Patent ID: 8471192

Claim:
A safety scanner ( 10 ) for securing a monitored zone ( 18 ), wherein the safety scanner ( 10 ) has a light transmitter ( 12 ) for transmitting a light beam ( 14 ), a deflection unit ( 16 ) for the periodic deflection of the light beam ( 14 ) into the monitored zone ( 18 ), a light receiver ( 24 ) for generating received signals from the light beam ( 20 ) remitted by objects in the monitored zone ( 18 ) as well as an evaluation unit ( 30 ) which is made to recognize intrusions into a protected field within the monitored zone ( 18 ) with reference to the received signals and thereupon to provide a securing signal, except for the case that the intrusion can be associated with an expected object ( 40 ), characterized in that the evaluation unit ( 30 ) is made to track or to recognize the object ( 40 ) in the protected field and to carry out the association of intrusions with the expected object ( 40 ) with reference to the contour and to the then current position, orientation and/or speed of the object ( 40 ) wherein the evaluation unit ( 30 ) is made to switch over between a plurality of protected field configurations which each fix the boundaries of the protected field within the monitored zone ( 18 ) and is made to carry out said switchover of the protected field configuration when the object ( 40 ) enters into the protected field and/or exits the protective field, wherein in particular the protected field configuration is the same before the entry and after the exit of the object ( 40 ).