Patent ID: 6900451

Claim:
A mapping sensor system for detecting positions of flat objects arranged randomly in recesses of a storage device, each of said flat objects having an edge, and a thickness, said mapping sensor system comprising: a moveable carrier which is moveable with respect to said storage device across said flat objects and that rigidly supports a mapping sensor unit; and memory means for recording data about said positions of said flat objects in said storage device and for controlling operation of said moveable carrier in accordance with said recorded data; said mapping sensor unit comprising: a light source that generates a light beam; a beam shaper having means for transforming said light beam into a substantially flat light beam directed toward said flat objects substantially parallel to said flat objects and having a thickness in a cross section perpendicular to the direction of said flat light beam comparable with said thickness of said flat objects; at least one light-receiving means for sensing a light beam reflected from said edge; and an actuating mechanism with a control unit; said at least one light receiving means having a sensitivity threshold lower than intensity of said light beam reflected from said edge but higher than a reflected light beam other than said light beam reflected from said edge; said threshold being controlled and adjusted with the use of an electronic synchronous detection circuit.