Patent ID: 8077034

Claim:
A sensor ( 10 ), comprising: said sensor detecting presence in a detection area ( 18 ); a pattern generator ( 14 ); said pattern generator ( 14 ) projecting a pattern ( 16 ) on the detection area ( 18 ); said pattern generator ( 14 ) generates said pattern ( 16 ) on said detection area ( 18 ) having illuminated and non-illuminated zones; said pattern generator ( 14 ) generates pulsed patterns ( 16 ); storing means for storing signals of a reference image pattern; an image processing unit ( 24 ); a camera ( 20 ) separated from the pattern generator ( 14 ) by a predetermined distance (D); said camera detecting signals of said pattern ( 16 ) reflected from said detection area ( 18 ); said camera ( 20 ) having a global shutter and a control unit; said control unit controls said shutter and said pattern generator ( 14 ) to synchronize the opening of said shutter with the pulse frequency of said pattern generator ( 14 ) to open said shutter with the beginning of said pattern pulse and to close said shutter at the end of said pattern pulse; an object residing partially or wholly within said pattern; said image processing unit ( 24 ) triangulating an object in said pattern ( 16 ) within said detection area ( 18 ); and, said image processing unit ( 24 ) comparing said reflected and received pattern ( 16 ) with said object present in said detection area with said signals of said reference image pattern stored in said storing means of said image processing unit ( 24 ).