US 11,899,160 B2
Light curtain safety system
Jordin T. Kare, San Jose, CA (US); Thomas J. Nugent, Bellevue, WA (US); David Bashford, Kent, WA (US); Carsten Casey Erickson, Kent, WA (US); and Thomas W. Bashford, Kent, WA (US)
Assigned to LASERMOTIVE, INC., Kent, WA (US)
Filed by LASERMOTIVE, INC., Kent, WA (US)
Filed on Aug. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/896,882.
Application 17/896,882 is a continuation of application No. 17/074,488, filed on Oct. 19, 2020, granted, now 11,442,195.
Application 17/074,488 is a continuation of application No. 15/574,657, granted, now 10,816,694, issued on Oct. 27, 2020, previously published as PCT/US2016/033141, filed on May 18, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/163,307, filed on May 18, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2023/0296803 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. G01V 8/22 (2006.01); G01S 17/87 (2020.01); G01S 17/88 (2006.01); G01S 7/00 (2006.01); G01S 7/484 (2006.01); H01S 5/00 (2006.01); H01S 5/062 (2006.01); H01S 5/42 (2006.01); H04B 10/80 (2013.01); H02J 50/60 (2016.01); H02J 50/30 (2016.01); H04B 10/114 (2013.01); G01S 17/04 (2020.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.01); H02J 50/90 (2016.01); G01S 17/06 (2006.01)
CPC G01V 8/22 (2013.01) [G01S 7/003 (2013.01); G01S 7/006 (2013.01); G01S 7/484 (2013.01); G01S 17/04 (2020.01); G01S 17/06 (2013.01); G01S 17/87 (2013.01); G01S 17/88 (2013.01); G01S 17/89 (2013.01); H01S 5/005 (2013.01); H01S 5/0085 (2013.01); H01S 5/06216 (2013.01); H01S 5/423 (2013.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.02); H02J 50/30 (2016.02); H02J 50/60 (2016.02); H02J 50/90 (2016.02); H04B 10/1141 (2013.01); H04B 10/807 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system to detect obstacles to a power beam using time domain multiplexing of a plurality of emitter signals, comprising:
a plurality of emitters and a plurality of detectors that form a light curtain patterned about the power beam, the plurality of emitters surrounding the power beam having an emitter module including:
one or more first emitters arranged to emit a first guard beam signal during an assigned time slot A, the first guard beam signal emitted in proximity to the power beam; and
one or more second emitter arranged to emit a second guard beam signal during an assigned time slot B, wherein time slot A is different than time slot B, the second guard beam signal emitted in proximity to the first signal; and
the plurality of detectors surrounding the power beam, the plurality of detectors including:
one or more first detectors arranged to respond to the first guard beam signal emitted by the one or more first emitters during time slot A;
one or more second detectors arranged to respond to the second guard beam signal emitted by the one or more second emitters during time slot B,
a controller that directs operations of one or more first detectors and one or more second detectors,
wherein the controller determines that an absence of a first guard beam signal or a second guard beam signal is indicative of a foreign object near or impeding the power beam.