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:
Mar. 15, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 01, 2000
Hajime Oda, Chiba-ken, JP;
Kimitaka Kishimoto, Chiba-ken, JP;
Hajime Oda, Chiba-ken, JP;
Kimitaka Kishimoto, Chiba-ken, JP;
Seiko Precision Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
There is disclosed a power-saving sensor system such as a distance measurement sensor making use of light projection type triangulation. The sensor system has a sensor means and a CPU for controlling the supply of electrical power to the sensor means, accepting the output from the sensor means, and performing desired processing. The CPU turns on signals P, P, Pin response to a trigger signal Tp from a timer circuit, thus supplying electrical power to a distance measurement module. A distance measurement IC within the module produces an emission signal when the operating signal Pis turned on. This activates the sensor means to perform a measurement of a distance. The presence or absence of an object is determined from the detected distance value. According to the presence or absence, a transistor Tris turned on or off. A signal indicating the distance or the presence or absence of an object is produced from a terminal T. The CPU detects the end of light projection by making use of an inversion Iri of the emission signal. Immediately thereafter, a signal Pis turned on to turn on a switch SW. The signal is accepted through a terminal Data. Immediately after the end of the acceptance, the signals P, P, P, and Pare turned off, cutting off the supply of power to the distance measurement module.