Patent ID: 7180922

Claim:
A safety system for focused energy applications that ensures proper position and orientation of an application source relative to a preselected application area and prevents operation of an application beam should persons or objects intersect a security boundary, comprising: a focused energy application source having a directional output port; one or more detectors positioned near said output port, in a fixed position relative to said output port, and oriented in substantially the same direction as said output port; one or more safety beam emitters for generating a low power safety beam, wherein said safety beam emitters are placed in a position selected from the group consisting of a direct position wherein said safety beam is oriented toward a preferred position of said application source, and an indirect position wherein said safety beam is oriented toward said application area, and wherein said safety beam is at least partially reflected from said application area toward said preferred position of said application source; and a control system, wherein said control system initiates a safety response if an amount of radiation from said safety beam emitter as received by said detector decreases below a preselected level.