A self-balancing optical position sensitive detector includes a pair of spaced apart, parallel, longitudinally extending doped regions on a first surface on a front side of a substrate 16 of opposite doping type with contact pads on the front side at respective ends of a first doped region of the pair. A voltage source applies a potential difference between the contact pads of the first doped region. On the front side, a contact pad of the second doped region of the pair provides an analog output signal representative of a longitudinal position of a center of gravity of an incident light pattern along the doped regions without external circuitry processing the output signal to obtain a readout of the longitudinal position. A resistive line may directly overly, abut and be in contact with at least a portion of the first doped region. A conductive line may directly overly, abut and be in contact with at least a portion of the second doped region. No backside contact or processing of the substrate is required or employed.

An encoder device includes an array of detectors that are operable to detect a flux and to generate currents in response to the detection; multiple current lines for conducting currents; a set of switches coupled between the array of detectors and the multiple current lines such that an output of each of the array of detectors is routed to none or one of the multiple current lines; and a controller operable to configure the set of switches.

An encoder system includes a configurable detector array, wherein the configurable detector array includes a plurality of detectors. In an embodiment, the encoder system includes an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The encoder system may also include a memory operable to store a partition map that defines a state for each of the plurality of detectors. In an embodiment, the memory includes a non-volatile memory. The encoder system may also include a controller, such as a microcontroller, operable to read from the memory the partition map and to configure the configurable detector array according to the configuration map. The encoder system may also include an emitter operable to generate a flux modulated by a motion object, wherein the configurable detector array is operable to receive the flux and generate respective current outputs for each of the detectors in response to the flux.

An encoder system includes a configurable detector array, wherein the configurable detector array includes a plurality of detectors. In an embodiment, the encoder system includes an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The encoder system may also include a memory operable to store a partition map that defines a state for each of the plurality of detectors. In an embodiment, the memory includes a non-volatile memory. The encoder system may also include a controller, such as a microcontroller, operable to read from the memory the partition map and to configure the configurable detector array according to the configuration map. The encoder system may also include an emitter operable to generate a flux modulated by a motion object, wherein the configurable detector array is operable to receive the flux and generate respective current outputs for each of the detectors in response to the flux.