Patent ID: 6927386

Claim:
An optical position detecting device comprising: a light retro-reflector provided outside a predetermined region; at least two optical transceivers, each including an optical scanning unit for angularly scanning light in a plane substantially parallel to the predetermined region and a light receiving unit for receiving reflected light from a portion of said light retro-reflector irradiated with the scanning light; and a detector for detecting a position of a light blocking object present in a region optically scanned by said optical scanning units, based on scanning angles of said optical scanning units and results of receiving light by said light receiving units, said optical position detecting device being characterized by further comprising: a comparing unit for comparing a level of light received by said light receiving unit with a predetermined level; and a judging unit for making a judgment that said optical scanning unit has an operational defect when the level of light received by said light receiving unit periodically becomes lower than the predetermined level.