Other

Mechaless Systems Gmbh

Zircon Corporation

Daimler Chrysler Ag

Johnson Controls Technology Company

Elmos Semiconductor Ag

Shanghai Lanbao Sensor Co., Ltd

Elmos North America Inc.

Mechnlesm Systems Gmbh

Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Aug. Winkhaus Gmbh. Co., Kg

Kaba Gallenschutz Gmbh

Reime, Gerd

Held & Partner Gbr

Gerd Reime

Peter Langer

Michael Domokos

Eric Sean Deuel

Douglas C Campbell

Jeffrey Neil Golden

Egbert Spiegel

Juergen Setzer

Bernd Mayer

Andreas Rodewald

Rolf Melcher

Jüergen Larm

Thomas W Sojda

Frank Rottmann

Peter W Mokris

Franz-Simon Haider

Michael Dietz

Peter Bickert

Timo Plogmann

Matthias Henke

Jürgen Larm

Jeffrey Golden

Rainer Scholz

Jürgen Setzer

The invention relates to a measuring arrangement and to a method for the inductive analysis of metal objects, comprising a coil arrangement having an excitation coil () that can be excited by means of an excitation current, and at least one receiver coil (), said two coils being inductively coupled to one another. By means of an evaluation unit, an output signal () of the measuring arrangement is evaluated. Means for generating a ramp-shaped voltage signal of the excitation voltage () as a specification for a ramp-shaped current through the excitation coil are provided. A control device regulates the current at the base point of the excitation coil () such that a ramp-shaped excitation current is produced, which is modulated by the metal object (), and which affects the change in the excitation voltage. Thus, an inductive analysis or detection method is provided, in which temperature influences on the coil system have no effect at all, and which, moreover, allows a spectral analysis of the inductive properties of the metal to be analyzed in a wide frequency range.

Inductive analysis of metal objects

A method for securing and/or locking an object, and a related system, the method including introducing into a key receiver a metal key element that is provided along its longitudinal direction at least in part with at least one first code, reading of the at least one first code by at least one reader unit in the key receiver, rotating the at least one metal key element in and in relation to the key receiver by a user, therein producing a relative rotary movement, detecting the relative rotary movement, converting the relative rotary movement as detected into a display signal that is variable with rotation, communicating the display signal to a display, interactively setting a further code on the display by the user, by rotating the at least one metal key element, and actuating the securing and/or locking and unlocking of the object in dependence on the further code.

Securing and/or locking system and corresponding method

The invention relates to a device having, as a sensor for detecting an object arranged behind an article that is transparent to electromagnetic radiation, a coil assembly having a first transmitting coil () and a first receiving coil () arranged orthogonally with respect to the first transmitting. An evaluation unit evaluates the output signals from the coil assembly. The fact that the coil assembly comprises the first transmitting coil () and at least one further transmitting coil (), and the first receiving coil () and at least one further receiving coil (), wherein axes () of the first and of the at least one further transmitting coil are orthogonal to each other, and the axes () of the first and second transmitting coil intersect the axis () of the first receiving coil () that is orthogonal to the first and second transmitting coils (), means that a device is provided that reduces or even eliminates the grating effect. According to the method, for this purpose, the electromagnetic fields emitted by the transmitting coils as a result of a periodic AC signal during a first half period are each directed in the direction of the first receiving coil () and, during the second half period, are directed away from the first receiving call (), wherein the first receiving coil () is wired and operated in series with at least one further receiving coil (). An electromagnetic field which penetrates the coil assembly, generates mutually opposed voltages in the receiving coils ().

Device and method for detecting an article

The invention relates to a method and a measuring arrangement for detecting an object () hidden behind an article (). The method comprises the following steps: applying a first alternating voltage () to a first sensor (); applying a second alternating voltage () to a second sensor () arranged adjacent to the first sensor (); determining an effect () of the article () on at least one of the alternating voltages () depending on a distance () of the sensor () to the article (); determining a change () in the dependent effect () occurring during a movement () of the sensor () along the article (); and detecting the object () in accordance with the change () of the dependent effect (). In this way, a detection of an object hidden behind an article is improved such that the object can be recognized as independently as possible from a relative position of the device to the article, in particular, an angular position, in particular also if the device for detecting the object is manually moved beyond the article.

Method and device for detecting an object hidden behind an article

The invention relates to a closing system having a key () coded in a quantum-physical manner, which withstands very high mechanical forces, wear, or temperatures. The key consists, for example, of a solid stainless-steel bar having, for example, a diameter of 8 mm and, for example, a length of 120 mm. The coding of the key () is based on a quantum-physical solid body cryptography. The matter of the solid main body is partially changed in such a way that this change can be read out by means of read-out methods suitable therefor. The coding occurs into the depth of the main body such that external influences such as damage to the surface do not impair the function of the key. The quantum key processed in such a way has no visible or perceptible features of the coding. More than 500 billion different codings are accommodated on a length of approximately 50 mm. The locking system comprises a decoding unit on the lock for decoding the codings, which have been introduced into the solid metal of the key in a quantum-physical manner. The arrangement according to the invention offers a locking system that is extremely resistant to forgery and manipulation, on the basis of quantum-physical solid body cryptography.

Key, locking system, and method for opening or closing the locking system

A sensor arrangement for determining at least one physical parameter of a sensor unit which is activated by at least one periodic excitation, comprising a detection region in which changes of the parameter in the surroundings of the sensor unit lead to an output signal from the sensor unit. The sensor unit is wired such that if there is no change of the parameter in the detection region the output signal is a zero signal at the output of the sensor unit, whereas if there are changes of the parameter in the detection region the output signal is a signal that is not zero and which has a specific amplitude and phase. By means of a closed-loop control, the non-zero signal in the receive path is adjusted to achieve an adjusted state at zero even in the presence of changes of the parameter in the detection region. Inherent in the control signal used for this adjustment is a deviation (&#x394;x, &#x394;y) of the control signal from the adjusted state, which deviation represents information about the parameter. To create a sensor arrangement and a method in which values of a physical parameter in a detection region can be clearly determined, in a four-quadrant representation of the deviation (&#x394;x, &#x394;y) in the form of a vector analysis in a phase space of the control signal, the angle of an imaginary vector () relative to the x axis of an x, y coordinate system, said vector leading from the origin () of the x, y coordinate system to a measuring point () and said origin corresponding to the adjusted state, represents a measurement for the change of the parameter along a direction, and/or the magnitude of the imaginary vector () represents a measurement for the change of the parameter along a further direction.

Sensor arrangement and method for determining at least one physical parameter

An identification element has a transponder with a data-emitting transmission unit and with a data-receiving reception unit in order to communicate with a device for registering and/or controlling access authorization to spaces or objects. In addition, a control circuit is provided for the transmission unit and reception unit. The transponder is an optical transponder (), the transmission unit of which is a light-emitting transmission unit () and the reception unit of which is a light-receiving reception unit (). The optical transponder and an autonomous power supply are integrated into the identification element. The identification element is in the shape of a name plate or of an identification element of comparable size which is assigned to an object or body or is to be supported thereon. By virtue of the fact that the transmission unit () of the optical transponder () is operated by the control circuit () in such a way that it transmits optical pulses of less than or equal to 100 nanoseconds repeatedly per second and that the identification element is batteryless, a very small optical transponder is provided which requires little energy and no batteries.

Identification element having an optical transponder

In a method for determining at least one physical parameter, a sensor unit which is activated by at least one periodic excitation () is provided, wherein the sensor unit has at least one detection region in which changes of the parameter in the surroundings of the sensor unit lead to output signal () from the sensor unit. The sensor unit is wired such that if there are no changes of the parameter in the detection region the output signal () is a zero signal or virtually a zero signal at the output of the sensor unit, whereas if there are changes of the parameter in the detection region the output signal () is a signal that is not zero and has a specific amplitude and phase. In a closed control loop, the non-zero signal in the receive path is adjusted to zero using a control signal to achieve an adjusted state even in the presence of changes of the parameter in the detection region. The control signal is evaluated in order to determine the physical parameter. The output signal () from the sensor unit is reduced substantially to the fundamental wave of the excitation () and the output signal () is controlled to zero in the entire phase space by means of at least one pulse width modulation. A temperature-stable, fully digital measuring system is provided as a result of the fact that the at least one pulse width modulation itself generates a correction signal with a variable pulse width and possibly a variable phase which is then added to the output signal () from the sensor unit and the output signal is thereby controlled to zero in the entire phase space, wherein the pulse width of the correction signal and/or the phase of the correction signal is/are determined by the deviations of the output signal () from zero.

Method for determining at least one physical parameter using a sensor unit

A sensor for the location of metallic objects and also an associated method comprise a plurality of transmitting coils () and at least one receiving coil () which are arranged such as to be inductively coupled to one another and overlap to a partial extent for the purposes of decoupling the interaction therebetween, whereby there can be obtained a point of optimal cancellation of the interaction. Due to the fact that a flow of current is passed through the transmitting coils () by a sensor electronic system, equal flows of current through the transmitting coils have an effect upon the at least one receiving coil () which results in a local point of optimal cancellation which moves in a first direction when there is a flow of current in a first transmitting coil (), whereas it moves in another direction when there is a flow of current in a further transmitting coil (), and due to the fact that there is provided a control circuit for the regulation of the currents in the transmitting coils which leads to a displacement of the local point of optimal cancellation which causes cancellation of the received signal, a simple and effective sensor is thereby produced.

Metal detector

Disclosed is method for measuring influence of or propagation time of inductive fields including producing and detecting a first inductive temporal field change and a first change value, producing and detecting a further inductive temporal field change and further field change, at least one of the changes being influenced by an object, comparing the first and further change values to produce a comparison value used to produce amplitude values such that amplitude of the first or further change value are substantially of the same magnitude, detecting a clock pulse alternation signal corresponding to the field change, determining a difference value by a comparison of the clock pulse alternation signals, changing the difference value to change phase delay of the first or further field change until the difference value is zero, using the phase delay to determine influence/propagation time of the inductive change.

Method and device for measuring distances by means of inductive sensors

A method of locating metal or non-metal containing objects and materials includes regulating currents in at least two emission coils in relation to each other. A reception coil output signal is received by at least one reception coil or average values of demodulation phases generated from the reception coil output signal are regulated in relation to each other continuously to be zero even when exposed to metal. The amplitude(s) of the required controlled variables are detected as a value by demodulation, preferably at least at 0&#xb0; and at a demodulation which is set off by 90&#xb0; and are equalized, thereby allowing a reliable detection of an object to be detected even if other metal objects are present in the area of detection.

Metal detector for locating metal objects

A sensor for locating metal objects has coils or coil parts which form at least one transmitting coil () and at least one receiving coil () which are inductively coupled to one another and are arranged such that said coils partially overlap for the purpose of interaction decoupling, wherein optimum cancellation of the interaction can be achieved. Sensor electronics are provided for energizing the transmitting coil and for evaluating a reception signal () from the receiving coil. As a result of the fact that the transmitting coil () and the receiving coil () substantially have an identical coil shape and are arranged such that said coils are rotated and/or offset with respect to one another, wherein a plurality of symmetrically arranged, overlapping regions () are formed, a sensor which provides a greater range and extended possibilities for installation in conventional industrial sensor housings is provided.

Sensor for locating metal objects and associated coil

The method and sensor unit allow the location and detection of metallic or metal-containing objects and materials. A coil arrangement () comprises a transmission coil and a reception coil, which are arranged on top of one another, wherein the reception coil generates a reception coil output signal. A closed compensation control regulates the reception coil output signal in the receiving coil for compensating changes which occur in the detection range of the reception coil and influence the reception coil. To this end, compensation currents are fed into the receiving branch of the reception coil and are controlled relative to each other such that the reception coil output signal or average values which are detected from the reception coil output signal after demodulation are continuously regulated relative to each other to zero even in the case of metal influence. As a result, a coil with an unregulated transmission current can be used, in which a zero output signal is continuously generated. At the same time, the structural requirements for a compact structure of a sensor arrangement having a one-sided detection range are established.

Method and sensor unit for locating and/or detecting metallic or metal-containing objects and materials

A touchless method for registering commands from a display (e.g. reconfigurable display) may include any of various components. The method may use a light sensor in front of or behind the display to detect light reflected by a user's finger approaching a control option displayed on the display. Light used to display images may be provided at a frequency and/or time that can be identified by a processor connected to the light sensor, or can possess some other unique property (e.g. color) which may be distinguished by the processor.

Display and user interface

A device and a method for the capacitive detection of an object which is preferably arranged behind a flat article that is transparent to electromagnetic radiation or a wall, including a sensor incorporating sensor electrodes for the detection of the object, preferably for the detection of relative movements between the sensor and the flat article or a finger, where a control circuit serves for the control of the sensor electrodes and for the evaluation of the output signals of the sensor, and, due to the fact that the sensor comprises at least one sensor electrode which is surrounded by at least one further electrode, the surrounding further electrode is connected to the sensor electrode by the control circuit in such a manner that, in the event of a change of the potential of the sensor electrode, the potential of the surrounding further electrode is regulated in the opposite sense to the sensor electrode in such a way that the sensor electrode remains at a pre-determined or pre-definable potential, such that there is produced a capacitive sensor which does not react to tilting or small changes in the spacing from the surface.

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Bühl, Germany

Gerd Reime