US 12,078,725 B2
Non-contact motion detection sensor utilizing distance and intensity statistics
Wade Oberpriller, Minneapolis, MN (US); and Kathryn Grant Phillips Longley, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Assigned to BANNER ENGINEERING CORP., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by Banner Engineering Corp., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/654,010.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/158,697, filed on Mar. 9, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0291382 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. G01S 17/58 (2006.01); B65G 13/00 (2006.01); G01S 7/481 (2006.01); G01S 7/497 (2006.01); G01S 17/06 (2006.01); G01S 17/42 (2006.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01)
CPC G01S 17/58 (2013.01) [G01S 7/4814 (2013.01); G01S 7/4816 (2013.01); G01S 7/4972 (2013.01); G01S 17/06 (2013.01); G01S 17/42 (2013.01); G01S 17/89 (2013.01); B65G 13/00 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0233 (2013.01); B65G 2203/044 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A monitor system for non-contact motion detection comprising:
a processor;
an electromagnetic imaging source comprising a receiving element configured by the processor to generate an intensity signal as a function of an intensity of a reflected electromagnetic signal; and,
a data store operatively coupled to the processor and containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations to detect a motion state of objects, the operations comprising:
in response to detecting the reflected electromagnetic signal, compare the intensity signal to a predetermined intensity threshold;
if the intensity signal is greater than or equal to the predetermined intensity threshold, then determine an intensity window metric from a comparison of the intensity threshold with at least one stored intensity value;
determine if the intensity window metric is greater than a predetermined intensity window threshold; and,
if the intensity window metric is not greater than the predetermined intensity window threshold and if a time-elapsed-since a historic intensity window metric last exceeded the predetermined intensity window threshold is greater than a predetermined time elapsed threshold, then, generate a signal that indicates a jam state.