US 12,379,520 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, Renton, WA (US)
Assigned to LaserMotive, Inc., Kent, WA (US)
Filed by LaserMotive, Inc., Kent, WA (US)
Filed on Jan. 2, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/402,639.
Application 18/402,639 is a continuation of application No. 17/896,882, filed on Aug. 26, 2022, granted, now 11,899,160.
Application 17/896,882 is a continuation of application No. 17/074,488, filed on Oct. 19, 2020, granted, now 11,442,195, issued on Sep. 13, 2022.
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 2024/0310553 A1, Sep. 19, 2024
Int. Cl. G01V 8/22 (2006.01); G01S 7/00 (2006.01); G01S 7/484 (2006.01); G01S 17/04 (2020.01); G01S 17/06 (2006.01); G01S 17/87 (2020.01); G01S 17/88 (2006.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01); H01S 5/00 (2006.01); H01S 5/062 (2006.01); H01S 5/42 (2006.01); H02J 50/10 (2016.01); H02J 50/30 (2016.01); H02J 50/60 (2016.01); H02J 50/90 (2016.01); H04B 10/114 (2013.01); H04B 10/80 (2013.01)
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)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system to detect obstacles to a power beam using guard beam 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 at a first wavelength, 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 at a second wavelength, wherein the first wavelength is different than the second wavelength, the second guard beam signal emitted in proximity to the first signal;
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 the first wavelength; and
one or more second detectors arranged to respond to the second guard beam signal emitted by the one or more second emitters the second wavelength; and
a controller that directs operations of one or more first detectors and one or more second detectors, wherein the controller determines that an unexpected change in a number of detected wavelength signals is indicative of a foreign object near or impeding the power beam, and wherein the controller further generates a responsive signal that causes transmission of the power beam to be stopped in response to the determination of the unexpected change.