Device for determining the distance to an outer surface of a roll of material and related method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016187484-A1
Application number	US-201414587130-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 31, 2014
Priority date	Dec 31, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sensing device is for sensing an outer surface of a roll of material. An infrared (IR) laser source is configured to direct IR laser radiation to the outer surface of the roll of material. A single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detector is configured to receive reflected IR laser radiation from the outer surface of the roll of material. A controller is coupled to the IR laser source and the SPAD detector to determine a distance to the outer surface of the roll of material based upon a time-of-flight of the IR laser radiation.

First claim

1 . A sensing device for sensing an outer surface of a roll of material comprising:
an infrared (IR) laser source comprising a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) configured to direct IR laser radiation to the outer surface of the roll of material; a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detector comprising an array of single photon avalanche diodes configured to receive reflected IR laser radiation from the outer surface of the roll of material; and a controller coupled to said IR laser source and said SPAD detector to determine a distance to the outer surface of the roll of material based upon a time-of-flight of the IR laser radiation, wherein said IR laser source, SPAD detector, and controller are formed as a single integrated circuit (IC).

2 . (canceled)

3 . (canceled)

4 . The sensing device of claim 1 wherein said IR laser source has an operating wavelength in a range of 800 to 900 nanometers.

5 . (canceled)

6 . The sensing device of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to determine a quantity of material on the roll.

7 . The sensing device of claim 6 further comprising at least one indicator; and wherein said controller is configured to operate said at least one indicator based upon the determined quantity of material on the roll.

8 . The sensing device of claim 1 wherein the roll is a dispensing roll; and wherein said controller is configured to determine a feed rate of material from the dispensing roll.

9 . The sensing device of claim 8 further comprising at least one indicator; and wherein said controller is configured to operate said at least one indicator based upon the determined feed rate of material from the dispensing roll.

10 . The sensing device of claim 1 wherein the roll is a take-up roll; and wherein said controller is configured to determine a take-up rate of material onto the take-up roll.

11 . The sensing device of claim 10 further comprising at least one indicator; and wherein said controller is configured to operate said at least one indicator based upon the determined take-up rate of material onto the take-up roll.

12 . A sensing device for sensing an outer surface of a roll of material comprising:
an infrared (IR) laser source configured to direct IR laser radiation to the outer surface of the roll of material, said IR laser source comprising a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL); a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detector configured to receive reflected IR laser radiation from the outer surface of the roll of material, said SPAD detector comprising an array of single photon avalanche diodes; and a controller coupled to said IR laser source and said SPAD detector to determine a distance to the outer surface of the roll of material based upon a time-of-flight of the IR laser radiation.

13 . (canceled)

14 . The sensing device of claim 12 wherein said IR laser source has an operating wavelength in a range of 800 to 900 nanometers.

15 . The sensing device of claim 12 wherein said controller is configured to determine a quantity of material on the roll.

16 . The sensing device of claim 12 wherein the roll is a dispensing roll; and wherein said controller is configured to determine a feed rate of material from the dispensing roll.

17 . The sensing device of claim 12 wherein the roll is a take-up roll; and wherein said controller is configured to determine a take-up rate of material onto the take-up roll.

18 . The sensing device of claim 12 further comprising at least one indicator coupled to said controller.

19 . A method of sensing an outer surface of a roll of material comprising:
using an infrared (IR) laser source comprising a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) to direct IR laser radiation to the outer surface of the roll of material; using a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detector comprising an array of single photon avalanche diodes to receive reflected IR laser radiation from the outer surface of the roll of material; and using a controller coupled to the IR laser source and the SPAD detector to determine a distance to the outer surface of the roll of material based upon a time-of-flight of the IR laser radiation.

20 . (canceled)

21 . The method of claim 19 wherein the IR laser source, SPAD detector, and controller are formed as a single integrated circuit (IC).

22 . The method of claim 19 wherein the IR laser source has an operating wavelength in a range of 800 to 900 nanometers.

23 . (canceled)

24 . The method of claim 19 further comprising using the controller to determine a quantity of material on the roll.

25 . The method of claim 19 wherein the roll is a dispensing roll; and further comprising using the controller to determine a feed rate of material from the dispensing roll.

26 . The method of claim 19 wherein the roll is a take-up roll; and further comprising using the controller to determine a take-up rate of material onto the take-up roll.

27 . The method of claim 19 further operating at least one indicator based on the controller.

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Inc

Inventors

• Bloomfield John
• Weiner Kenneth

Classifications

• H10F30/225

  the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiodes · CPC title

• G01S17/88 Primary

  Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• H01S5/3013

  AIIIBV compounds · CPC title

• G01S17/32 Primary

  using transmission of continuous waves, whether amplitude-, frequency-, or phase-modulated, or unmodulated · CPC title

• H01S5/183

  having only vertical cavities, e.g. vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers [VCSEL] · CPC title