G01J2001/4426

OPTICAL MEASURING DEVICE, OPTICAL MEASURING METHOD, DATA PROCESSING DEVICE, AND PROGRAM
20230033014 · 2023-02-02 ·

An optical measuring device includes: a stimulus value acquirer that receives light from a measurement target and continuously acquires intensity corresponding to a stimulus value at a regular time interval; a response characteristic acquirer that acquires an impulse response characteristic from a storage that stores the impulse response characteristic corresponding to a luminous stimulus response; and a hardware processor that performs digital filter processing on continuous data of stimulus value intensity acquired by the stimulus value acquirer by the impulse response characteristic acquired by the response characteristic acquirer to generate data on which the luminous stimulus response is superimposed.

Optical sensor arrangement including a dummy photodiode with a well that surrounds a well of a photodiode
11761817 · 2023-09-19 · ·

An optical sensor arrangement includes a photodiode, a dummy photodiode, an analog-to-digital converter, a first switch which couples the photodiode to an input of the analog-to-digital converter, and a second switch which couples the dummy photodiode to the input of the analog-to-digital converter.

Method for light-to-frequency conversion and light-to-frequency converter arrangement

A method for light-to-frequency conversion comprises the steps of illuminating a photodiode by a light source, generating a photocurrent by means of the photodiode, converting the photocurrent into a digital comparator output signal depending on a first clock signal, generating a first count comprising an integer number of counts, where the generation of the first count depends on the first clock signal, generating a second count which relates to the time interval between at least two counts of the first count, and determining the frequency of a repeating pattern in the intensity of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the light source and detected by the photodiode from the first count and the second count. Furthermore, a light-to-frequency converter arrangement is provided.

Rapid sensing value estimation circuit and method thereof
11085818 · 2021-08-10 · ·

A rapid sensing value estimation circuit and a method thereof are provided. The rapid sensing value estimation circuit includes a first sensing unit, an integration sensing circuit and a rapid estimation circuit. The rapid estimation circuit includes a clock generator, a second counter, a first digital comparator, and an arithmetic module. The clock generator generates a clock signal. The second counter counts the clock signal to generate a second count value. The first digital comparator determines whether the second count value exceeds a first predetermined count value when the first count value increases. The arithmetic module estimates the first count value at an end of an integration time according to a ratio of the second maximum count value to the second count value and the first count value when the second count value exceeding the first predetermined count value, to generate an estimated count value result.

Ambient luminosity level detection
11029200 · 2021-06-08 · ·

The following steps are performed in connection with a photodiode circuit: a) resetting the photodiode circuit; b) determining when a photodiode voltage changes in response to illumination to reach a threshold; and c) updating a counter in response to the determination in step b). The steps a) to c) are repeated until an end of a measurement period is reached. The value of the counter at the end of the measurement period is then output to indicate an intensity of the illumination.

Optical sensor arrangement and method for light sensing

An optical sensor arrangement comprises a photodiode (11), an integrator (12) with an integrator input (15) coupled to the photodiode (11), a comparator (13) with a first input (18) coupled to an integrator output (16) of the integrator (12), and a reference capacitor circuit (14) that is coupled to the integrator input (15) and is designed to provide a charge package to the integrator input (15). In a start phase (A), charge packages are provided to the integrator input (15), until a comparator input voltage (VIN) at the first input (18) of the comparator (13) crosses a comparator switching point.

Optical sensor arrangement and method for light sensing
11029197 · 2021-06-08 · ·

An optical sensor arrangement has an integrator, a photodiode for providing a current corresponding to a first polarity, a comparator coupled to the integrator for comparing a voltage with a threshold voltage to provide a comparison output, a reference charge circuit and a control unit. The reference charge circuit is coupled to the integrator for selectively providing first charge packages of a first size or second charge packages of a second size. The control unit is configured to control operation in a calibration phase, in an integration phase and in a residual measurement phase. During the calibration phase, the reference charge circuit provides one of the first charge packages and one or more of the second charge packages to the integrator until the comparison output changes. A reference number is determined corresponding to a number of the second charge packages provided. During the integration phase, the photodiode is connected to the integrator and the reference charge circuit provides one of the first charge packages to the integrator in response to a respective change of the comparison output. An integration number corresponding to a number of the changes of the comparison output is determined. During the residual measurement phase that immediately follows the integration phase, the reference charge circuit provides one or more of the second charge packages to the integrator until the comparison output changes. A residual number corresponding to a number of the second charge packages provided is determined.

METHOD FOR LIGHT-TO-FREQUENCY CONVERSION AND LIGHT-TO- FREQUENCY CONVERTER ARRANGEMENT

A method for light-to-frequency conversion comprises the steps of illuminating a photodiode by a light source, generating a photocurrent by means of the photodiode, converting the photocurrent into a digital comparator output signal depending on a first clock signal, generating a first count comprising an integer number of counts, where the generation of the first count depends on the first clock signal, generating a second count which relates to the time interval between at least two counts of the first count, and determining the frequency of a repeating pattern in the intensity of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the light source and detected by the photodiode from the first count and the second count. Furthermore, a light-to-frequency converter arrangement is provided.

Electromagnetic wave detecting apparatus and method of setting acquisition timing of detection signal
10914631 · 2021-02-09 · ·

An electromagnetic wave detecting apparatus is provided with: a plurality of detecting devices each of which is configured to detect an electromagnetic wave; a voltage applying device configured to apply bias voltage to each of the plurality of detecting devices; an obtaining device configured to obtain a detection signal outputted from each of the plurality of detecting devices; and a setting device configured to set acquisition timing of the detection signal for each of the plurality of detecting devices, on the basis of the bias voltage, which is applied to each of the plurality of detecting devices, and the detection signal of each of the plurality of detecting devices.

OPTICAL SENSOR ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR OPTICAL SENSING
20200355549 · 2020-11-12 ·

An optical sensor arrangement comprises a photodiode (11), a dummy photodiode (12), an analog-to-digital converter (13), a first switch (15) which couples the photodiode (11) to an input (14) of the analog-to-digital converter (13) and a second switch (16) which couples the dummy photodiode (12) to the input (14) of the analog-to-digital converter (13).