Patent ID: 6900449
Filing Date: 2005-05-31
Classification: G01V,G03G

Abstract:
1. A media type sensing method for an imaging apparatus, comprising the steps of: providing a sensor including a light source and a light detector; driving said light source based on a drive signal, said light source generating a light beam that impinges a print media sheet thereby generating reflected light, said reflected light having a light intensity related to said drive signal and related to a type of said print media sheet; detecting said light intensity of said reflected light with said light detector, said light detector generating a detection voltage based on said light intensity; providing a comparator to compare a reference voltage to said detection voltage, wherein said comparator has an output change from an initial output state to a media type detection state when said detection voltage transitions across said reference voltage; changing said light intensity of said light source by changing said drive signal, while monitoring for said output change of said comparator; determining a drive signal value of said drive signal at a point of detection of said output change; and correlating said drive signal value to a specific media type.