An apparatus for determining a position and orientation of first and second rigid bodies in relation to each other. The apparatus includes a light source mounted to the first rigid body, an image sensor mounted to either the first or second rigid body and positioned in a field of light, a shadow mask mounted to either the first or second rigid body and arranged in the field of light, and a computation unit configured to calculate at least one angle by evaluating a shadow image which passes the shadow mask and is detected by the image sensor. The apparatus may include a mechanical constraint mounted to the first and second rigid bodies that defines a fixed distance between the first and second rigid bodies, is stationary in relation to one of the first or second rigid body, and is variably inclinable in relation to the other.

Provided is a refrigerator and control method for refrigerator and method for opening a refrigerator door. While a user is holding an object in both hands, a door may be automatically and additionally opened using another part of a body other than hands.

Provided is a refrigerator and control method for refrigerator and method for opening a refrigerator door. While a user is holding an object in both hands, a door may be automatically and additionally opened using another part of a body other than hands.

The position detector of an object includes a body defining an input receiving an optical fibre delivering a light signal, and an output delivering a signal representative of the position of the object. A mirror is mounted to move between first and second positions in the body with respect to the input. The first position or the second position ensures transmission of the light signal from the input to the output. The other of the first position and the second position prevents transmission of the light signal to the output. A spring is mounted in the body in order to place the mirror in the first position. A tip is movable relative to the body between a first position and a second position along a direction of movement and is intended to cooperate with the object to be monitored.

The invention relates, among other things, to a door sensor device (20) for mounting on a door element (10), more particularly a swing door, which can be rotated about an axis of rotation (D), having at least one transmission device (21) for generating at least one monitoring beam (S) in the direction of the floor, said beam being oriented at an angle to the door leaf plane (E) of the door element (10), at least one receiving device (22) for receiving reflected or back-scattered radiation, and an evaluation device (23) for evaluating the radiation received by the receiving device (22) and generating an object detection signal. According to the invention, the evaluation device (23) is designed such that it checks whether a predefined exclusion condition is met, wherein the exclusion condition is dependent on at least three values, specifically an angle value specifying the rotational angle of the door element (10), a maximum value predefined for the evaluation device (23), said maximum value specifying a fixed, maximum permitted rotational angle of the door element (10), and a measuring-point-specific advance angle value, which specifies the angle between a section which is bounded by the measuring point (M1-Mn) formed by the monitoring beam (S) on the floor and the axis of rotation (D) of the door element (10), and the door leaf plane (E).

Example position detection means and displacement detection devices are described. A relative position detection means optically detects a relative position of displacement of an object to be measured in a measuring direction, including a target mounted on the object to be measured and irradiated with light from a light source; a light receiver for detection of relative position for receiving light by changing polarization state of reflected light at the target with respect to the light; and a relative position information output unit for outputting relative position information based on displacement of the target in the measuring direction based on change of polarization state of the reflected light. The target includes a reflector mounted on the object to be measured and a birefringent member on the reflector and having a thickness changing from a tip to a base end along the measuring direction.

A detection device includes an illumination optical system configured to illuminate a first alignment mark for detecting a position of an object in a first direction and a second alignment mark for detecting a position of the object in a second direction and a detection optical system configured to detect light beams from the alignment marks. The illumination optical system includes an optical element disposed at a position optically conjugate to a surface to be illuminated, and the optical element includes a region configured to form an illumination light beam for illuminating a first portion of the surface to be illuminated with a first angular distribution and a region configured to form an illumination light beam for illuminating a second portion of the surface to be illuminated with a second angular distribution.

A detection device includes an illumination optical system configured to illuminate a first alignment mark for detecting a position of an object in a first direction and a second alignment mark for detecting a position of the object in a second direction and a detection optical system configured to detect light beams from the alignment marks. The illumination optical system includes an optical element disposed at a position optically conjugate to a surface to be illuminated, and the optical element includes a region configured to form an illumination light beam for illuminating a first portion of the surface to be illuminated with a first angular distribution and a region configured to form an illumination light beam for illuminating a second portion of the surface to be illuminated with a second angular distribution.

A timing apparatus, system, and method are provided to determine a position of a rotating object in a device, such as an engine, and control the device according to the determined position of the rotating object. Light is emitted from a light source onto a reflecting region on a portion of the rotating object. Light is reflected off the reflecting region of the rotating object and detected as the rotating object rotates. Intensity of the reflected light is measured, via a microcontroller, and the position of the rotating object is determined according to the intensity of the detected light. A signal is generated that corresponds to the intensity of the detected light associated with the determined position of the rotating shaft. The reflecting region has a feature configured to effect a change in the intensity of the reflected light as the rotating object rotates. The microcontroller is configured to determine the determined position and to utilize the determined position and the change in the signal to control operating characteristics of the device.

An opto-mechanical resonator including a waveguide formed by a plurality of first strips spaced apart from one another; and two mirrors disposed facing one another, which mirrors are optically reflective over at least part of a guide wavelength range of the waveguide. The waveguide extends between the two mirrors, and forms therewith an optically resonant cavity. At least part of the waveguide is held such that it is suspended over a substrate by at least one deformable mechanical element.