Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate tolerating and/or correcting light beam misalignment in a light-emitting device, such as a light curtain. Attributes of the light beam can be assessed and compared to predetermined threshold values to evaluate whether the light beam is misaligned, and corrective feedback can be generated to adjust the position of one or more transmissive apertures generated on an LCD, through which light is permitted to pass, in order to re-align the light beam.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate increasing a coverage area for an emitter-receiver pair in a light curtain by generating multiple light beams from a single emitter and aggregating the light beams at a corresponding receiver. A plurality of light beams can be generated by reflection off of a MEMS mirror associated with the emitter, which can then be reflected from receiver-side mirrors along generally parallel paths, to corresponding emitter-side mirrors, which in turn reflect the light beams back to a MEMS mirror associated with the receiver. The receiver-side MEMS mirror can aggregate the reflected light beams for detection thereof by the receiver. According to a related aspect, transmissive LCD arrays can be employed at both the emitter and receiver to generate and recombine a plurality of light beams, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention relates to circuits configured for implementation in sensors, sensors employing such circuits, and methods of operating and manufacturing such sensors and/or circuits. In at least some embodiments, the circuit includes a capacitor having a first input terminal and a first output terminal, a first amplifier having second and third input terminals and a second output terminal, and a second amplifier having fourth and fifth input terminals and a third output terminal. The first output terminal of the capacitor is coupled at least indirectly to the second input terminal, the fourth input terminal, and the third output terminal. Additionally, the second amplifier provides feedback current with respect to the capacitor depending upon signals provided to the fourth and fifth input terminals. The capacitor and each of the amplifiers can be implemented on an integrated circuit without any need for external components.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides industrial automation systems and/or methods that can aggregate data. A plurality of sensors can provide redundant detected data. Additionally, a weighting component can respectively weight the detected data based upon a confidence of accurate measurement corresponding to each of the plurality of sensors. Further, a combination component can assemble the redundant detected data based at least in part upon the weights to generate harmonized data.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a sensor such as a photodetector, and device capable of employing that method, are disclosed. The method includes shining light upon a photosensitive device of the photodetector, receiving a first signal from an operator, and increasing a gain of the photodetector. The method also includes discontinuing the shining of the light upon the photosensitive device after the gain has been increased, receiving a second signal from an operator, and decreasing the gain so that the gain is not excessive.

Abstract: An amplification circuit for implementation in sensors such as photodetectors and other devices, and related method of amplification, are disclosed. In some embodiments, the amplification circuit includes a first amplifier that receives an input signal at least indirectly from a photosensitive device and provides an amplified signal based upon the input signal, where each the amplified signal at least includes a time-varying signal component, and a recovery circuit that receives the amplified signal and provides an output signal indicative of at least a portion of the time-varying signal component of the amplified signal. The recovery circuit includes a current splitting component that operates to generate negative and positive signals indicative respectively of negative and positive portions of the time-varying signal component, and the negative and positive signals are generated in a manner such that there are no substantial discontinuities between those signals at crossover points between those signals.

Abstract: An alarm for a photosensitive detector used for detecting registration marks on a web or the like measures the voltage levels of an intensity signal derived from the registration marks and the background as it moves past the photosensitive switch. Pulses that are sufficient to operate the photosensitive switch but are below a level deemed to indicate reliable operation are counted and set an alarm if a predetermined number occur without an intervening pulse of a higher amount.

Abstract: A silicon integrated oscillator circuit is connected with a capacitor and produces a highly precise and stable triangular output voltage. Both the charge current and the discharge current are proportional to one reference current. A switching circuit terminates the charge and discharge intervals when the capacitor voltage reaches a level that is equal to intermediate points on first and second resistive-voltage-divider circuits, respectively. This is accomplished by a differential-transistor-pair comparator having the base of one transistor connected to a high voltage one of the reference points and a third transistor, which is connected collector to emitter across the one transistor, having a base connected to a low voltage one of the reference points.