The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 12, 2023
Filed:
Feb. 16, 2022
Alcon Inc., Fribourg, CH;
Christopher Carl Jung, Mission Viejo, CA (US);
Alcon Inc., Fribourg, CH;
Abstract
Certain embodiments provide a self-checking photoelectric sensor that is configured to determine a characteristic (e.g., an amount of blockage and/or wellness/decay) of an optical pathway (e.g., an electro-optical pathway). An example method generally includes increasing, over a time period that starts at a first time, a current input to a light emitting element (LEE). The method generally includes receiving, by a light detection element, an output of the LEE via the optical pathway during the time period. The method generally includes converting, during the time period, the LEE output to a voltage output. The method generally includes determining a second time in the time period when the voltage output crosses a threshold. The method generally includes determining the characteristic of the optical pathway between the LEE and the light detection element based on a difference between the second time and the first time.