Patent ID: 6987562
Filing Date: 2006-01-17
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. An object detecting apparatus disposed behind a front cover comprising: a light projection window; a light emitting device projecting a scan beam; a light receiving device receiving a reflection of the scan beam; an edge of the front cover defining an opening of the front cover; a light sensing element receiving a reflection of a scattered portion of the scan beam; and a control circuit, wherein the light emitting device projects the scan beam through the light projection window and the opening of the front cover to detect an object in a front space of the apparatus based on the reflection of the scan beam, wherein a foreign matter on at least one of the light projection window and the edge of the front cover is detected by using the light sensing element based on the reflection of the scattered portion of the scan beam reflected thereon, wherein a position of the light sensing element is located on a line defined by a first point and a second point, the first point existing on the light projection window in an area where the scattered portion of the scan beam reflects, and the second point existing on the edge of the front cover in an area where the scattered portion of the scan beam reflects, and wherein the control circuit determines an existence of the foreign matter based on an intensity of the reflection of the scattered portion of the scan beam collected by the light sensing element.