OPTICAL ENCODER EMPLOYING UNPATTERNED TARGET

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect relative movement of a target in an optical encoder without using any patterned target. SOLUTION: Surface features of a target 28 on some machine are utilized as they are and no systematic patterned target is required. Surface features of a target are converted into an image through a photosensor array 36. The photosensor array 36 creates a continuous data frame of a region converted into an image and that data frame is processed by a processor 38 in an encoder 24 such that the relative movement of the target can be detected.