Patent ID: 11914042
Assignee: VORTANT TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A system for providing position information about an object traversing a path relative to the system comprising:
a plurality of light sources configured to shine a plurality of light stripes that intersect the path traversed by the object relative to the system, wherein each of the plurality of light stripes shines with an associated tilt angle, an associated twist angle, and an associated beam-spreading angle, and wherein a first tilt angle associated with a first light stripe of the plurality of light stripes is substantially different than a second tilt angle associated with a second light stripe of the plurality of light stripes, and wherein a first light source of the plurality of light sources is configured to shine at a first time and wherein a second light source of the plurality of light sources is configured to shine at a second time that is substantially different than the first time;
a light detector having a field of view configured to intersect the path traversed by the object relative to the system and configured to output a plurality of waveform signals corresponding to intensities of light reflected from the plurality of light stripes, wherein the light detector is configured to output a first waveform signal of the plurality of waveform signals corresponding to the first light source, based on light detected at the first time, and wherein the light detector is further configured to output a second waveform signal of the plurality of waveform signals corresponding to the second light source, based on light detected at the second time;
a timing detector configured to receive the plurality of waveform signals and to output a plurality of time difference signals associated with two or more of the plurality of waveform signals, and further configured to output a time duration signal based on at least one of the plurality of waveform signals;
and a distance calculator configured to receive the plurality of time difference signals and the time duration signal and to output a distance signal comprising information about a distance of the object from the system, based on the plurality of time difference signals, the time duration signal, the tilt angles, the twist angles, and at least one of the beam-spreading angles.