Abstract: An optical position location apparatus for locating the position of an object in one or more dimensions, which relies upon one or more sources of radiant energy and distributor devices to disburse such radiant energy over a location region or window. Integrated collector assemblies positioned opposite to the distributors receive and collect the transmission of the distributed radiant energy and through reflection or refraction, transfer radiant energy to a minimum of detection locations to monitor the absence or alteration thereof. A rotating optical scanner and a detector are utilized with a continuous stationary light source to successively monitor specific location-coordinate-related portions of transmitted radiant energy and through electronic circuitry, a signal is developed to disclose, with accuracy, the location of objects within the location region "window", as well as other parameters including object size.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 2, 1980
Date of Patent:
December 13, 1983
Assignee:
Lowbar, Inc.
Inventors:
Gordon A. Barlow, Timothy T. Tutt, Richard A. Karlin, John R. Krutsch