DETECTOR FOR AN OPTICAL DETECTION OF AT LEAST ONE OBJECT

Abstract

A detector for optical detection of at least one object includes: at least one longitudinal optical sensor including at least one sensor region, and configured to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal dependent on an illumination of the sensor region by a light beam, wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region, wherein the sensor region includes at least one thermoelectric unit configured, upon illumination of the sensor region or a part thereof by the light beam, to generate the longitudinal sensor signal resulting from at least one of a spatial variation or a temporal variation of a temperature in the thermoelectric unit; and at least one evaluation device configured to generate at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A detector for an optical detection of at least one object, comprising: at least one longitudinal optical sensor including at least one sensor region, and configured to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal dependent on an illumination of the sensor region by a light beam, wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region, wherein the sensor region comprises at least one thermoelectric unit, wherein the thermoelectric unit is configured, upon illumination of the sensor region or a part thereof by the light beam, to generate the longitudinal sensor signal as a result of at least one of a spatial variation or a temporal variation of a temperature in the thermoelectric unit; and at least one evaluation device configured to generate at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal.

17. The detector according to claim 16, wherein the thermoelectric unit comprises at least one of a thermoelectric material or a thermoelectric device.

18. The detector according to claim 17, wherein the thermoelectric material comprises at least one pyroelectric material, wherein temporal variation of the temperature in the pyroelectric material can generate the longitudinal sensor signal.

19. The detector according to claim 18, wherein the pyroelectric material comprises at least one of lithium tantalate (LiTaO3), gallium nitride, cesium nitrate (CsNO3), lead zirconate titanate (Pb[Zr.sub.xTi.sub.1-x]O.sub.3, wherein 0<x<1), a polyvinyl fluoride, a phenylpyridine derivatives, cobalt phthalocyanine, L-alanine, triglycine sulfate, a mixture and/or a doped variant thereof.

20. The detector according to claim 18, wherein the pyroelectric material is provided as a layer of the pyroelectric material.

21. The detector according to claim 17, wherein the thermoelectric device comprises at least one thermocouple, wherein the thermocouple comprises at least two different kinds of electrical conductors, wherein the different kinds of the electrical conductors are configured to form at least two spatially separated electrical junctions, wherein, upon a temperature difference between at least one of the spatially separated electrical junctions, a voltage is generated between the spatially separated electrical junctions.

22. The detector according to claim 21, wherein the thermoelectric device comprises a thermopile, wherein the thermopile comprises a multitude of thermocouples, wherein the multitude of the thermocouples is arranged in series.

23. The detector according to claim 21, wherein the at least one thermocouple is configured in the sensor region so that the light beam can illuminate a first kind of the electrical junctions, wherein the second kind of the electrical junctions is connected to a heat sink, wherein the longitudinal sensor signal comprises an output voltage between the first kind of the electrical junctions and the second kind of the electrical junctions in the thermocouple.

24. The detector according to claim 21, wherein the electrical conductors comprise a thin film of an electrically conducting material.

25. The detector according to claim 24, wherein the electrical conductors comprise an alternating arrangement of an n-type conducting material and a p-type conducting material.

26. The detector according to claim 25, wherein the n-type conducting material comprises at least one of Sb or n-type Si, and wherein the p-type conducting material comprises at least one of Bi, Au, Al, or p-type Si.

27. The detector according to claim 16, further comprising: at least one transversal optical sensor configured 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 to an optical axis of the detector, the transversal optical sensor configured to generate at least one transversal sensor signal, wherein the transversal optical sensor comprises at least one further thermoelectric unit, wherein, upon illumination of the further thermoelectric unit by the light beam, at least one of a spatial variation or a temporal variation of the temperature in the further thermoelectric unit is configured to generate the transversal sensor signal, wherein the evaluation device is further configured to generate at least one item of information on a transversal position of the object by evaluating the transversal sensor signal.

28. The detector according to claim 27, wherein the further thermoelectric unit comprises at least one pyroelectric material provided as a layer of the pyroelectric material, wherein the transversal optical sensor further comprises at least two electrodes contacting the pyroelectric material, wherein the electrodes are configured to provide the at least one transversal sensor signal.

29. A method for an optical detection of at least one object, comprising: generating at least one longitudinal sensor signal by using at least one longitudinal optical sensor including at least one sensor region, wherein the at least one longitudinal sensor signal is generated dependent on an illumination of the sensor region by a light beam, wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region, wherein the sensor region comprises at least one thermoelectric unit, wherein, upon illumination of the sensor region or a part thereof by the light beam, at least one of a spatial variation or a temporal variation of the temperature in the thermoelectric unit is designed to generate the longitudinal sensor signal; and generating at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal.

30. The use of a detector according to claim 16, for a purpose of use, selected from the group consisting of: gas sensing, fire detection, flame detection, heat detection, smoke detection, combustion monitoring, spectroscopy, temperature sensing, motion sensing, industrial monitoring, chemical sensing, exhaust gas monitoring, a distance measurement, a position measurement, an entertainment application, a security application, a human-machine interface application, a tracking application, a scanning application, stereoscopic vision, a photography application, an imaging application or camera application, a mapping application for generating maps of at least one space, a homing or tracking beacon detector for vehicles, a distance and/or position measurement of objects with a thermal signature, a machine vision application, a robotic application, a logistics application.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0272] 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.

[0273] Specifically, in the figures:

[0274] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a detector according to the present invention;

[0275] FIGS. 2A and 2B show exemplary embodiments of the longitudinal optical sensor having a sensor region, wherein the sensor region comprises a layer of a pyroelectric material (FIG. 2A) or a thermopile (FIG. 2B), respectively;

[0276] FIGS. 3A and 3B show an exemplary embodiment of a transversal optical sensor having a layer of a pyroelectric material (FIG. 3A) and an exemplary schematic setup of an evaluation scheme for evaluating the transversal sensor signals (FIG. 3B), respectively; and

[0277] 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

[0278] FIG. 1 illustrates, in a highly schematic fashion, an exemplary embodiment of an optical detector 110 according to the present invention for determining a position of at least one object 112. The optical detector 110 comprises at least one longitudinal optical sensor 114, which, in this particular embodiment, is arranged along an optical axis 116 of the detector 110. Specifically, the optical axis 116 may be an axis of symmetry and/or of 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 may be comprised, preferably a refractive lens 122. An opening 124 in the housing 118, which may, particularly, be 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.

[0279] Further, the longitudinal optical sensor 114 is designed to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of a sensor region 130 of the longitudinal optical sensor 114 by a light beam 132. In accordance with the present invention, the sensor region 130 comprises at least one thermoelectric unit 134, wherein, upon illumination of the sensor region 130 by the light beam 132, at least one of a spatial variation or a temporal variation of a temperature in the thermoelectric unit 134 is designed to generate the longitudinal sensor signal. Consequently, the resulting longitudinal sensor signal as provided by the longitudinal optical sensor 114 upon impingement by the light beam 132 depends on the spatial variation or a temporal variation of a temperature in the thermoelectric unit 134 in the sensor region 130. As illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B in more detail, the thermoelectric unit 134 may, preferably, comprise at least one of a thermoelectric material 136 or a thermoelectric device 138. Via a signal lead 140, the longitudinal sensor signal may be transmitted to an evaluation device 142.

[0280] The evaluation device 142 is, generally, designed to generate at least one item of information on a position of the object 112 by evaluating the sensor signal of the longitudinal optical sensor 114. For this purpose, the evaluation device 142 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 longitudinal evaluation unit 144 (denoted by z). As will be explained below in more detail, the evaluation device 142 may be adapted to determine the at least one item of information on the longitudinal position of the object 112 by comparing more than one longitudinal sensor signals of the longitudinal optical sensor 114.

[0281] The light beam 132 for illumining the sensor region 130 of the longitudinal optical sensor 114 may be generated by a light-emitting object 112. Alternatively or in addition, the light beam 132 may be generated by a separate illumination source 146, which may include an ambient light source and/or an artificial light source, such as a light-emitting diode, being adapted to illuminate the object 112 in a manner that the object 112 may be able to reflect at least a part of the light generated by the illumination source 146 in a manner that the light beam 132 may be configured to reach the sensor region 130 of the longitudinal optical sensor 114, preferably by entering the housing 118 of the optical detector 110 through the opening 124 along the optical axis 116. In a specific embodiment (not depicted here), the illumination source 146 may be a modulated light source, wherein one or more modulation properties of the illumination source 146 may be controlled by at least one optional modulation device. Alternatively or in addition, the modulation may be effected in a beam path between the illumination source 146 and the object 112 and/or between the object 112 and the longitudinal optical sensor 114. Further possibilities may be conceivable. In this specific embodiment, it may be advantageous taking into account one or more of the modulation properties, in particular the modulation frequency, when evaluating the sensor signal of the longitudinal optical sensor 114 for determining the at least one item of information on the position of the object 112.

[0282] Generally, the evaluation device 142 may be part of a data processing device 148 and/or may comprise one or more data processing devices 148. The evaluation device 142 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 longitudinal optical sensor 114. The evaluation device 142 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 and/or one or more evaluation units and/or one or more controlling units (not depicted here).

[0283] FIGS. 2A and 2B show exemplary embodiments of the longitudinal optical sensor 114. Herein, FIG. 2A schematically depicts a preferred embodiment in which the thermoelectric unit 134 as comprised within in the sensor region 130 of the longitudinal optical sensor 114 is arranged in form of the thermoelectric material 136. In particular, the thermoelectric material 136 comprises at least one pyroelectric material 150, the temporal variation of the temperature in the pyroelectric material 150 is designed to generate the longitudinal sensor signal which, as described above, may, thus, comprise a change in a voltage across the pyroelectric material 150. In the preferred embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 2A, the pyroelectric material 150 may comprise an inorganic pyroelectric material. In particular, the pyroelectric material 150 may comprise a layer 152 of lithium tantalate (LiTaO3), gallium nitride (GaN), cesium nitrate (CsNO3), lead zirconate titanate (Pb[ZrxTi1-x]O3, wherein 0<x<1; PZT), a mixture and/or a doped variant thereof. Herein, the layer 152 of the pyroelectric material 150 may be located on a substrate 154, in particular, a transparent insulating substrate 156, wherein the substrate 154 is at least partially transparent or translucent over a wavelength from 1.5 m to 30 m, preferably from 2 m to 20 m. Alternatively, the pyroelectric material 150 may comprise a layer 152 of an organic pyroelectric substance, such as a polyvinyl fluoride, a phenylpyridine derivative, cobalt phthalocyanine, L-alanine, triglycine sulfate, a mixture and/or a doped variant thereof. Preferably, the layer 152 of the pyroelectric material 150 may exhibit a thickness from 1 nm to 2 mm, preferably from 2 nm to 1 mm, more preferred from 2 nm to 0.5 mm.

[0284] Thus, the sensor region 130 of the longitudinal optical sensor 114 is illuminated by the light beam 132. Given the same total power of the illumination, the longitudinal sensor signal, therefore, depends on a beam cross-section 158 of the light beam in the sensor region 130, which may also be denominated as a spot size, generated by the incident beam 132 within the sensor region 130. Thus, the observable property that the longitudinal sensor signal depends on an extent of the illumination of the sensor region 130 by an incident light beam 132 particularly accomplishes that two light beams 132 which may comprise the same total power but may exhibit different beam cross-sections 158 in the sensor region 130 may provide different values for the longitudinal sensor signal and are, consequently, distinguishable with respect to each other.

[0285] As further schematically depicted in FIG. 2A, the longitudinal optical sensor 114 may, comprise two or more electrodes 160, 162 which may, preferably, be designed in order to contact the layer 152 of the pyroelectric material 150, wherein the electrodes 160, 162 may, preferably, be applied at different locations of the layer 152, in particular, to ensure that they may not contact each other in a direct manner. However, irrespective of their detailed arrangement, the electrodes 160, 162 may, in particular, be designed to provide the longitudinal sensor signal via the signal leads 140 to the evaluation device 142, such as for further processing.

[0286] As a result of the nature of the pyroelectric materials 150 as provided above, the longitudinal optical sensor 114 may, thus, be able to detect electromagnetic radiation in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectral range, i.e. from 1.5 m to 30 m, preferably from 2 m to 20 m. Thus, the detector 110 may, preferably, be used as an IR detector, in particular as a mid-IR detector. However, other embodiments may, in principal, also be feasible.

[0287] FIG. 2B schematically depicts a further preferred embodiment in which the thermoelectric unit 134 as comprised within in the sensor region 130 of the longitudinal optical sensor 114 is arranged in form of the thermoelectric device 138. Herein, the thermoelectric device 138 may, preferably, be arranged in form of a thermopile 164 which, accordingly, comprises a multitude of thermocouples 166, wherein the multitude of the thermocouples 166 are arranged in series. Preferably, the thermopile may comprise 2 to 1000 thermocouples 166, preferably 5 to 500 thermocouples 166, most preferred 10 to 120 thermocouples 166. As generally known, each of the thermocouples 166 comprises at least two different kinds of electrical conductors 168, 170 which are, preferably, provided in an alternating arrangement. Herein, the electrical conductors 168, 170 comprise two different kind of electrically conducting materials, such as a highly conducting metal, such as Cu, and a poorly conducting metal, such as Fe, or, preferably an n-type conducting material 172 and a p-type conducting material 174. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the n-type conducting material 172 may comprise Sb or n-type Si while the p-type conducting material 174 may comprise Bi, Au, Al, or p-type Si. However, other kinds of electrically conducting materials may also be feasible.

[0288] Further, in each of the thermocouples 166 of the thermopile 168 the different kinds of the electrical conductors 168, 170 are designed to form spatially separated electrical junctions 176, 178, i.e. a first kind of the electrical junctions 176 and a second kind of the electrical junctions 178. As generally known, a temperature difference that may occur between the spatially separated electrical junctions 176, 178 may generate an electrical voltage between the spatially separated electrical junctions 176, 178 which may constitute the longitudinal sensor signal which may be provided via the signal leads 140 to the evaluation device 142, such as for further processing. Thus, the spatial variation of the temperature one or more of the thermocouples 166 of the thermopile 168 is designed to generate the longitudinal sensor signal.

[0289] As schematically depicted in FIG. 2B, the light beam 132 may be designed to illuminate the multitude of the thermocouples 166 as comprised in sensor region 130 of the longitudinal optical sensor 114 in a manner the light beam 132 may illuminate within the beam cross-section 158 only the first kind of the electrical junctions 176 which may, thus, also be denominated as the hot junctions while the second kind of the electrical junctions 176, also denoted as the cold junction are arranged such that they may not be illuminable by the light beam 132. Rather, the second kind of the electrical junctions 176, i.e. the cold junctions, may be connected to the substrate 154 which may function here as a heat sink 180. By way of example, the first kind of the electrical conductors 176, i.e. the hot junctions, may, thus, be coated with an energy absorber being suspended on a thin membrane and thermally isolated from the substrate 154.

[0290] As a result of the setup of the thermopile 164 as exemplary depicted in FIG. 2B, the longitudinal optical sensor 114 may, thus, be able to detect electromagnetic radiation in at least one of the UV, visible, NIR, mid-IR or FIR spectral range. Herein, the thermopile 164 may exhibit a flat response to the electromagnetic radiation from the UV spectral range via the visible, the NIR and the mid-IR to the FIR spectral range, wherein the flat response may indicate a variation of the response of less than 50%, preferably less than 20%, most preferred less than 10%. Thus, on one hand, this kind of detector 110 may, preferably, be used as a wide-range optical detector. On the other hand, at least one optical band-pass filter 182 may, additionally, be employed, wherein the optical band-pass filter may be designed to provide a spectral sensitivity for a wavelength range that may be selected from the wide spectral range as provided by the thermopile 164. Other embodiments may, in principal, also be feasible.

[0291] A main advantage of the detector 110 comprising any one of embodiments of the longitudinal optical sensors 114 as depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B is that the detector 110 may remain uncooled, such that no cooling equipment may be required for operation.

[0292] As described above, the optical detector 110 may comprise a single longitudinal optical sensor 114 or, as e.g. disclosed in WO 2014/097181 A1, a stack of longitudinal optical sensors 114, particularly in combination with one or more transversal optical sensors 184. Hereby, using a layer of the organic photoconductive materials in the longitudinal optical sensors 114 may, particularly, by preferred, mainly due to the transparency, semitransparency or translucency of the organic photoconductive materials. As an example, one or more transversal optical sensors 184 may be located on a side of the stack of longitudinal optical sensors 114 facing towards the object. Alternatively or additionally, one or more transversal optical sensors 184 may be located on a side of the stack of longitudinal optical sensors 114 facing away from the object. Again, additionally or alternatively, one or more transversal optical sensors 184 may be interposed in between the longitudinal optical sensors 114 of the stack. However, embodiments which may only comprise a single longitudinal optical 114 sensor but no transversal optical sensor 184 may still be possible, such as in a case wherein only determining the depth, i.e. the z-coordinate, of the object may be desired.

[0293] Thus, in a case in which determining the x- and/or y-coordinate of the object in addition to the z-coordinate may be desired, it may be advantageous to additionally employ the at least one transversal optical sensor 184 which may provide at least one transversal sensor signal. For potential embodiments of the transversal optical sensor, reference may be made to WO 2014/097181 A1. Accordingly, the transversal optical sensor 184 may be a photo detector having at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode and at least one photovoltaic material, wherein the photovoltaic material, preferably, one or more dye-sensitized organic solar cells, such as one or more solid dye-sensitized organic solar cells, may be embedded in between the first electrode and the second electrode.

[0294] In contrast to this known embodiment, FIG. 3A illustrates a further kind of transversal optical sensor 184 in accordance with the present invention. Herein, an illumination of the sensor region 130 of the transversal optical sensor 184 comprising the thermoelectric unit 134 by the light beam 132 is shown. Preferably, the thermoelectric unit 134 in the sensor region 130 may comprise the thermoelectric material 136, in particular, in form of the layer 152 of one of the pyroelectric materials 150 as described above. In FIG. 3A, two different situations are depicted, representing different distances between the object 112, from which the light beam 132 propagates towards the detector 110, and the detector 110 itself, resulting in two different beam cross-sections 158 as generated by the light beam 132 in the sensor region 130, firstly, a small light spot 186 and, secondly, a large light spot 188. In both cases, the overall power of the light beam 132 remains the same over the light spots 186, 188. Consequently, the average intensity in the small light spot 186 is significantly higher than in the large light spot 188. Further, in both cases a position of a center of the light spots 186, 188 remains unaltered, irrespective of a size of the light spots 186, 188. This feature demonstrates the capability of the T-shaped electrodes 160, 162, 190, 192 and the corresponding signal leads 140 of the transversal optical sensor 184 as illustrated here to provide transversal sensor signals to the evaluation device 142, which are configured to allow the evaluation device 142 unambiguously determining the at least one transversal coordinate x, y of the object 112.

[0295] If a bias voltage source (not depicted here) may be connected to the T-shaped electrodes 160, 162, 190, 192, currents I1, I2, I3 and/or I4 may be flowing between the bias voltage and the electrodes 160, 162, 190, 192. The evaluation device 142 as schematically and symbolically depicted in FIG. 3B, may, thus, be designed to evaluate the transversal sensor signals which, therein, are represented by the symbols PD1-PD4 for the transversal sensor signals and FiP for a longitudinal sensor signal. The sensor signals may be evaluated by the evaluation device 142 in various ways in order to derive a position information and/or a geometrical information on the object 112. Thus, as outlined above, at least one transversal coordinate x, y may be derived. This is mainly due to the fact that the distances between the center of the light spots 186, 188 and the electrodes 160, 162, 190, 192 are non-equal. Thus, the center of the light spot 186, 188 has a distance from the electrical contact 160 of I1, a distance from the electrical contact 162 of I2, a distance from the electrical contact 190 of I3, and a distance from the electrical contact 192 of I4. Due to these differences in the distances between the location of the light spot 186, 188 and the electrodes 160, 162, 190, 192, the transversal sensor signals will differ.

[0296] The comparison of the sensor signals may take place in various ways. Thus, generally, the evaluation device 142 may be designed to compare the transversal sensor signals in order to derive the at least one transversal coordinate of the object 112 or of the light spot 186, 188. As an example, the evaluation device 142 may comprise at least one subtracting device 194 and/or any other device which provides a function which is dependent on at least one transversal coordinate, such as on the coordinates x, y. For exemplary embodiments, the subtracting device 194 may be designed to generate at least one difference signal for one or each of dimensions x, y in FIG. 5. As an example, a simple difference between PD1 and PD2, such as (PD1PD2)/(PD1+PD2), may be used as a measure for the x-coordinate, and a difference between PD3 and PD4, such as (PD3PD4)/(PD3+PD4), may be used as a measure for the y-coordinate. A transformation of the transversal coordinates of the light spot 186, 188 in the sensor region 130, e.g. into transversal coordinates of the object 112 from which the light beam 132 propagates towards the detector 110, may be made by using the well-known lens equation. For further details, as an example, reference may be made to one or more of the above-mentioned prior art documents, such as to WO 2014/097181 A1.

[0297] It shall be noted, however, that other transformations or other algorithms for processing the sensor signals by the evaluation device 142 may be possible. Thus, besides subtractions or the near combinations with positive or negative coefficients, nonlinear transformations are generally feasible. As an example, for transforming the sensor signals into z-coordinates and/or x, y-coordinates, one or more known or determinable relationships may be used, which, as an example, may be derived empirically, such as by calibrating experiments with the object 112 placed at various distances from the detector 110 and/or by calibrating experiments with the object 112 placed at various transversal positions or three-dimensional positions, and by recording the respective sensor signals.

[0298] As already outlined above, the longitudinal coordinate z may be also derived, in particular by implementing the FiP effect explained in further detail in WO 2012/110924 A1 and/or in WO 2014/097181 A1. For this purpose, the at least one longitudinal sensor signal as provided by the FIP sensor may be evaluated by using the evaluation device 142 and determining, therefrom, the at least one longitudinal coordinate z of the object 112.

[0299] As an example, FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a detector system 200, comprising at least one optical detector 110, such as the optical detector 110 as disclosed in FIG. 1, wherein the optical detector 110 may, preferably, comprise the longitudinal optical sensor 114 according to any one of the embodiments as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B as well as the transversal optical sensor 184 according to the embodiment of FIG. 3A. Herein, the optical detector 110 may be employed as a camera 202, specifically for 3D imaging, which may be made for acquiring images and/or image sequences, such as digital video clips. Further, FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of a human-machine interface 204, which comprises the at least one detector 110 and/or the at least one detector system 200, and, further, an exemplary embodiment of an entertainment device 206 comprising the human-machine interface 204. FIG. 4 further shows an embodiment of a tracking system 208 adapted for tracking a position of at least one object 112, which comprises the detector 110 and/or the detector system 200.

[0300] With regard to the optical detector 110 and to the detector system 200, 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 142 may be connected to the longitudinal optical sensor 114, in particular, by using the signal leads 140. Herein, the optical detector 110 may, preferably, comprise the longitudinal optical sensor 114 according to any one of the embodiments as illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, in particular one of a thermoelectric material 136 or a thermoelectric device 138. As described above, a use of two or, preferably, three longitudinal optical sensors 114 may support the evaluation of the longitudinal sensor signals without any remaining ambiguity. The evaluation device 142 may further be connected to transversal optical sensor 184, preferably to the transversal optical sensor 184 according to the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 3A, in particular, by the signal leads 140. By way of example, the signal leads 140 may be provided and/or one or more interfaces, which may be wireless interfaces and/or wire-bound interfaces. Further, the signal leads 140 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 may be provided, in particular as the refractive lens 122 or convex mirror. The optical detector 110 may further comprise the at least one housing 118 which, as an example, may encase one or more of components 114, 184.

[0301] Further, the evaluation device 142 may fully or partially be integrated into the optical sensors 114, 184 and/or into other components of the optical detector 110. The evaluation device 142 may also be enclosed into housing 118 and/or into a separate housing. The evaluation device 142 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 the longitudinal evaluation unit 144 (denoted by z) and a transversal evaluation unit 210 (denoted by xy) and. By combining results derived by these evaluation units 144, 210, a position information 212, preferably a three-dimensional position information, may be generated (denoted by x, y, z).

[0302] Further, the optical detector 110 and/or to the detector system 200 may comprise an imaging device 214 which may be configured in various ways. Thus, as depicted in FIG. 4, the imaging device 214 can for example be part of the detector 110 within the detector housing 118. Herein, the imaging device signal may be transmitted by one or more imaging device signal leads 140 to the evaluation device 142 of the detector 110. Alternatively, the imaging device 214 may be separately located outside the detector housing 118. The imaging device 214 may be fully or partially transparent or intransparent. The imaging device 214 may be or may comprise an organic imaging device or an inorganic imaging device. Preferably, the imaging device 214 may comprise at least one matrix of pixels, wherein the matrix of pixels may particularly be 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.

[0303] In the exemplary embodiment as 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 216, the position and/or orientation of which may be manipulated by a user 218. Thus, generally, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 or in any other embodiment of the detector system 200, the human-machine interface 204, the entertainment device 206 or the tracking system 208, the object 112 itself may be part of the named devices and, specifically, may comprise the at least one control element 216, specifically, wherein the at least one control element 216 has one or more beacon devices 220, wherein a position and/or orientation of the control element 216 preferably may be manipulated by user 218. 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 218 may be considered as the object 112, the position of which shall be detected. As an example, the user 218 may carry one or more of the beacon devices 220 attached directly or indirectly to his or her body.

[0304] 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 220 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 may be adapted for identifying colors and/or for imaging the object 112, such as different colors of the object 112, more particularly, the color of the beacon devices 220 which might comprise different colors. The opening 124 in the housing 118, which, preferably, may be located concentrically with regard to the optical axis 116 of the detector 110, may preferably define a direction of a view 126 of the optical detector 110.

[0305] The optical detector 110 may be adapted for determining the position of the at least one object 112. Additionally, the optical detector 110, specifically an embodiment including the camera 202, may be adapted for acquiring at least one image of the object 112, preferably a 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 200 may be used for providing a human-machine interface 204, in order to provide at least one item of information to a machine 222. In the embodiments schematically depicted in FIG. 4, the machine 222 may be or may comprise at least one computer and/or a computer system comprising the data processing device 148. Other embodiments are feasible. The evaluation device 142 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 222, particularly the computer. The same holds true for a track controller 224 of the tracking system 208, which may fully or partially form a part of the evaluation device 142 and/or the machine 222.

[0306] Similarly, as outlined above, the human-machine interface 204 may form part of the entertainment device 206. Thus, by means of the user 218 functioning as the object 112 and/or by means of the user 218 handling the object 112 and/or the control element 216 functioning as the object 112, the user 218 may input at least one item of information, such as at least one control command, into the machine 222, particularly the computer, thereby varying the entertainment function, such as controlling the course of a computer game.

[0307] As outlined above, the 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 132 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 longitudinal optical sensors 114 and/or behind the longitudinal optical sensors 114.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0308] 110 detector

[0309] 112 object

[0310] 114 longitudinal optical sensor

[0311] 116 optical axis

[0312] 118 housing

[0313] 120 transfer device

[0314] 122 refractive lens

[0315] 124 opening

[0316] 126 direction of view

[0317] 128 coordinate system

[0318] 130 sensor region

[0319] 132 light beam

[0320] 134 thermoelectric unit

[0321] 136 thermoelectric material

[0322] 138 thermoelectric device

[0323] 140 signal leads

[0324] 142 evaluation device

[0325] 144 longitudinal evaluation unit

[0326] 146 illumination source

[0327] 148 processing device

[0328] 150 pyroelectric material

[0329] 152 layer

[0330] 154 substrate

[0331] 156 transparent substrate

[0332] 158 beam cross-section (spot size)

[0333] 160, 162 electrodes

[0334] 164 thermopile

[0335] 166 thermocouple

[0336] 168, 170 electrical conductor

[0337] 172 n-type conducting material

[0338] 174 p-type conducting material

[0339] 176 first kind of the electrical junction (hot junction)

[0340] 178 second kind of the electrical junction (cold junction)

[0341] 180 heat sink

[0342] 182 optical band-pass filter

[0343] 184 transversal optical sensor

[0344] 186 small spot

[0345] 188 large spot

[0346] 190, 192 electrical contacts

[0347] 194 subtracting device

[0348] 200 detector system

[0349] 202 camera

[0350] 204 human-machine interface

[0351] 206 entertainment device

[0352] 208 tracking system

[0353] 210 transversal evaluation unit

[0354] 212 position information

[0355] 214 imaging device

[0356] 216 control element

[0357] 218 user

[0358] 220 beacon device

[0359] 222 machine

[0360] 224 track controller