detector. Motion detection algorithms, using computed motion vectors of the detected object, logically determine whether an object has traveled completely through the detection space, and can be used to discriminate a specific outcomes and/or impediments.
Claims18
An optical sensing system for detecting a moving object passing through a volume of interest, said system comprising:
- an emitter which emits a light beam through the volume of interest, said light beam having a normal intensity;
- an expanding lens which expands the diameter of the light beam;
- a collimating lens which collimates the light beam;
- a mosaic detector having an array of detecting elements along a length and width;
- a decollimating lens which focuses the light beam on the mosaic detector having an array of detecting elements along a length and a width;
- wherein each detecting element is configured to independently detect changes to the normal intensity of the light beam;
- a processor which receives and processes inputs from the detecting elements;
- providing detection of the object's motion, velocity;
- and size along the length and width of the mosaic detector.
An optical sensing system for detecting a moving object passing through a volume of interest, said optical sensing system comprising:
- an emitter which emits a light beam through the volume of interest, said light beam having a normal intensity;
- a lens assembly which expands the diameter of the light beam to create an expanded diameter light beam and for collimating the expanded diameter light beam to create a collimated light beam;
- a decollimating lens which focuses the collimated light beam on a mosaic detector having a length and a width;
- wherein the mosaic detector is configured to receive the collimated light beam, said mosaic detector comprising both a plurality of detecting elements along the length of the mosaic detector and a plurality of detecting elements along the width of the mosaic detector, wherein each detecting element independently detects changes to the normal intensity of the collimated light beam;
- a detector subsystem including a processor configured to receive signals from the mosaic detector and determine motion of the object passing in front of the detecting elements along the length and the width of the mosaic detector by determining direction, position, velocity and acceleration of the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.