Patent ID: 8462320

Claim:
A sensor apparatus comprising a distance sensor consisting of a transmit device having at least one transmitter with a light source, a receive device having at least one receiver, and an electronic unit that emits light by means of the transmitter and determines a distance which light emitted by the transmitter covers from a reflection surface of an object in a monitored area to the respective receiver on a basis of an evaluation of at least one of a running time of the light and a phase of an oscillation modulated onto the light, wherein a plurality of light guide means are arranged for transmitting light between a plurality of spatially separated, optically separate monitored areas and the receive device, wherein the light guide means reflect the light at least once so that light can pass from the monitored areas to the receive device on an angled path, and wherein an evaluation of the plurality of light guide means is performed with only one receive unit in the form of a time of flight sensor.