A parking management system is described that includes a light detector, a reflector positioned within a parking space and aligned to direct received light to the light detector, and a processor receiving a signal from the light detector that indicates an amount of light detected by the light detector. The processor causes a parking space indicator to indicate that the parking space is unoccupied based on the amount of light detected by the light detector being greater than a threshold, and causes the parking space indicator to indicate that the parking space is occupied based on the amount of light detected by the light detector being less than the threshold.

A method of measuring objects that are conveyed in a conveying direction comprises the steps that (i) a first object edge of a conveyed object is detected at a first measurement position by means of a first optoelectronic sensor, (ii) the first object edge or a second object edge of the object is detected at a second measurement position, which is spaced apart from the first measurement position in the conveying direction, by means of a second optoelectronic sensor that is spatially resolving at least in the conveying direction, (iii) a time difference between the detection of the first object edge at the first measurement position and the detection of the object edge detected in step (ii) at the second measurement position is determined, (iv) a transit time is determined in which the object edge detected in step (ii) moves through a predetermined measurement path, (v) the object speed is determined based on the transit time and a length of the measurement path, and (vi) the length of the object is determined based on the determined time difference and the determined object speed.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to a light curtain protection system having a passive optical module arranged to receive, from an active optical module, a light signal such that a reflector reflects, through a polarization control module, the light signal to be received by a receiver in the active optical module. In an illustrative example, the polarization control module includes a half-wave plate aligned with the reflector to impart a first predetermined polarization to the reflected light signal such that the reflected light signal corresponds to a second predetermined polarization when received by the receiver. The polarization control module includes optical elements, such as, for example, a linear polarizer, to receive the reflected light such that the optical elements polarizes the received reflected light signal to correspond to a predetermined polarization. In some examples, the light curtain protection system may advantageously require operating power only for the active optical module.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to a light curtain protection system having a passive optical module arranged to receive, from an active optical module, a light signal such that a reflector reflects, through a polarization control module, the light signal to be received by a receiver in the active optical module. In an illustrative example, the polarization control module includes a half-wave plate aligned with the reflector to impart a first predetermined polarization to the reflected light signal such that the reflected light signal corresponds to a second predetermined polarization when received by the receiver. The polarization control module includes optical elements, such as, for example, a linear polarizer, to receive the reflected light such that the optical elements polarizes the received reflected light signal to correspond to a predetermined polarization. In some examples, the light curtain protection system may advantageously require operating power only for the active optical module.

A power beaming system includes a power beam transmitter arranged to transmit the power beam, and a power beam receiver arranged to receive the power beam from the power beam transmitter. A power beam transmission source is arranged to generate a laser light beam for transmission by the power beam transmitter from a first location toward a remote second location. A beam-shaping element shapes the laser light beam, at least one diffusion element uniformly distributes light of the shaped laser light beam, and a projection element illuminates a power beam receiving element of predetermined shape with the shaped laser light beam. At the power beam receiver, a diffusion surface diffuses a portion the power beam specularly reflected from the power beam receiver.

A power beaming system includes a power beam transmitter arranged to transmit the power beam, and a power beam receiver arranged to receive the power beam from the power beam transmitter. A power beam transmission source is arranged to generate a laser light beam for transmission by the power beam transmitter from a first location toward a remote second location. A beam-shaping element shapes the laser light beam, at least one diffusion element uniformly distributes light of the shaped laser light beam, and a projection element illuminates a power beam receiving element of predetermined shape with the shaped laser light beam. At the power beam receiver, a diffusion surface diffuses a portion the power beam specularly reflected from the power beam receiver.

A robot arm mechanism has a plurality of link sections. The plurality of link sections are connected by a plurality of joints. Each of the link sections is provided with a plurality of photoelectric sensors. The photoelectric sensor is constituted of a light projecting section and a light receiving section. The light projecting section is installed at one end of the link section. The light receiving section is installed at the other end of the link section. On an outside of the link section, an optical path reaching the light receiving section from the light projecting section is positioned. Approach of a worker to the link section can be detected by the optical path of any of the photoelectric sensors being cut off.

A robot arm mechanism has a plurality of link sections. The plurality of link sections are connected by a plurality of joints. Each of the link sections is provided with a plurality of photoelectric sensors. The photoelectric sensor is constituted of a light projecting section and a light receiving section. The light projecting section is installed at one end of the link section. The light receiving section is installed at the other end of the link section. On an outside of the link section, an optical path reaching the light receiving section from the light projecting section is positioned. Approach of a worker to the link section can be detected by the optical path of any of the photoelectric sensors being cut off.

A sensor for detecting objects within a monitoring range, with sensor components and an evaluation unit (9). An object detection signal is generated in the evaluation unit (9) in dependence upon sensor signals from sensor components. A selector unit and an input interface (11) with mechanical setting element are provided, wherein a selection of a parameter set is made in the selector unit (10) from a number of preconfigured parameter sets in dependence upon a setting configuration of the mechanical setting element of the input interface. The selected parameter set is adopted for the functioning of the sensor.

A sensor for detecting objects within a monitoring range, with sensor components and an evaluation unit (9). An object detection signal is generated in the evaluation unit (9) in dependence upon sensor signals of the sensor components. The sensor has a device connection unit (10) having connection means designed for connecting to a connection module (11). A configuration jumper and/or a configuration memory (17) can be attached to the device connection unit (10). Thereby a signal distribution can be preset to connection elements of the connection module (11) and/or an operating mode of the sensor can be preset.