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:
Jul. 17, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 31, 1998
Rein S. Teder, Bloomington, MN (US);
Libbey-Owens-Ford Co., Toledo, OH (US);
Abstract
An automatic intensity control unit for use in a moisture sensor which senses moisture on the surface of a transparent material. The moisture sensor includes one or more emitters for producing an emitter signal which is influenced by moisture on the transparent material, and one or more detectors for receiving the emitter signals. The automatic intensity control unit adjusts the intensity of the emitter signals to accommodate transparent materials having different transmittances. The automatic intensity control unit includes a comparator for comparing the intensity the emitter signals received by the detectors with a predetermined reference signal and a counter communicating with the comparator for producing a counter output. The automatic intensity control unit also includes an emitter driver for providing power to the emitters in an amount which determines the intensity of the emitter signals, and an emitter intensity control signal generator communicating with the counter and the emitter driver for controlling the intensity of the emitter signals.