Patent ID: 8482720

Claim:
A method for the detection of objects in a detection region, wherein at least one transmitted light bundle ( 18 ) is transmitted into the detection region ( 20 ); transmitted light reflected back or remitted back from an object ( 12 ) is detected, when present, with a receiver unit ( 26 ) which has reception elements ( 28 ) arranged in the form of an M×N matrix, wherein M>1 and N>1; and the distance of the object ( 12 ) is determined by triangulation from the position, preferably from the center of intensity position, of the at least one light patch ( 30 ) produced by the reflected or remitted light at the receiver unit ( 26 ), characterized in that, the light patch ( 30 ) in two dimensions is incident on more than one reception element ( 28 ), and in addition to the position of the reflected or remitted light, the two-dimensional energy distribution of the at least one received light patch ( 30 ) within the light incident on the receiver unit ( 26 ) is evaluated in order to determine further information on the object ( 12 ) in addition to the distance of the object ( 12 ) determined by triangulation, wherein a light patch quality value is determined which includes information on the homogeneity of the light reflected or remitted at the object ( 12 ).