Sick Ag

Stefan Seitz

Gottfried Hug

Klaus Clemens

Florian Schneider

Martin Marra

Sebastian Tschuch

Sascha Steinkogler

Helmut Weber

Martin Högy

A polygon scanner () for detecting objects () in a monitored zone () is provided having a light transmitter (); having a light receiver (); having an evaluation unit (); and having a rotatable mirror unit () for a periodic deflection of the light beam () that has a plurality of mirror facets () in order thus to scan an angular section multiple times per rotation of the mirror unit () by a respective mirror facet (), wherein at least some of the mirror facets () have a different curvature from one another. In this respect, at least one of the mirror facets () is configured as a free-form surface whose curvature is adapted to the angle of incidence of the transmitted light beam () on the mirror facet () that varies during the rotation of the mirror unit ().

Polygon scanner and method of detecting objects in a monitored zone

A sensor () is provided that has at least one sensor functional group (), a heating device (), and a heating control () to control a heating power (P) of the heating device (). In this respect, the heating control () is configured to adapt the heating power (P) to a power consumption (P) of the sensor functional group ().

Sensor and method of heating a sensor

A light receiver (), comprising: a plurality of avalanche photodiode elements () each being biased with a bias voltage above a breakdown voltage and thus operated in a Geiger mode in order to trigger a Geiger current upon light reception and a plurality of readout circuits () associated with individual avalanche photodiode elements () or a group of avalanche photodiode elements () for reading out a Geiger current generated upon light reception, wherein the readout circuits () each comprise a measurement path () and a blanking path () as well as a switching element () for selectively supplying the Geiger current, or a measurement current corresponding to the Geiger current, to the measurement path () or the blanking path ().

Light receiver and method for reading out avalanche photodiodes in Geiger mode

A light receiver () having a plurality of avalanche photodiode elements () each configured to be biased with a bias voltage above a breakdown voltage and thus to be operated in a Geiger mode for triggering a Geiger current upon light reception, the light receiver () comprising a plurality of bias voltage terminals (-) providing different bias voltages, wherein the avalanche photodiode elements () form a plurality of groups (-), and wherein the avalanche photodiode elements () of a group (-) are each supplied with a same one of the different bias voltages.

Light receiver having a plurality of avalanche photodiode elements and method for supplying a bias voltage

A light receiver () is provided having a plurality of avalanche photodiode elements () that are each biased by a bias above a breakdown voltage and that are thus operated in a Geiger mode to trigger a Geiger current on light reception. The avalanche photodiode elements () have a first connector (-) and a second connector (-). A first signal tapping circuit () for reading out the avalanche photodiode elements is connected to one of the connectors (-). In this respect, a second signal tapping circuit () for reading out the avalanche photodiode elements () is connected to the other connector (-).

Light receiver having geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes and method for reading out

A light receiver () having a plurality of avalanche photo diode elements (-) which are biased with a bias voltage greater than a breakthrough voltage and are thus operated in a Geiger mode in order to trigger a Geiger current upon light reception, and having a signal detection circuit () for reading out the avalanche photo diode elements (-), wherein the signal detection circuit () comprises an active coupling element () having an input () connected to the avalanche photo diode elements (-) and an output (), the active coupling element () mapping the Geiger current at the input () to a measuring current corresponding to the Geiger current in its course and level, wherein the input () forms a virtual short-circuit for the Geiger current with respect to a potential (ground, &#x2212;U; U&#x2212;U), and the output () is decoupled from the input ().

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Waldkirch, Germany

Stefan Seitz