A photosensor includes: a support; a thermoelectric conversion material section that is disposed on a first main surface of the support and that includes a plurality of first material layers each having an elongated shape, a plurality of second material layers each having electrical conductivity and an elongated shape, and an insulating film, the first material layers and the second material layers each being configured to convert thermal energy into electrical energy; a heat sink that is disposed on a second main surface of the support and along an outer edge of the support; a light-absorbing film that is disposed in a region surrounded by inner edges of the heat sink as viewed in a thickness direction of the support so as to form temperature differences on the first main surface of the support in longitudinal directions of the first material layers.

Systems and methods disclosed herein use a multi-color pyrometer configured to determine a first temperature in a high temperature range and a single-color pyrometer configured to determine second temperature in a low temperature range. The system uses information gained from determination of the first temperature in the high temperature range to facilitate later determining the second temperature in the low temperature range. The first temperature in the high temperature range and the second temperature in the low temperature range are used to monitor and control different engine operations that occur at different times.

Systems and methods disclosed herein use a multi-color pyrometer configured to determine a first temperature in a high temperature range and a single-color pyrometer configured to determine second temperature in a low temperature range. The system uses information gained from determination of the first temperature in the high temperature range to facilitate later determining the second temperature in the low temperature range. The first temperature in the high temperature range and the second temperature in the low temperature range are used to monitor and control different engine operations that occur at different times.

A sensor element includes a first silicon semiconductor portion, a second silicon semiconductor portion, a third silicon semiconductor portion, and a p-n junction. The first silicon semiconductor portion includes a first p-type impurity. The second silicon semiconductor portion is arranged on the first silicon semiconductor portion and includes a second p-type impurity. The third silicon semiconductor portion is arranged on the second silicon semiconductor portion and includes an n-type impurity. The p-n junction is defined between the second silicon semiconductor portion and the third silicon semiconductor portion. The sensor element has light-receiving sensitivity to light having a wavelength longer than a wavelength corresponding to a band gap of silicon.

A sensor element includes a first silicon semiconductor portion, a second silicon semiconductor portion, a third silicon semiconductor portion, and a p-n junction. The first silicon semiconductor portion includes a first p-type impurity. The second silicon semiconductor portion is arranged on the first silicon semiconductor portion and includes a second p-type impurity. The third silicon semiconductor portion is arranged on the second silicon semiconductor portion and includes an n-type impurity. The p-n junction is defined between the second silicon semiconductor portion and the third silicon semiconductor portion. The sensor element has light-receiving sensitivity to light having a wavelength longer than a wavelength corresponding to a band gap of silicon.

High-resolution thermopile infrared sensor array having a plurality of parallel signal processing channels for the signals of a sensor array and a digital port for serially emitting the signals. Each signal processing channel comprises at least one analog to digital converter and is assigned a memory for storing the results of the analog to digital converters. Power consumption of the infrared sensor array is reduced in the case of a sensor array with at least 16 rows and at least 16 columns, in that no more than 8 or 16 pixels are connected to a signal processing channel. The number of signal processing channels corresponds to at least 4 times the number of rows. Some of the signal processing channels are disposed in the intermediate space between the pixels and others are disposed in an outer edge region of the sensor chip surrounding the sensor array along with other electronics.

High-resolution thermopile infrared sensor array having a plurality of parallel signal processing channels for the signals of a sensor array and a digital port for serially emitting the signals. Each signal processing channel comprises at least one analog to digital converter and is assigned a memory for storing the results of the analog to digital converters. Power consumption of the infrared sensor array is reduced in the case of a sensor array with at least 16 rows and at least 16 columns, in that no more than 8 or 16 pixels are connected to a signal processing channel. The number of signal processing channels corresponds to at least 4 times the number of rows. Some of the signal processing channels are disposed in the intermediate space between the pixels and others are disposed in an outer edge region of the sensor chip surrounding the sensor array along with other electronics.

An infrared temperature sensor comprises a thermopile sensing chip. The thermopile sensing chip includes a chip substrate, a thermopile sensing unit, a heater and a temperature sensing element. The thermopile sensing unit is disposed on the chip substrate, receives infrared thermal radiation from a target and outputs a corresponding infrared sensation signal. The heater is disposed on the chip substrate and used to heat the chip substrate to a working temperature. The temperature sensing element is disposed on the chip substrate, senses the working temperature of the chip substrate and outputs a corresponding working temperature signal. In operation, the infrared temperature sensor can maintain the thermopile sensing unit at the preset working temperature. Thereby, a single-point temperature calibration is sufficient to obtain more accurate measurement results in a broad environmental temperature range.

An infrared temperature sensor comprises a thermopile sensing chip. The thermopile sensing chip includes a chip substrate, a thermopile sensing unit, a heater and a temperature sensing element. The thermopile sensing unit is disposed on the chip substrate, receives infrared thermal radiation from a target and outputs a corresponding infrared sensation signal. The heater is disposed on the chip substrate and used to heat the chip substrate to a working temperature. The temperature sensing element is disposed on the chip substrate, senses the working temperature of the chip substrate and outputs a corresponding working temperature signal. In operation, the infrared temperature sensor can maintain the thermopile sensing unit at the preset working temperature. Thereby, a single-point temperature calibration is sufficient to obtain more accurate measurement results in a broad environmental temperature range.

The present invention discloses a method and an analysis apparatus for determining an operational state of a contact device. The method comprising detecting a change in one of temperature and/or proximity data of a contact surface of the contact device with reference to a baseline value. Thereafter, the method comprising generating at least one of temperature profile and proximity profile from the detected change in the at least one of temperature and/or proximity data of the contact surface of the contact device and the baseline value. Lastly, the method comprising comparing the at least one of temperature profile and/or proximity profile with corresponding standard profiles stored in a memory of an analysis apparatus and determining the operational state of the contact device based on the comparison. The contact device may be one of a contact surface, a stethoscope, or a surface monitor.