Patent ID: 7684018

Claim:
A door sensor that senses the proximate position of a movable door and determines the position of any objects relative to the movable door, said door sensor comprising a source for electromagnetic radiation, a receiver for the electromagnetic radiation, and a control device, the control device being designed for emitting electromagnetic radiation by means of the source and for determining a distance that is covered by the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the source from a reflection surface of an object to the receiver, doing so by evaluating a propagation time of the electromagnetic radiation or a phase of an oscillation modulated onto the electromagnetic radiation, the control device providing an economy mode in which the power of the source is lower in a prescribed time interval by comparison with a normal object detection mode, means being provided to ensure switching back into the normal object detection mode in the event of a predefined object situation, wherein the control device prescribes the economy mode when the door is closed.