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

Claim 13:
14. 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 and an associated twist 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;
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,
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;
an amplitude detector configured to receive the plurality of waveform signals and to output an amplitude signal on the basis of amplitudes associated with two or more of the plurality of waveform signals, wherein the amplitude detector comprises a ratio detector configured to receive the plurality of waveform signals and to output the amplitude signal on the basis of a ratio of amplitudes associated with two or more of the plurality of waveform signals;
and a distance calculator configured to receive the plurality of time difference signals and the amplitude 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 amplitude signal, the tilt angles, and the twist angles.