DETECTOR FOR AN OPTICAL DETECTION OF AT LEAST ONE OBJECT

Abstract

A detector (110) for an optical detection of at least one object (112) is proposed. The detector (110) comprises: —at least one transfer device (120), wherein the transfer device (120) comprises at least two different focal lengths (140) in response to at least one incident light beam (136); —at least two longitudinal optical sensors (132), wherein each longitudinal optical sensor (132) has at least one sensor region (146), wherein each longitudinal optical sensor (132) is designed to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the sensor region (146) by the light beam (136), wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given the same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam (136) in the sensor region (146), wherein each longitudinal optical sensor (132) exhibits a spectral sensitivity in response to the light beam (136) in a manner that two different longitudinal optical sensors (132) differ with regard to their spectral sensitivity; wherein each optical longitudinal sensor (132) is located at a focal point (138) of the transfer device (120) related to the spectral sensitivity of the respective longitudinal optical sensor (132); and —at least one evaluation device (150), wherein the evaluation device (150) is designed to generate at least one item of information on a longitudinal position and/or at least one item of information on a color of the object (112) by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal of each longitudinal optical sensor (132). Thereby, a simple and, still, efficient detector for an accurate determining of a position and/or a color of at least one object in space is provided.

Claims

1. A detector for an optical detection of at least one object, comprising: at least one transfer device, wherein the transfer device exhibits at least two different focal lengths in response to at least one incident light beam; at least two longitudinal optical sensors, wherein each longitudinal optical sensor has at least one sensor region, wherein each longitudinal optical sensor is designed to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the sensor region by the light beam, wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given the same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region, wherein each longitudinal optical sensor exhibits a spectral sensitivity in response to the light beam in a manner that two different longitudinal optical sensors differ with regard to their spectral sensitivity, wherein each longitudinal optical sensor is located at a focal point of the transfer device related to the spectral sensitivity of the respective longitudinal optical sensor; and at least one evaluation device, wherein the evaluation device is designed to generate at least one item of information on a longitudinal position, at least one item of information on a color of the object, or both, by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal of each longitudinal optical sensor.

2. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the different focal lengths of the transfer device and the different spectral sensitivities of the at least two longitudinal optical sensors differ with respect to a wavelength of the at least one incident light beam.

3. The detector according to claim 2, wherein the different focal lengths in the transfer device are created by a chromatic aberration caused by a material in the transfer device.

4. The detector according to claim 3, wherein the transfer device comprises a refractive lens, a convex mirror, or both.

5. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the different focal lengths in the transfer device are created by different areas within the transfer device, wherein each area comprises a focal length in a manner that two different areas differ with regard to their focal length.

6. The detector according to claim 5, wherein the transfer device comprises a multifocal lens.

7. The detector according to claim 5, wherein the transfer device further comprises transition regions between adjoining areas, wherein in each transition region the focal length varies between the focal lengths of the adjoining areas.

8. The detector according to claim 7, wherein the transfer device comprises a progressive lens.

9. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal optical sensors are arranged as at least one stack.

10. The detector according to claim 1, wherein each longitudinal optical sensor comprises at least one first electrode, at least one n-semiconducting metal oxide, at least one dye, at least one p-semiconducting organic material, and at least one second electrode.

11. The detector according to claim 10, wherein the longitudinal optical sensors differ by at least two different dyes.

12. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation device is designed to generate the at least one item of information on the longitudinal position of the object from at least one predefined relationship between the geometry of the illumination and a relative positioning of the object with respect to the detector.

13. The detector according to claim 12, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to generate the at least one item of information on the longitudinal position of the object by determining a diameter of the light beam from the longitudinal sensor signals.

14. The detector according to claim 13, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to compare the diameter of the light beam with known beam properties of the light beam in order to determine the at least one item of information on the longitudinal position of the object.

15. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal optical sensors are arranged such that a light beam from the object illuminates all longitudinal optical sensors, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to normalize the longitudinal sensor signals and to generate the information on the longitudinal position of the object independent from an intensity of the light beam.

16. The detector according to claim 1, wherein each longitudinal optical sensor is furthermore designed in a manner that each longitudinal sensor signal, given the same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a modulation frequency of a modulation of the illumination.

17. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to determine the at least one item of information on the color of the object by comparing the longitudinal sensor signals of the at least two longitudinal optical sensors.

18. The detector according to claim 17, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to generate at least two color coordinates, wherein each color coordinate is determined by dividing the longitudinal sensor signal of one of the at least two longitudinal optical sensors by a normalization value.

19. The detector according to claim 1, further comprising: at least two secondary longitudinal optical sensors, wherein each secondary longitudinal optical sensor has at least one sensor region, wherein each secondary longitudinal optical sensor is designed to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the sensor region by the light beam, wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given the same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region, wherein each secondary longitudinal optical sensor exhibits a spectral sensitivity in response to the light beam in a manner that two secondary longitudinal optical sensors differ with regard to their spectral sensitivity, wherein the evaluation device is further designed to generate at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal of each secondary longitudinal optical sensor.

20. The detector according to claim 19, wherein each secondary longitudinal optical sensor comprises the same spectral sensitivity as one of the longitudinal optical sensors.

21. The detector according to claim 19, wherein the secondary longitudinal optical sensors which comprise a different spectral sensitivity are arranged as at least one secondary stack.

22. The detector according to claim 21, wherein the stack of longitudinal optical sensors is framed by two separate secondary stacks along the optical axis of the detector.

23. The detector according claim 19, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to compare the longitudinal sensor signal of at least one of the longitudinal optical sensors with the longitudinal sensor signal of at least one of the secondary longitudinal optical sensors in order to determine the at least one item of information on the longitudinal position of the object.

24. The detector according to claim 23, wherein the evaluation device is adapted to compare the longitudinal sensor signal of a selected longitudinal optical sensor with the longitudinal sensor signal of the at least one secondary longitudinal optical sensor which comprises the same spectral sensitivity as the selected longitudinal optical sensor.

25. The detector according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one transversal optical sensor, the transversal optical sensor being adapted to determine a transversal position of the light beam traveling from the object to the detector, the transversal position being a position in at least one dimension perpendicular an optical axis of the detector, the transversal optical sensor being adapted to generate at least one transversal sensor signal, wherein the evaluation device is further designed to generate at least one item of information on a transversal position of the object by evaluating the transversal sensor signal.

26. The detector according to claim 25, wherein the transversal optical sensor is a photo detector having at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode and at least one photovoltaic material embedded in between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein at least one electrode preferably is a split electrode having at least two partial electrodes, wherein the transversal optical sensor has a sensor region, wherein the at least one transversal sensor signal indicates a position of the light beam in the sensor region.

27. The detector according to claim 26, wherein electrical currents through the partial electrodes are dependent on a position of the light beam in the sensor region, wherein the transversal optical sensor is adapted to generate the transversal sensor signal in accordance with the electrical currents through the partial electrodes.

28. The detector according to claim 27, wherein the detector is adapted to derive the information on the transversal position of the object from at least one ratio of the currents through the partial electrodes.

29. The detector according to claim 1, furthermore comprising at least one illumination source.

30. The detector according to claim 29, wherein the illumination source exhibits a spectral range which is related to the spectral sensitivities of the at least two longitudinal sensors.

31. The detector according to claim 30, wherein the spectral sensitivities of the at least two longitudinal sensors are covered by the spectral range of the illumination source.

32. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the detector further comprises at least one imaging device.

33. The detector according to claim 32, wherein the imaging device comprises a camera, in particular at least one of: an inorganic camera; a monochrome camera; a multichrome camera; a full-color camera; a pixelated inorganic chip; a pixelated organic camera; a CCD chip, preferably a multi-color CCD chip or a full-color CCD chip; a CMOS chip; an IR camera; an RGB camera.

34. A human-machine interface for exchanging at least one item of information between a user and a machine, wherein the human-machine interface comprises at least one detector according to claim 1, wherein the human-machine interface is designed to generate at least one item of geometrical information and color information of the user by means of the detector wherein the human-machine interface is designed to assign to the geometrical information and color information at least one item of information.

35. An entertainment device for carrying out at least one entertainment function, wherein the entertainment device comprises at least one human-machine interface according to claim 34, wherein the entertainment device is designed to enable at least one item of information to be input by a player by means of the human-machine interface, wherein the entertainment device is designed to vary the entertainment function in accordance with the information.

36. A tracking system for tracking the position of at least one movable object, the tracking system comprising at least one detector according to claim 1, the tracking system further comprising at least one track controller, wherein the track controller is adapted to track a series of positions of the object, each position comprising at least one item of information on at least a longitudinal position of the object at a specific point in time and at least one item of information on a color of the object at a specific point in time.

37. A camera for imaging at least one object, the camera comprising at least one detector according to claim 1.

38. A method for an optical detection of at least one object, wherein at least one transfer device of a detector is used, wherein the transfer device comprises at least two different focal lengths in response to at least one incident light beam; wherein at least two longitudinal optical sensors of the detector are used, wherein each longitudinal optical sensor has at least one sensor region, wherein each longitudinal optical sensor generates at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the sensor region by the light beam, wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given the same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region, wherein each longitudinal optical sensor exhibits a spectral sensitivity in response to light beam in a manner that two different longitudinal optical sensors differ with regard to their spectral sensitivity; wherein each longitudinal optical sensor is located at a focal point of the transfer device related to the spectral sensitivity of the respective longitudinal optical sensor; wherein at least one evaluation device is used, wherein the evaluation device generates at least one item of information on a longitudinal position, at least one item of information on a color of the object, or both, by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal of each longitudinal optical sensor.

39. A method, comprising optically detecting an object with the optical detector of claim 1, in order to determine a position of the object.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the determining of the position of the object is directed to an application selected from the group consisting of a distance measurement, a position measurement, an entertainment application, a security application, a human-machine interface application, a tracking application, a photography application, an imaging application, a camera application, and a mapping application for generating maps of at least one space.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0193] Further optional details and features of the invention are evident from the description of preferred exemplary embodiments which follows in conjunction with the dependent claims. In this context, the particular features may be implemented alone or with features in combination. The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiments. The exemplary embodiments are shown schematically in the figures. Identical reference numerals in the individual figures refer to identical elements or elements with identical function, or elements which correspond to one another with regard to their functions.

[0194] Specifically, in the figures:

[0195] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a detector according to the present invention which comprises a stack of longitudinal optical sensors and a secondary stack of secondary longitudinal optical sensors;

[0196] FIG. 2 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a detector according to the present invention comprising a stack of longitudinal optical sensors along the optical axis which is framed by two separate secondary stacks of secondary longitudinal optical sensors;

[0197] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary explanation of the occurrence of the FiP effect within the embodiment of FIG. 2.

[0198] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of an optical detector, a detector system, a human-machine interface, an entertainment device, a tracking system and a camera according to the present invention.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0199] FIG. 1 illustrates, in a highly schematic illustration, an exemplary embodiment of a detector 110 according to the present invention, for determining a position of at least one object 112. The detector 110 preferably may form a camera or may be part of a camera. However, other embodiments are feasible.

[0200] The detector 110 comprises optical sensors 114, which, in this particular embodiment, are all stacked along an optical axis 116 of the detector 110. Specifically, the optical axis 116 may be an axis of symmetry and/or rotation of the setup of the optical sensors 114. The optical sensors 114 may be located inside a housing 118 of the detector 110. Further, at least one transfer device 120 is comprised, preferably a refractive lens 122. An opening 124 in the housing 118, which, preferably, is located concentrically with regard to the optical axis 116, preferably defines a direction of view 126 of the detector 110. A coordinate system 128 may be defined, in which a direction parallel or antiparallel to the optical axis 116 is defined as a longitudinal direction, whereas directions perpendicular to the optical axis 116 may be defined as transversal directions. In the coordinate system 128, symbolically depicted in FIG. 1, a longitudinal direction is denoted by z and transversal directions are denoted by x and y, respectively. However, other types of coordinate systems 128 are feasible.

[0201] In this particular embodiment, the optical sensors 114 comprise a transversal optical sensor 130 and a plurality of longitudinal optical sensors 132, wherein the longitudinal optical sensors 132 form a stack 134 of longitudinal optical sensors. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, three longitudinal sensors 132 are depicted. It shall be noted, however, that embodiments having a different number of longitudinal optical sensors 132, such as two, four, five, six or more longitudinal optical sensors 132, are feasible, particularly depending on the respective purposes of the detector 110. The transversal optical sensor 130 may be embodied as a separate optical sensor 114, as depicted in FIG. 1, but may also be combined with one of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 into a combined optical sensor (not depicted here).

[0202] According to the present invention, each longitudinal optical sensor 132 within the stack 134 of longitudinal optical sensors 132 exhibits a spectral sensitivity in response to a light beam 136 in a manner that the different longitudinal optical sensors 132 within the stack 134 differ with respect to their respective spectral sensitivity. Hereby, the different spectral sensitivity of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 within the stack 134 is indicated by a different hatching of the respective shapes. By way of example, the three longitudinal optical sensors 132 as depicted in FIG. 1 may have different spectral sensitivities with maximum absorption wavelengths in a spectral range between 600 nm and 780 nm (red), between 490 nm and 600 nm (green), and between 380 nm and 490 nm (blue), respectively. However, other color distributions, such as cyan, magenta, and yellow, are possible. Hereby, the different spectral sensitivities may be achieved by using different dyes within the longitudinal optical sensors 132.

[0203] Further according to the present invention, each longitudinal optical sensor 132 within the stack 134 of longitudinal optical sensors 132 is located at a focal point 138 of the transfer device 120, wherein here each of the focal points 138 is related to the spectral sensitivity of the respective longitudinal optical sensor. For this purpose, the refractive lens 122, which here constitutes the transfer device 120, may exhibit at least three different focal lengths 140 in response to at least one incident light beam 136. In this particular embodiment, the refractive lens 122 may, preferably, be considered as a thin lens in air so that the corresponding focal length 140 may be determined as a distance from a center of the refractive lens 122 to the focal points 140 of the refractive lens 122. For a converging lens, such as for a convex lens as employed here for the refractive lens 122, the focal length 140 may be defined as a positive value of the distance in which the beam 136 of a collimated light of at least one color might be focused to a single spot which is usually denote as the focus or the focal point 138. By way of the example, the longitudinal optical sensor 132 which may have a spectral sensitivity with a maximum absorption wavelength in the red spectral range, may, therefore, be located at the focal point 138 of the refractive lens 122 for a red incident light beam 136, whereas the longitudinal optical sensor 132 which may have a spectral sensitivity with a maximum absorption wavelength in the green or blue spectral range, may, thus, be located at the focal points 138 of the refractive lens 122 for a green or blue incident light beam 136, respectively. Again, in case other color distributions, such as cyan, magenta, and yellow, might be used, the locations of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 may be adapted accordingly.

[0204] In this particular embodiment, the optical sensors 114 further comprise a plurality of secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, wherein the longitudinal optical sensors 132 form a secondary stack 144 of longitudinal optical sensors. In the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 1, three secondary longitudinal sensors 142 are depicted. It shall be noted, however, that embodiments having a different number of secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, such as two, four, five, six or more secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, are feasible, particularly depending on the respective purposes of the detector. With regard to the present invention, the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142 may exhibit the same or a similar setup and comprise the same or similar physical and optical properties as the longitudinal optical sensors 132 with the notable exception that the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142 are not located at the respective focal points 138 of the transfer device 120, in particular, since these locations have already been occupied by the longitudinal optical sensors 132. Rather, the secondary stack 144 is located in a manner that it is impinged by the incident light beam 136 before (as depicted in FIG. 1) or after (not depicted here) the stack 134 of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 is illuminated.

[0205] Further, each secondary longitudinal optical sensor 142 within the secondary stack 144 of secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142 exhibits a spectral sensitivity in response to a light beam 136 in a manner that two secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142 differ with regard to their spectral sensitivity. In the particular embodiment as depicted in FIG. 1, each of the three secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142 comprises the same spectral sensitivity as one of the three longitudinal optical sensors 132. Hereby, the same spectral sensitivity of each of the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142 with one of the three longitudinal optical sensors 132 is indicated by the same hatching of the respective shapes of the corresponding optical sensors.

[0206] Summarizing, in the specific example as shown in FIG. 1, the detector 110 comprises seven optical sensors 114, i.e. the transversal optical sensor 130, the three longitudinal optical sensors 132 arranged in the stack 134, and the three secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142 arranged in the secondary stack 144, wherein both the stack 134 and the secondary stack 144 exhibit the same number of optical sensors 114 and comprise the same selection of different types of optical sensors with regard to their spectral sensitivities, such as a red-sensitive optical sensor, a green-sensitive optical sensor, and a blue-sensitive optical sensor. However, other colors might be possible. Herein, preferably, the transversal optical sensor 130, all of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 and all of the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142 may be transparent.

[0207] Each of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 as well as each of the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142 comprises a sensor region 146, which, preferably, is transparent to the light beam 138 travelling from the object 112 to the detector 110. Consequently, each of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 is designed to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the respective sensor region 146 by the light beam 136. In the same manner, each of the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 132 is designed to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the respective sensor region 146 by the light beam 136. Thus, the longitudinal sensor signals, given the same total power of the illumination, is, according to the FiP effect, dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam 136 in the respective sensor region 146, as will be outlined in further detail below. Via one or more longitudinal signal leads 148, the longitudinal sensor signals may be transmitted to an evaluation device 150, which will be explained in further detail below.

[0208] Also, the transversal optical sensor 130 comprises the sensor region 146, which, preferably, is transparent to the light beam 136 travelling from the object 112 to the detector 110. The transversal optical sensor 130 may, therefore, be adapted to determine a transversal position of the light beam 136 in one or more transversal directions, such as in direction x and/or in direction y. For this purpose, the at least one transversal optical sensor 130 may further be adapted to generate at least one transversal sensor signal. This transversal sensor signal may be transmitted by one or more transversal signal leads 152 to at least one evaluation device 150 of the detector 110.

[0209] Thus, the evaluation device 150 is, generally, designed to generate at least one item of information on a position and/or at least one item of information on a color of the object 112 by evaluating the sensor signals of one or more, preferably all, of the optical sensors 114. In this particular example, the evaluation device 150 is designed to generate at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object 112 and/or the color of the object 112 by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal of one or both of each longitudinal optical sensor 132 and of each secondary longitudinal optical sensor 142. Further in this embodiment, the evaluation device 150 may be designed to generate at least one item of information on a transversal position of the object 112 by evaluating the transversal sensor signal of the longitudinal optical sensor 130. For these purposes, the evaluation device 150 may comprise one or more electronic devices and/or one or more software components, in order to evaluate the sensor signals, which are symbolically denoted by a transversal evaluation unit 154 (denoted by “xy”) and longitudinal evaluation unit 156 (denoted by “z”). By combining results derived by these evolution units 154, 156, a position information 158, preferably a three-dimensional position information, may be generated (denoted by “x, y, z”).

[0210] As will be explained below in more detail, the evaluation device 150 may be adapted to determine the at least one item of information on the longitudinal position of the object 112 by comparing the longitudinal sensor signal of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 with the longitudinal sensor signal of the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142. For this purpose, the evaluation device 150 may, particularly, be adapted to compare the longitudinal sensor signal of a selected longitudinal optical sensor 132 with the longitudinal sensor signal of the secondary longitudinal optical sensor 142 which comprises the same spectral sensitivity as the selected longitudinal optical sensor 132.

[0211] Alternatively or in addition, the evaluation device 150 may be adapted to determine the at least one item of information on the color of the object 112 by comparing the longitudinal sensor signals of the longitudinal optical sensors 132. For this purpose, the spectral sensitivities of the longitudinal optical sensors may be considered as a coordinate system in color space, and the signals provided by the respective longitudinal optical sensors 132 may provide a coordinate in this color space, e.g. in CIE coordinates. Consequently, the evaluation device may be adapted to generate at least two color coordinates, preferably at least three color coordinates, wherein each of the color coordinates may be determined by dividing a longitudinal sensor signal of one of the spectrally sensitive optical sensors 132 by a normalization value, wherein the normalization value may comprise a sum of the signals of all spectrally sensitive longitudinal optical sensors 132. This task may equally be performed within the longitudinal evaluation unit 156 comprised within the evaluation device 150.

[0212] As already explained above, the detector in this particular example as depicted in FIG. 1 may comprise three longitudinal optical sensors 132 in the stack 134 of longitudinal optical sensors 132, wherein all of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 have different spectral sensitivities, such as with the maximum absorption wavelengths in the red, green, and blue spectral range. Consequently, the evaluation device 150 may be adapted to generate at least one item of color information by evaluating the respective intensities of the longitudinal sensor signals of the three longitudinal optical sensors 132 in the stack 134 and by determining therefrom the corresponding color coordinate in the color space designated by the respective spectral sensitivities of the three longitudinal optical sensors 132 in the stack 134 as previously described. Since, according to the present invention, the three longitudinal optical sensors 132 are all located at their respective focal point 138 with regard to their spectral sensitivity, they each provide high signal intensities of the corresponding longitudinal sensor signals, thus allowing determining the color of the object 112 with a high degree of accuracy.

[0213] Generally, the evaluation device 150 may be part of a data processing device 160 and/or may comprise one or more data processing devices 160. The evaluation device 150 may be fully or partially integrated into the housing 118 and/or may fully or partially be embodied as a separate device which is electrically connected in a wireless or wire-bound fashion to the optical sensors 114. The evaluation device 150 may further comprise one or more additional components, such as one or more electronic hardware components and/or one or more software components, such as one or more measurement units (not depicted in FIG. 1) and/or one or more transformation units 162. Symbolically, in FIG. 1, one optional transformation unit 162 is depicted which may be adapted to transform at least two transversal sensor signals acquired from the transversal optical sensor 130 into a common signal or common information.

[0214] FIG. 2 illustrates, in a highly schematic illustration, a further exemplary embodiment of the detector 110 according to the present invention, for determining a position of the at least one object 112. In this particular embodiment, the detector 110 may comprise one or more illumination sources 164, which may include an ambient light source and/or an artificial light source, and/or may comprise one or more reflective elements which may, for example, be connected to the object 112 for reflecting one or more primary light beams 166, as indicated in FIG. 2. In addition or alternatively, the light beam 136 which emerges from the object 112 can fully or partially be generated by the object 112 itself, for example in the form of a luminescent radiation.

[0215] In the further example as shown in FIG. 2, the detector 110 comprises ten optical sensors 114, i.e. the one transversal optical sensor 130, the stack 134 with the three longitudinal optical sensors 132 which is framed by two secondary stacks 144, 144′, each comprising the three secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, wherein both the stack 134 and the secondary stacks 144, 144′ are arranged along the optical axis 116, comprise the same number of optical sensors 114, and comprise the same selection of different types of optical sensors with regard to their spectral sensitivities, such as red-sensitive, green-sensitive, and blue-sensitive optical sensors. Again, the same spectral sensitivity of each of the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ within both secondary stacks 144, 144′ with one of the three longitudinal optical sensors 132 is indicated by the same hatching as used for the respective shapes. In this particular preferred example, the secondary stacks 144, 144′ are located in a manner that the first secondary stack 144 is impinged by the incident light beam 136 before the stack 134 of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 but the second secondary stack 144 is impinged by the incident light beam 136 after the stack 134 of the longitudinal optical sensors 132. The particular advantage of the further secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142 as arranged within the further secondary stack 144′ will be explained below with regard to FIG. 3.

[0216] Preferably, all of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 and the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ are transparent, in particular, to enabling a high relative intensity at each the optical sensors 114. In this particularly it may, therefore, be possible to further place a separate imaging device 168 as an additional optical sensor behind the three stacks 134, 144, 144′, such as in a manner that a light beam 136 first travels through the plurality of the optical sensors 114 within the three stacks 134, 144, 144′ until it impinges on the imaging device 168.

[0217] The imaging device 168 may be configured in various ways. Thus, the imaging device 168 can for example be part of the detector 110 within the detector housing 118. Alternatively, the imaging device 168 may be separately located outside the detector housing 118. The imaging device 168 may be fully or partially transparent or intransparent. The imaging device 168 may be or may comprise an organic imaging device or an inorganic imaging device. Preferably, the imaging device 168 may comprise at least one matrix of pixels, wherein the matrix of pixels is particularly selected from the group consisting of: an inorganic semiconductor sensor device such as a CCD chip and/or a CMOS chip; an organic semiconductor sensor device. The imaging device signal may be transmitted by one or more imaging device signal leads 170 to the evaluation device 150 of the detector 110.

[0218] With respect to the further features as presented in an exemplary fashion in FIG. 2, reference may be made to the above description of FIG. 1.

[0219] In FIGS. 3A to 3C, the occurrence of the above-mentioned FiP effect shall in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 shall be explained. Herein, FIG. 3A shows a side-view of a part of the detector 110 in a plane parallel to the optical axis 116. Of the detector 110, only the transfer device 120, one of the longitudinal optical sensors 132 and two secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ which belong to a different secondary stack 14, 144′ are depicted. Herein, both the selected longitudinal optical sensor 132 and the selected secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ exhibit the same or a similar spectral sensitivity. Not shown here are the transversal optical sensor 130 as well as the other longitudinal optical sensors 132 and the other secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′, which comprise a different spectral sensitivity.

[0220] A measurement may start with an emission and/or reflection of one or more light beams 136 by the at least one object 112. The object 112 may comprise an illumination source 164, which may be considered as a part of the detector 110. Additionally or alternatively, a separate illumination source 164 may be used. Due to a characteristic of the light beam 136 itself and/or due to beam shaping characteristics of the transfer device 120, preferably the at least one refractive lens 122, the beam properties of the light beam 136 in the region of the longitudinal optical sensor 132 and of the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ at least partially are known. Thus, as depicted in FIG. 3A, the focal point 138 occurs in the distance which constitutes the focal length 140 of the refractive lens 122. In the focal point 138, where the selected longitudinal optical sensor 132 is located, a beam waist or a cross-section of the light beam 136 may assume a minimum value.

[0221] In FIG. 3B, in a top-view onto the sensor regions 146 of the longitudinal optical sensor 132 and of the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ in FIG. 3A, a development of light spots 172 generated by the light beam 136 impinging on the sensor regions 146 is depicted. As can be seen, close to the focal point 138, the cross-section of the light spot 172 assumes a minimum value.

[0222] In FIG. 3C, a photo current I of the longitudinal optical sensor 132 and of the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ is given for the three cross-sections of the light spot 172 as depicted in FIG. 3B, since both the longitudinal optical sensors 132 and the secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ exhibit the FiP effect. Thus, as an exemplary embodiment, three different values for the photo currents I of the spot cross-sections as shown in FIG. 3B are shown for typical DSC devices, preferably sDSC devices. The photo current I is depicted here as a function of the area A of the light spot 172, which constitutes a measure of the cross-section of the light spots 172.

[0223] As can be seen from FIG. 3C, the photo current I, even if the selected longitudinal optical sensor 132 and secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ are illuminated with the same total power of the illumination, the photo current I is dependent on the cross-section of the light beam 136, such as by providing a strong dependency on the cross-sectional area A and/or the beam waist of the light spot 172. Thus, the photo current is a function both of the power of the light beam 136 and of the cross-section of the light beam 136:

I=f(n,a).

[0224] Herein, I denotes the photo current provided by the selected longitudinal optical sensor 132 and secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′, such as a photo current measured in arbitrary units, as a voltage over at least one measurement resistor and/or in amps. n denotes the overall number of photons impinging on the sensor regions 146 and/or the overall power of the light beam in the sensor region 146. A denotes the beam cross-section of the light beam 136, provided in arbitrary units, as a beam waist, as a beam diameter of beam radius or as an area of the light spot 172. As an example, the beam cross-section may be calculated by the 1/e.sup.2 diameter of the light spot 172, i.e. a cross-sectional distance from a first point on a first side of a maximum intensity having an intensity of 1/e.sup.2 as compared to the maximum intensity of the light spot 172, to a point on the other side of the maximum having the same intensity. Other options of quantifying the beam cross-section are feasible.

[0225] As mentioned above, FIG. 3C shows the photo current of a detector 110 according to the present invention which shows the FiP effect which is in contrast to traditional optical sensors, such as silicon photo detectors, wherein the photo current or photo signal is independent from the beam cross-section A. Thus, by evaluating the photo currents and/or other types of longitudinal sensor signals of the selected longitudinal optical sensor 132 and secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ of the detector 110, the light beam 136 may be characterized. Since the optical characteristics of the light beam 136 depend on the distance of the object 112 from the detector 110, by evaluating these longitudinal sensor signals, a position of the object 112 along the optical axis 116, i.e. a z-position, may be determined. For this purpose, the photo currents of the selected longitudinal optical sensor 132 and secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ may be transformed, such as by using one or more known relationships between the photo current I and the position of the object 112, into at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object 112, i.e. a z-position. Thus, as an example, a widening and/or narrowing of the light beam 136 may be evaluated by comparing the sensor signals of the selected longitudinal optical sensor 132 and secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′. For this purpose, known beam properties may be assumed, such as a beam propagation of the light beam 136 according to Gaussian laws, using one or more Gaussian beam parameters.

[0226] Further, the use of one longitudinal optical sensor 132 and two secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ may provide additional advantages as opposed to the use of the longitudinal optical sensor 132 only. Thus, as outlined above, the overall power of the light beam 136 generally might be unknown. By normalizing the longitudinal sensor signals, such as to a maximum value, the longitudinal sensor signals might be rendered independent from the overall power of the light beam 136, and a modified relationship

I.sub.n=g(A)

may be used by using normalized photo currents and/or normalized longitudinal sensor signals, which is independent from the overall power of the light beam 136.

[0227] Additionally, by using one longitudinal optical sensor 132 and two secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, 142′ in the arrangement as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3A, an ambiguity of the longitudinal sensor signals may be resolved. Thus, as can be seen by comparing the first and the last image in FIG. 3B and/or by comparing the corresponding photo currents in FIG. 3C, longitudinal optical sensors being positioned at a specific distance before or behind the focal point 138 may lead to the same longitudinal sensor signals. A similar ambiguity might arise in case the light beam 136 weakens during propagations along the optical axis 116, which might generally be corrected empirically and/or by calculation. In order to resolve this ambiguity in the z-position, the arrangement as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3A may be employed.

[0228] As outlined above, the optical detector 110 as, for example, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, may be used as a camera 174, specifically for 3D imaging, and may be made for acquiring colored images and/or image sequences, such as digital video clips. FIG. 4, as an example, shows a detector system 176, comprising at least one optical detector 110, such as the optical detector 110 as disclosed in one or more of the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 or 2. Within this regard, specifically with regard to potential embodiments, reference may be made to the disclosure given above or given in further detail below. As an exemplary embodiment, a detector setup similar to the setup shown in FIG. 1 is depicted in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 further shows an exemplary embodiment of a human-machine interface 178, which comprises the at least one detector 110 and/or the at least one detector system 176, and, further, an exemplary embodiment of an entertainment device 180 comprising the human-machine interface 178. FIG. 4 further shows an embodiment of a tracking system 182 adapted for tracking a position of at least one object 112, which comprises the detector 110 and/or the detector system 176.

[0229] With regard to the optical detector 110 and the detector system 176, reference may be made to the full disclosure of this application. Basically, all potential embodiments of the detector 110 may also be embodied in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. The evaluation device 150 may be connected to each of the at least two longitudinal optical sensors 132 and, if appropriate, to each of the at least two secondary longitudinal optical sensors 142, in particular, by the connectors 148. The evaluation device 150 may further be connected to the at least one optional transversal optical sensor 130, in particular, by the connectors 152. By way of example, the connectors 148, 152 may be provided and/or one or more interfaces, which may be wireless interfaces and/or wire-bound interfaces. Further, the connectors 148, 152 may comprise one or more drivers and/or one or more measurement devices for generating sensor signals and/or for modifying sensor signals. Further, again, the at least one transfer device 120 is provided, in particular as refractive lens 122 or convex mirror. Further, the evaluation device 150 may fully or partially be integrated into the optical sensors 130, 132, 142 and/or into other components of the optical detector 110. The optical detector 110 may further comprise the at least one housing 118 which, as an example, may encase one or more of components 130, 132 or 142. The evaluation device 150 may also be enclosed into housing 118 and/or into a separate housing.

[0230] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the object 112 to be detected, as an example, may be designed as an article of sports equipment and/or may form a control element 184, the position and/or orientation of which may be manipulated by a user 186. Thus, generally, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 or in any other embodiment of the detector system 176, the human-machine interface 178, the entertainment device 180 or the tracking system 182, the object 112 itself may be part of the named devices and, specifically, may comprise at least one control element 184, specifically at least one control element 184 having one or more beacon devices 188, wherein a position and/or orientation of the control element 176 preferably may be manipulated by user 186. As an example, the object 112 may be or may comprise one or more of a bat, a racket, a club or any other article of sports equipment and/or fake sports equipment. Other types of objects 112 are possible. Further, the user 186 may be considered as the object 112, the position of which shall be detected. As an example, the user 186 may carry one or more of the beacon devices 188 attached directly or indirectly to his or her body.

[0231] The optical detector 110 may be adapted to determine at least one item on a longitudinal position of one or more of the beacon devices 188 and, optionally, at least one item of information regarding a transversal position thereof, and/or at least one other item of information regarding the longitudinal position of the object 112 and, optionally, at least one item of information regarding a transversal position of the object 112. Particularly, the optical detector 110 is adapted for identifying colors and/or for imaging the object 112, such as different colors of the object 114, more particularly, the color of the beacon devices 188 which might comprise different colors. An opening 124 in the housing 118, which, preferably, may be located concentrically with regard to the optical axis 116 of the detector 110, preferably defines a direction of a view 126 of the optical detector 110.

[0232] The optical detector 110 may be adapted for determining the position and/or then color of the at least one object 112. Additionally, the optical detector 110, specifically an embodiment including the camera 152, may be adapted for acquiring at least one image of the object 112, preferably a colored 3D-image. As outlined above, the determination of a position of the object 112 and/or a part thereof by using the optical detector 110 and/or the detector system 176 may be used for providing a human-machine interface 178, in order to provide at least one item of information to a machine 190. In the embodiments schematically depicted in FIG. 4, the machine 190 may be or may comprise at least one computer and/or a computer system comprising the data processing device 160. Other embodiments are feasible. The evaluation device 150 may be a computer and/or may comprise a computer and/or may fully or partially be embodied as a separate device and/or may fully or partially be integrated into the machine 190, particularly the computer. The same holds true for a track controller 192 of the tracking system 182, which may fully or partially form a part of the evaluation device 150 and/or the machine 190.

[0233] Similarly, as outlined above, the human-machine interface 178 may form part of the entertainment device 180. Thus, by means of the user 186 functioning as the object 112 and/or by means of the user 186 handling the object 112 and/or the control element 184 functioning as the object 112, the user 186 may input at least one item of information, such as at least one control command, into the machine 190, particularly the computer, thereby varying the entertainment function, such as controlling the course of a computer game.

[0234] As outlined above, the optical detector 110 may have a straight beam path or a tilted beam path, an angulated beam path, a branched beam path, a deflected or split beam path or other types of beam paths. Further, the light beam 136 may propagate along each beam path or partial beam path once or repeatedly, unidirectionally or bidirectionally. Thereby, the components listed above or the optional further components listed in further detail below may fully or partially be located in front of the at least two longitudinal optical sensors 132 and/or behind the at least two longitudinal optical sensors 132.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0235] 110 detector [0236] 112 object [0237] 114 optical sensors [0238] 116 optical axis [0239] 118 housing [0240] 120 transfer device [0241] 122 refractive lens [0242] 124 opening [0243] 126 direction of view [0244] 128 coordinate system [0245] 130 transversal optical sensor [0246] 132 longitudinal optical sensor [0247] 134 longitudinal optical sensor stack [0248] 136 light beam [0249] 138 focal point [0250] 140 focal length [0251] 142, 142′ secondary longitudinal optical sensor [0252] 144, 144 secondary longitudinal optical sensor stack [0253] 146 sensor region [0254] 148 longitudinal signal leads [0255] 150 evaluation device [0256] 152 transversal signal leads [0257] 154 transversal evaluation unit [0258] 156 longitudinal evaluation unit [0259] 158 position information [0260] 160 data processing device [0261] 162 transformation unit [0262] 164 illumination source [0263] 166 primary light beam [0264] 168 imaging device [0265] 170 imaging device signal leads [0266] 172 light spot [0267] 174 camera [0268] 176 detector system [0269] 178 human-machine interface [0270] 180 entertainment device [0271] 182 tracking system [0272] 184 control element [0273] 186 user [0274] 188 beacon device [0275] 190 machine [0276] 192 track controller