US Patent 7554076 Sensor system with modular optical transceivers

An optical sensor system and method includes a plurality of optical transceiver modules arranged across the surface of the optical sensor in a predetermined pattern. A given optical transceiver module includes an optical transmitter that produces at least one light beam and an optical receiver that detects reflected light from the at least one light beam. The optical transceiver module further includes housing for housing the optical transmitter and the optical receiver.