Grating with distance measurement

Abstract

A grating for determining the distance between a transmitter strip and a receiver strip, comprising: a transmitter strip having one or more transmitter elements having a emitted beam of a defined intensity; a receiver strip having one or more receiver elements receiving the beam of an assigned transmitter element; and a control device for controlling the transmitter elements and / or receiver elements and for evaluating the receiver elements, wherein the transmitter elements and receiver elements, or at least one of the transmitter elements and / or at least one of the receiver elements, are respectively designed as qualified transmitter elements and receiver elements, wherein the qualified transmitter elements or the qualified transmitter elements are designed to emit different intensities, and / or the qualified receiver elements or the qualified receiver elements are designed to use different amplification factors and output intensity values ​​of the received and amplified beams, and the control device is designed to control different combinations of the intensity and amplification factors of the qualified transmitter elements and / or receiver elements and determine a distance value based on the sum of the intensity values ​​generated by the controlled combinations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a grating for object recognition. Background Technology

[0002] The following grating is known from the prior art, having emitter strips and receiver strips and forming a beam grid between the emitter strips and receiver strips for object recognition. One or two strips of the grating can be fixed to one or more moving doors of an elevator car to detect objects passing through the open door area. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The objective of this invention is to provide a grating that enables more differentiated monitoring at a low cost.

[0004] This task is solved by the grating of the type described at the beginning, using the grating according to claim 1. Advantageous designs are given in the other dependent claims.

[0005] The grating according to the invention is a grating for determining the distance between a transmitter strip and a receiver strip, the grating comprising: a transmitter strip having one or more transmitter elements that emit a beam with a defined intensity; a receiver strip having one or more receiver elements that receive the beam from an assigned transmitter element; and a control device for controlling the transmitter elements and / or receiver elements and for evaluating the receiver elements, wherein the transmitter elements and receiver elements, or at least one of the transmitter elements and / or at least one of the receiver elements, are respectively designed as qualified transmitter elements and receiver elements, wherein the qualified transmitter elements or qualified receiver elements are designed to emit different intensity levels, and / or the qualified receiver elements or qualified receiver elements are designed to use different amplification factors and output intensity values ​​of the received and amplified beams, and the control device is designed to control different combinations of intensity levels and amplification factors of the qualified transmitter elements and / or receiver elements and determine the distance value based on the sum of the intensity values ​​generated by the controlled combinations.

[0006] The advantage of this is that the distance between the transmitter and receiver strips can be determined. At the same time, the dynamic process can be tracked and analyzed very well. The grating does not sacrifice any safety requirements. Furthermore, it has been surprisingly found that the grating according to the invention enables very accurate distance measurements.

[0007] Transmitter elements are typically arranged along transmitter strips, while receiver elements are typically arranged accordingly within receiver strips. The two strips, for example, laterally define the space to be monitored.

[0008] Distance measurement is, in principle, performed using a qualified transmitter element. In the grating mode, a qualified transmitter element can emit a beam at at least two different intensity levels. It is also possible to use a qualified transmitter element with different intensity levels during radiation.

[0009] Similarly, qualified receiver elements can also use different amplification factors to amplify the intensity of the signal or the signal derived from radiation detection. Furthermore, the amplification factor can, in principle, differ between qualified receiver elements.

[0010] Combinations can mean not only changes in intensity levels, but also changes in amplification factors.

[0011] The resulting intensity values ​​are summed. The sum of intensity values ​​can, in particular, represent a bijective mapping between the intensity (here: the sum of intensity) and the distance values, thus allowing a distance value to be uniquely assigned to the resulting sum.

[0012] However, in a favorable improvement, each qualified receiver element is assigned to a specific set of qualified transmitter elements, so that even if, for example, different transmitter elements radiate at different intensity levels, the control device knows in advance, due to the unique assignment, which intensity range is expected for the qualified receiver elements. This simplifies the evaluation.

[0013] The intensity level can be a discrete intensity value. Similarly, the magnification factor can be a discrete magnification value. This measure also simplifies the evaluation process.

[0014] Combinations can, in principle, represent different intensity levels and amplification factors of different transmitter elements in different sequences. However, the sum of the intensity values ​​can be chosen such that a unique allocation of distance values ​​can be achieved. The distance values ​​can then be placed within the measurement range to be checked.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, each combination can be used to detect only a very small measurement range, if necessary. However, the intensity value preferably already allows for a unique allocation of the distance value within this range.

[0016] All combinations together, that is, their respective measurement ranges combined, can in particular seamlessly depict a continuous measurement range. Thus, through this continuous measurement range, the intensity can also be seamlessly allocated to the sum and thereby seamlessly allocated to the distance value.

[0017] In one embodiment of the invention, the intensity generated by the receiver element can saturate at a distance smaller than the measurement range, and become zero if the distance is greater than the actual measurement range. In this variant, there are constant, distinct values ​​outside the measurement range, however, depending on whether these distinct values ​​are greater than or less than the measurement range, so that when summing the intensities, only the actual measurement range can contribute to the unique distribution between intensity and distance.

[0018] Preferably, the grating, particularly the emitter strip and receiver strip, also has at least one or more additional emitter elements and receiver elements, said at least one or more additional emitter elements and receiver elements being designed as simple emitter elements and simple receiver elements, respectively, and they are designed as light barriers and preferably do not contribute to the combination and / or from which distance values ​​cannot be determined, and / or they are used for object detection, and / or their simple emitter elements emit at least one intensity level like qualified emitter elements, and their receiver elements have at least one amplification factor like qualified receiver elements.

[0019] The advantage of this implementation is that the grating can be used for object detection. Another advantage is that not all transmitter and receiver elements need to be qualified, thus reducing the complexity of the grating and saving costs. However, this embodiment of the invention can also achieve a trade-off between accurate object recognition and cost advantages, since not all transmitter or receiver elements need to be equipped with the same functionality, but rather individual elements can be equipped with a limited number of functions at a low cost.

[0020] Preferably, the control device is designed to control the combinations sequentially in sequence, and in particular, the sequence is repeated periodically, and in particular, to determine the sum of the controlled combinations of the sequence, and in particular, to determine distance values ​​and / or control all different combinations of intensity levels and amplification factors of qualified transmitter elements and / or receiver elements for each sequence, however, in particular, the highest intensity level of qualified transmitter elements is not used in the combination, and / or to use the following intensity levels and amplification factors of qualified transmitter elements and receiver elements for object identification, the intensity levels and amplification factors corresponding to the intensity levels and amplification factors of simple (unqualified) transmitter elements and / or receiver elements.

[0021] The advantages of this approach are that it allows for the quasi-continuous re-determination of distance values ​​over a defined time period, with the distance values ​​existing dynamically in chronological order. It also allows for easy and rapid calculation of distance values. Furthermore, it achieves maximum resolution or accuracy for the distance values. Finally, it eliminates the need to increase the number of transmitter and receiver elements required for object recognition by using qualified transmitter and receiver elements.

[0022] Preferably, one or more qualified transmitter elements are designed to emit multiple different intensity levels individually, and / or emit intensity levels different from each other, and / or emit the same intensity level, especially the highest intensity level and particularly corresponding to the intensity level of the unqualified transmitter element.

[0023] The advantage of this implementation is that it provides optimized intensity levels for different distance ranges, improving the resolution of distance values, which remains uniform and constant throughout the entire distance range. Another advantage is that qualified transmitter elements can also be used for object recognition.

[0024] Preferably, one or more qualified receiver elements are designed to use multiple different amplification factors individually, and / or use the same different amplification factors, and / or use the same amplification factor individually, said same amplification factor being the largest and particularly corresponding to the amplification factor of the unqualified, i.e., simple receiver element.

[0025] The advantage of this implementation is that it provides an optimized magnification factor for different distance ranges, improving the resolution of the distance values, which remains uniform and constant throughout the entire distance range. Another advantage is that qualified receiver elements can also be used for object recognition.

[0026] Qualified transmitter elements emit beams that are also used for distance measurement. It is conceivable that unqualified transmitter elements may also radiate beams at different intensity levels. Furthermore, intensity levels can be used for radiation in a matched manner for qualified and unqualified transmitter elements; this intensity level is referred to herein as an additional intensity level. This is particularly advantageous for intensity levels determined for safety-related object detection requirements. Qualified transmitter elements can also be used for simple object detection. To avoid confusion, the additional intensity level can be omitted for distance measurement. The same applies to receiver elements.

[0027] Preferably, the grating has three corresponding qualified transmitter and receiver elements and for this purpose additionally has simpler transmitter and receiver elements that do not contribute to the combination and / or from which the distance value cannot be determined. Preferably, one or more qualified transmitter elements are designed to emit three intensity levels, one of which is the same as the intensity level of the unqualified, i.e., simple transmitter element, which is set for object recognition, and two of which are lower than the aforementioned same intensity level and are different from all the other intensity levels. Preferably, one or more qualified receiver elements are designed to use the same two different magnification factors, wherein the larger magnification factor corresponds to the magnification factor of the unqualified, i.e., simple receiver element, which is set for object recognition. Preferably, the control device is designed such that twelve combinations are formed by the three qualified transmitter and receiver elements, the total two different lower intensity levels of the qualified transmitter elements, and the same two different magnification factors of the receiver elements. Preferably, the control device is designed to use the following intensity levels and amplification factors of qualified transmitter and receiver elements for object identification, the intensity levels and amplification factors corresponding to the intensity levels and amplification factors of unqualified, i.e., simple transmitter and / or receiver elements.

[0028] The advantage of this implementation is that it provides very high resolution for distance values.

[0029] Preferably, the grating has a transmitting device designed to wirelessly transmit distance values.

[0030] The advantage of this is that the performance status of the car doors can be transmitted to the elevator's control and electronic devices without interference and evaluated therein.

[0031] Other features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0032] The advantages described can also be achieved for combinations of features not mentioned. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings and are described in detail below. The same reference numerals denote corresponding elements in the various drawings. In the drawings:

[0034] Figure 1 Showing the grating,

[0035] Figure 2a The image shows the elevator car with its open double sliding doors featuring light gratings.

[0036] Figure 2b Showing a half-open as Figure 2aDouble sliding doors,

[0037] Figure 2c Showing closed, such as Figure 2a Double sliding doors,

[0038] Figure 3 The measurement curve is shown.

[0039] Figure 4 Show all measurement curves

[0040] Figure 5 A graph showing distance values Detailed Implementation

[0041] Figure 1 A grating 20 according to the invention is shown, the grating having a transmitter strip 21 and a receiver strip 22. The transmitter strip 21 has three qualified transmitter elements 31 and additional unqualified transmitter elements 33, on which an IR (infrared) beam with a defined intensity level can be emitted. The receiver strip 22 has three qualified receiver elements 32 and additional unqualified receiver elements 34. The transmitter and receiver strips are arranged vertically and parallel to each other, and opposite each other, at the same height. Each qualified transmitter element 31 is assigned a qualified receiver element 32 at the same height, and together they form a horizontal transmitter beam 30. The grating 20 also has a control device 35.

[0042] Figures 2a to 2c Show Figure 1 A grating 20 is installed on the double sliding door 10 of the elevator car. A transmitter strip 31 is fixed to one door leaf of the double sliding door, and a receiver strip 32 is fixed to the opposite door leaf of the double sliding door. Other arrangements are as follows. Figure 1 As shown in the diagram, the transmitter strip 31 and the receiver strip are arranged together with the double sliding door and remain parallel to each other at the same height, thus keeping the beam horizontal and associated with the corresponding qualified transmitter and receiver elements. When the door is closed, the transmitter and receiver strips decrease in distance with the door, and when the door is open, the transmitter and receiver strips increase in distance with the door. The distance between the transmitter and receiver strips corresponds to the distance between the two door panels of the double sliding door with a constant. Figure 2a The open door is shown. Figure 2b A door that is half-closed is shown. Figure 2c The closed door is shown.

[0043] Unqualified transmitter elements emit at intensity level Tx:High, and unqualified receiver elements have two amplification factors, Rx:High and Rx:Low. Rx:Low is lower than Rx:High. The amplification factors are used simultaneously and evaluated separately.

[0044] The first eligible transmitter element T1 can emit intensity levels T1:Low1, T1:Mid1, or T1:High, the second eligible transmitter element T2 can emit intensity levels T2:Low2, T2:Mid2, or T3:High, and the third eligible transmitter element T3 can emit intensity levels T3:Low3, T3:Mid3, or T3:High. The intensity levels Tx:High, T1:High, T2:High, and T3:High are of the same magnitude. All other intensity levels are lower. The intensity order of the intensity levels increases as: T1:Low1 < T2:Low2 < T3:Low3 < Mid1 < Mid2 < Mid3 < Tx:High. The three eligible receiver elements R1, R2, and R3 can use amplification factors Rx:Low or Rx:High, respectively.

[0045] The control device controls the ineligible transmitter elements and receiver elements such that Rx:High is used for distances greater than 1 m and Rx:Low is used for distances less than 1 m, and the latter can thereby avoid reflections.

[0046] The control device controls a sequence of combinations of different intensity levels and amplification factors and evaluates them to obtain distance values. The highest intensity level Tx:High is not used here. The combinations are controlled and evaluated separately. The combinations are:

[0047] T1:Low1 + R1:Low, T1:Mid1 + R1:Low, T1:Low1 + R1:High, T1:Mid1 + R1:High

[0048] T2:Low2 + R2:Low, T2:Mid2 + R2:Low, T2:Low2 + R2:High, T2:Mid1 + R2:High

[0049] T3:Low3 + R3:Low, T3:Mid3 + R3:Low, T3:Low3 + R3:High, T3:Mid1 + R2:High

[0050] These are 12 combinations.

[0051] Figure 3 It is a graph 40 of intensity related to distance and shows the measurement curves of the combinations. The X-axis 41 shows the distance between the transmitter bar and the receiver bar. The point 42 shows the minimum distance, and the point 43 shows the maximum distance that can be evaluated. The Y-axis 44 shows the intensity value output by the eligible receiver element for a determined combination.

[0052] Measurement curve 51 exemplarily illustrates a combination of moderate intensity levels with a qualified transmitter element and moderate amplification with a qualified receiver element. Measurement curve 51 shows a very steep trend at medium distances and is saturated at shorter distances and has no signal at longer distances. That is, the measurement curve is only displayed with good resolution over a small range of distances.

[0053] Figure 4 It is based on Figure 3 Figure 40 shows the superposition of all twelve measurement curves 52 for the twelve combinations.

[0054] Different intensity levels and magnification factors Rx:Low are chosen in such a way that a roughly uniform sequence of steep curves with respect to distance is achieved.

[0055] Figure 5 A graph showing the sum of the intensity values ​​for all twelve combinations. The X-axis is similar to... Figure 3 The Y-axis shows Figure 4 The sum of the intensity values ​​for all twelve combinations is 71. The sum represents a roughly linear curve over the entire distance.

[0056] The control device sums the measured and amplified intensity values ​​of twelve combinations of the sequence and outputs a distance value based on the sum. The control device periodically repeats the sequence and periodically outputs the distance value.

[0057] The opening motion of the elevator car door can be measured using the grating according to the invention. Similarly, the distance of the movable boundary of the passageway monitored by the light curtain can be measured by the light curtain itself.

[0058] The grating according to the invention can have a transmitting device that wirelessly transmits distance values, and particularly to a network cloud. Thus, the data can also be used for evaluation or storage over a longer period, enabling the provision of information about the process sequence like a black box. This particularly allows for monitoring elevator doors independently of elevator control devices.

[0059] List of reference numerals

[0060] 10. Car door

[0061] 20 gratings

[0062] 21 transmitter strips

[0063] 22 receiver strips

[0064] 30 beams

[0065] 31 Qualified transmitter components

[0066] 32 Qualified receiver components

[0067] 33 Simple transmitter components

[0068] 34 Simple receiver components

[0069] 35 Control device

[0070] 40. Graph of intensity related to distance

[0071] 41X-axis: Distance between transmitter and receiver strips

[0072] 42 Minimum distance

[0073] 43 Maximum distance

[0074] 44Y axis: The intensity that is received and amplified.

[0075] 45 Undetected

[0076] 46 saturation

[0077] 51 Measurement curves of intensity and magnification factor

[0078] 52 consists of 12 measurement curves with 6 intensity levels and 2 magnification factors.

[0079] A graph of the sum of 12 measured curves received from 60.

[0080] 64 Y-axis: Sum of magnified intensity

[0081] 71 The sum of 12 measurement curves with 6 intensity levels and 2 magnification factors.

Claims

1. A grating, - Used for object detection, and - Used to determine the distance between the transmitter strip and the receiver strip. The grating has: - A transmitter bar having at least two transmitter elements for emitting a beam; - Receiver bar, the transmitter bar having at least two receiver elements for receiving beams from the transmitter elements; - A control device designed to output a signal for object detection in the event of an interruption in reception of at least one transmitter element. in, -the transmitter element - Includes at least one qualified transmitter element and at least one unqualified transmitter element, wherein one or more of the qualified transmitter elements are designed to emit beams having at least two different intensity levels. -The receiver element - Includes at least one qualified receiver element and at least one unqualified receiver element, wherein one or more of the qualified receiver elements are designed to amplify the intensity generated by the received beam by at least two different amplification factors, and thereby determine an intensity value of the received and amplified intensity for each qualified transmitter element. - Characterized by the fact that the control device is designed as follows: - Controlling at least two combinations of the intensity level and / or amplification factor of at least one of the qualified transmitter element and / or receiver element, -and thereby determine the sum of the intensity values ​​generated by at least two of the controlled combinations. - And output the distance value based on the sum. -The control device is designed as follows: - Control the combinations sequentially. -and the sequence repeats periodically. -and determine the sum of the controlled combinations of the sequence, - And determine the distance value for each sequence.

2. The grating according to claim 1, characterized in that, - At least two or all of the transmitter elements are designed as qualified transmitter elements. - At least two or all of the receiver elements are designed as qualified receiver elements.

3. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, - Each qualified transmitter element is designed to emit at least two different intensity levels and / or - At least two of the qualified transmitter elements are designed to emit intensity levels that are at least partially different from each other.

4. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, - Each qualified receiver element is designed to amplify the intensity of the received beam by at least two different amplification factors, and / or - At least two of the qualified receiver elements are designed to amplify the intensity of the received beam by at least two different amplification factors.

5. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, - Each qualified receiver element is assigned to a determined qualified transmitter element in order to receive and amplify its beam.

6. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, - The intensity level and / or amplification factor are selected from a set of discrete values.

7. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, -The control device is designed to be, - Use predetermined combinations and / or all of them.

8. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, - Uniquely assign distance values ​​to distances within the measurement range.

9. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, - Assign each combination a defined and distinct range of maximum usable distance values. -And the range covers the continuous measurement range of the maximum usable distance value. - Wherein, the range is the range in which there is no saturation and / or no signal other than noise.

10. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, - Multiple qualified transmitter elements are designed for, -Emit different intensity levels (A: 1, 2, 10, B: 3, 4, 10) by comparing the qualified transmitter elements with each other. - and in comparison with each other, the qualified transmitter elements additionally emit at the same intensity level as the additional intensity level. - The additional strength level is higher than the different strength levels.

11. The grating according to claim 10, characterized in that, -The control device is designed as follows. The additional intensity level is used for object detection. - And the additional strength level is not used in one of the combinations.

12. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, -The qualified receiver element is designed to be, - Use the same different amplification factor when comparing the qualified receiver elements with each other.

13. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, - There are unqualified transmitter components and their design is as follows: - The firing intensity level is the same as the additional intensity level or the highest intensity level.

14. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, - There are unqualified receiver components and they are designed as follows: - Use at least two different amplification factors, the same as those used for qualified receiver elements.

15. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, -The grating has - Corresponding to three qualified transmitter and receiver components, and - At least one unqualified transmitter element and receiver element, -The qualified transmitter element is designed to be, - Launch three different intensity levels respectively. - One of the intensity levels - All qualified transmitter components are identical. -and higher than other strength levels. -and corresponding to the intensity level of the unqualified transmitter element, - two other intensity levels -The qualified transmitter elements are different from each other in the comparison. -The qualified receiver element is designed to be, -Use the same two different magnification factors respectively - Its amplification factor corresponds to that of an unqualified receiver element, and -The control device is designed as follows. -This makes the twelve combinations from - 3 qualified transmitter elements -At two different intensity levels in total. - and two different magnification factors are used to form, - and the highest intensity level among the intensity levels is used for object identification in the qualified transmitter element.

16. The grating according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, The grating has a transmitting device designed to wirelessly transmit the distance value.

Images