Patents by Inventor Norbert Stein
Norbert Stein has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20230322524Abstract: Sensor device for an elevator comprising a car comprising an elevator door, which has a door movement space in the passage and disposed in front of which is a spatial region in front on the floor in front of the door movement space, comprising a detection device, configured for separately detecting objects in the door movement space and in the spatial region in front and for carrying out successive detection passes, and comprising an evaluation device, wherein the evaluation device has a memory and is configured to store in the memory at least temporarily the information as to whether an object has been detected during a detection pass, and to output an early closing signal for closing the elevator doors if no object has been detected during a detection pass and the information that an object has been detected has been stored in the memory for a preceding detection pass, in particular for a specific preceding detection pass, in particular for the directly preceding detection pass.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Inventors: Martin Lendi, Manfred Norbert Stein
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Patent number: 9939552Abstract: The present invention relates to light curtains, in particular safety light curtains, for monitoring a protective field. Furthermore, the present invention relates to optical units which are part of such a light curtain according to the present invention, an optical unit comprises a plurality of radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving elements for transmitting and/or receiving radiation beams forming said light curtain, and an elongated support element forming an outer housing of said optical unit said support element having two opposing peripheral regions which are formed to allow an abutting assembly with another identical optical unit. Said radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving elements are arranged within said support element to form a row, and wherein at least one peripheral one of said radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving elements is located directly adjacent to an outer wall of at least one of said peripheral regions of the support element.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2016Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Rockwell Automation Safety AGInventors: Carl Meinherz, Manford Norbert Stein, Clau Lombriser, Martin Hardegger
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Publication number: 20160216402Abstract: The present invention relates to light curtains, in particular safety light curtains, for monitoring a protective field. Furthermore, the present invention relates to optical units which are part of such a light curtain according to the present invention, an optical unit comprises a plurality of radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving elements for transmitting and/or receiving radiation beams forming said light curtain, and an elongated support element forming an outer housing of said optical unit said support element having two opposing peripheral regions which are formed to allow an abutting assembly with another identical optical unit. Said radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving elements are arranged within said support element to form a row, and wherein at least one peripheral one of said radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving elements is located directly adjacent to an outer wall of at least one of said peripheral regions of the support element.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2016Publication date: July 28, 2016Inventors: Carl Meinherz, Manford Norbert Stein, Clau Lombriser, Martin Hardegger
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Publication number: 20160085080Abstract: A lens carrier and an optical module for forming a light curtain associated with monitoring a protective field. The lens carrier includes at least one lens for focussing a radiation beam forming said light curtain and a lens mask having at least one opening for shaping the radiation beam to have a predetermined aperture. The lens carrier is formed by overmolding said lens mask with a transparent material. The optical module has such a lens carrier and a module body for mounting a radiation transmitter/receiver carrier that comprises at least one transmitter and/or receiver for transmitting and/or receiving said radiation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2013Publication date: March 24, 2016Applicant: CEDES SAFETY & AUTOMATION AGInventors: Carl Meinherz, Richard Casty, Danilo Dorizzi, Martin Hardegger, Manfred Norbert Stein, Clau Lombriser, Guido Baumgartner
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Patent number: 9279902Abstract: An optical module for an optical unit associated with forming a light curtain for monitoring a protective or surveillance field. The optical module includes at least one radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving element for transmitting and/or receiving a radiation beam associated with forming a light curtain. The optical module includes a module body for mounting a radiation transmitter/receiver carrier that carries the at least one transmitting and/or receiving element associated with the radiation beam. The module body has at least one alignment element for aligning the optical module within a support element that forms an outer housing of the optical unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2013Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: Rockwell Automation Safety AGInventors: Carl Meinherz, Richard Casty, Danilo Dorizzi, Martin Hardegger, Manfred Norbert Stein, Clau Lombriser, Guido Baumgartner
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Patent number: 9274343Abstract: A lens carrier and an optical module for forming a light curtain associated with monitoring a protective field. The lens carrier includes at least one lens for focusing a radiation beam forming said light curtain and a lens mask having at least one opening for shaping the radiation beam to have a predetermined aperture. The lens carrier is formed by overmolding said lens mask with a transparent material. The optical module has such a lens carrier and a module body for mounting a radiation transmitter/receiver carrier that comprises at least one transmitter and/or receiver for transmitting and/or receiving said radiation.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2013Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: Rockwell Automation Safety AGInventors: Carl Meinherz, Richard Casty, Danilo Dorizzi, Martin Hardegger, Manfred Norbert Stein, Clau Lombriser, Guido Baumgartner
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Patent number: 9025019Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for utilizing time of flight sensors in an industrial automation environment. The method includes employing a multi pixel camera associated with a time of flight sensor to detect an object located within a defined or bounded target area, comparing pixels with adjacent pixels associated with an image of the object captured by the multi pixel camera, identifying the object as being a colored, texture, or highly reflective object, and controlling industrial machinery based on the identification of the object entering the target area.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2010Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignees: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc., Cedes Safety & Automation AGInventors: Carl Meinherz, Craig Martin Brockman, Elik I. Fooks, Manfred Norbert Stein, Martin Hardegger, Wei Jie Chen, Reto Berner, Richard Galera, Robert M. Black, Roger Merz, Suresh Nair, Steven A. Eisenbrown
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Publication number: 20130335725Abstract: A system for calibrating a color sensing pixel based upon the distance between the color sensing pixel and an object. The distance is determined by measuring the phase shift of electromagnetic radiation as reflected from the surface of the object compared with the wave profile of the electromagnetic radiation incident on the object surface. The color sensing pixel is associated with a Time-of-Flight (ToF) pixel which is employed to determine the distance of the color sensing pixel. The electromagnetic radiation can be from any part of the electromagnetic spectrum, in particular the infrared and visible light portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The color sensing pixel and the ToF pixel can reside on the same semiconductor or on disparate semiconductors.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2013Publication date: December 19, 2013Applicants: Cedes Safety & Automation AG, Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Martin Hardegger, Reto Berner, Richard Galera, Suresh Nair, Carl Meinherz, Craig Martin Brockman, Elik I. Fooks, Manfred Norbert Stein, Robert M. Black
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Publication number: 20130293966Abstract: A lens carrier and an optical module for forming a light curtain associated with monitoring a protective field. The lens carrier includes at least one lens for focussing a radiation beam forming said light curtain and a lens mask having at least one opening for shaping the radiation beam to have a predetermined aperture. The lens carrier is formed by overmolding said lens mask with a transparent material. The optical module has such a lens carrier and a module body for mounting a radiation transmitter/receiver carrier that comprises at least one transmitter and/or receiver for transmitting and/or receiving said radiation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2013Publication date: November 7, 2013Applicant: CEDES SAFETY & AUTOMATION AGInventors: Carl Meinherz, Richard Casty, Danilo Dorizzi, Martin Hardegger, Manfred Norbert Stein, Clau Lombriser, Guido Baumgartner
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Publication number: 20130292554Abstract: An optical module for an optical unit associated with forming a light curtain for monitoring a protective or surveillance field. The optical module includes at least one radiation emitting and/or radiation receiving element for transmitting and/or receiving a radiation beam associated with forming a light curtain. The optical module includes a module body for mounting a radiation transmitter/receiver carrier that carries the at least one transmitting and/or receiving element associated with the radiation beam. The module body has at least one alignment element for aligning the optical module within a support element that forms an outer housing of the optical unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2013Publication date: November 7, 2013Applicant: CEDES SAFETY & AUTOMATION AGInventors: Carl Meinherz, Richard Casty, Danilo Dorizzi, Martin Hardegger, Manfred Norbert Stein, Clau Lombriser, Guido Baumgartner
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Patent number: 8542348Abstract: A system for calibrating a color sensing pixel based upon the distance between the color sensing pixel and an object. The distance is determined by measuring the phase shift of electromagnetic radiation as reflected from the surface of the object compared with the wave profile of the electromagnetic radiation incident on the object surface. The color sensing pixel is associated with a Time-of-Flight (ToF) pixel which is employed to determine the distance of the color sensing pixel. The electromagnetic radiation can be from any part of the electromagnetic spectrum, in particular the infrared and visible light portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The color sensing pixel and the ToF pixel can reside on the same semiconductor or on disparate semiconductors.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2010Date of Patent: September 24, 2013Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Martin Hardegger, Reto Berner, Richard Galera, Suresh Nair, Carl Meinherz, Craig Martin Brockman, Elik I. Fooks, Manfred Norbert Stein, Robert M. Black
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Publication number: 20120105823Abstract: A system for calibrating a color sensing pixel based upon the distance between the color sensing pixel and an object. The distance is determined by measuring the phase shift of electromagnetic radiation as reflected from the surface of the object compared with the wave profile of the electromagnetic radiation incident on the object surface. The color sensing pixel is associated with a Time-of-Flight (ToF) pixel which is employed to determine the distance of the color sensing pixel. The electromagnetic radiation can be from any part of the electromagnetic spectrum, in particular the infrared and visible light portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The color sensing pixel and the ToF pixel can reside on the same semiconductor or on disparate semiconductors.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2010Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicants: CEDES SAFETY & AUTOMATION AG, ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Martin Hardegger, Reto Berner, Richard Galera, Suresh Nair, Carl Meinherz, Craig Martin Brockman, Elik I. Fooks, Manfred Norbert Stein, Robert M. Black
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Publication number: 20120095575Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling industrial equipment in the performance of various industrial activities based on the detected body movement of a user in an industrial automation environment. The method includes employing a time-of-flight sensor to detect movement of a body part of the user, ascertaining whether or not the movement of the body part conforms to a recognized movement of the body part, interpreting the recognized movement of the body part as a performable action, and thereafter actuating industrial machinery to perform the performable action.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2010Publication date: April 19, 2012Applicants: Cedes Safety & Automation AG, Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Carl Meinherz, Craig Martin Brockman, Elik I. Fooks, Manfred Norbert Stein, Martin Hardegger, Wei Jie Chen, Reto Berner, Richard Galera, Robert M. Black, Roger Merz, Suresh Nair, Steven A. Eisenbrown
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Publication number: 20120092485Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for utilizing time of flight sensors in an industrial automation environment. The method includes employing a multi pixel camera associated with a time of flight sensor to detect an object located within a defined or bounded target area, comparing pixels with adjacent pixels associated with an image of the object captured by the multi pixel camera, identifying the object as being a colored, texture, or highly reflective object, and controlling industrial machinery based on the identification of the object entering the target area.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2010Publication date: April 19, 2012Applicants: CEDES SAFETY & AUTOMATION AG, ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Carl Meinherz, Craig Martin Brockman, Elik I. Fooks, Manfred Norbert Stein, Martin Hardegger, Wei Jie Chen, Reto Berner, Richard Galera, Robert M. Black, Roger Merz, Suresh Nair, Steven A. Eisenbrown
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Publication number: 20090316135Abstract: A sensor device having a sensor arrangement for detecting moving objects that includes a sensor and an electronic unit. The sensor arrangement is designed to detect an object and to subsequently investigate whether there are present within the surface of the object regions that move at a different speed and/or acceleration. The sensor arrangement can also investigate whether the object is accelerating.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2009Publication date: December 24, 2009Applicant: Cedes AGInventors: Manfred Norbert Stein, Carl Meinherz, Bas Albers
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Patent number: 6104427Abstract: A plurality of separate conveyings over each of which a single line camera is mounted and connected to a sensor processor, which itself is connected to a fast data network with a plurality of processing terminals. Because of the high resolution (up to 7000 picture elements per line) and a line scanning frequency of the order of up to 6000 hertz very large amounts of data are received, so in the preferred embodiment a high capacity data network is used, for example a 100 Mbit ethernet with a switching hub.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 1997Date of Patent: August 15, 2000Assignee: Vitroinic Dr.-Ing Stein Bildverarbeitungssystem GmbHInventors: Norbert Stein, Burghard Hoffmann, Richard Moreth