Patent ID: 8224032

Claim:
An apparatus for safeguarding a hazardous area of an automatically operated installation, the apparatus comprising: an image recording unit having a first camera designed to record a first image and having a second camera designed to record at least one second image of the hazardous area, the first and second cameras each comprising an image sensor having a plurality of pixels for imaging a plurality of area points located in the hazardous area, an illumination device designed to emit light signals into the hazardous area in order to illuminate the plurality of area points, an evaluation unit designed to determine a first distance value for at least one area point by means of a propagation time measurement using the light signals and using the first image from the first camera, the propagation time measurement having a limited unambiguity range, a control unit configured to initiate a safety function depending on the distance value determined, the safety function being configured to safeguard the installation, and a test device designed to detect an incorrectly determined distance value resulting from the limited unambiguity range, the test device being designed to check the distance value by means of the second image including said at least one area point from the second camera.