Patent ID: 6838655

Claim:
Photoelectric proximity switch for detecting the presence of an object in a monitored area, the photoelectric proximity switch comprising: a pulse generator comprising a random signal generator or a pseudo-random signal generator, which generates a first output signal at a first output and a second output signal at a second output, the second output signal being identical or corresponding to the first output signal; a light pulse transmitter for emitting transmitting light pulses into the monitored area that are emitted with a time interval between each of them, the light pulse transmitter having an input being connected to the first output of the pulse generator for supplying the light pulse transmitter with the first output signal triggering the transmitting light pulses and determining the pulse position of the transmitting light pulses; a receiving signal evaluating device having an input being connected to the second output of the pulse generator for supplying the receiving signal evaluating device with the second output signal; and a light receiver arranged in relation to the light pulse transmitter and to the monitored area in such a manner that in the absence of an object to be detected in the monitored area, the light receiver receives essentially no light from the light pulse transmitter, but in the presence of an object to be detected in the monitored area, the light receiver receives such an amount of light from the light pulse transmitter due to reflection that the receiving signal evaluating device delivers an object detection signal.