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:
Aug. 07, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 08, 1999
Robert Alden Lewis, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Infineon Technologies Corporation, San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
An obstruction detection system utilizes a segmented optical detector and detector-specific signal processing to optically detect the presence of a small object within a defined plane and to screen out interfering signals. In one application, the obstruction detection system is utilized with an automatically closing window to prevent small objects, such as fingers, from being pinched by the window as the window is being closed. In one embodiment of the obstruction detection system, the segmented optical detector includes a series of segmented detector elements that are generally perpendicular to the defined plane. In another embodiment of the obstruction detection system, the segmented optical detector includes segmented detector elements that are generally parallel to the defined plane.