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:
Feb. 01, 1994
Filed:
Oct. 19, 1992
Thomas Acquaviva, Penfield, NY (US);
Ronald R Wierszewski, Henrietta, NY (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
The present invention is a method and apparatus for selectively altering the sensitivity of an optical sensor. The sensor has both a light source and a detector which are optically aligned with one another. The detector produces a first output signal level in response to light having an illumination intensity greater than or equal to a threshold intensity, and a second output signal level in response to light having an illumination intensity less than a threshold intensity. The sensor further includes the ability to selectively alter the illumination intensity of the light emitted by the light source to a lower level between the threshold intensity and the normal operating intensity. Hence, operating at the lower intensity enables the sensor to detect translucent sheets or facilitates identification of marginally operable sensors.