Texas Instruments Corporation

Other

Texas Advanced Optoelectronic Solutions, Inc.

John H Berlien, Jr

Eugene G Dierschke

Cecil J Aswell

Jose L Melendez

Richard A Carr

Dwight Urban Bartholomew

Paul S Breedlove

Frederick F Geyer

Patrick Paul Smith

Mehedi Hassan

Lester L Hodson

Cecil Aswell

A monolithic optical detector for determining spectral content of an incident light includes at least a first and second well in a substrate, the second well formed proximate the first well. The first well is configured to be exposed to incident light and for generating a first photocurrent as a function of the incident light. The second well is configured to be shielded from the incident light and for generating a second photocurrent as a function of the incident light. Lastly, a processing and control unit, responsive to the first and second photocurrents, determines an indication of spectral content of the incident light. A method and device parameter controller are also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for optical detector with special discrimination

A fixed optic sensor system (,) comprising a sensor system (,), and electronic sub-system (,) and a communications means (,). The system can be used for detecting the presence of various sample (,) properties and in that regard has widespread application by leveraging off various miniaturized sensor configurations including surface plasmon resonance (,), fluorescence (,), light transmission (,) and others (,). In one embodiment, the communications means (,) is a wireless transmitter/receiver. In another embodiment, a hand held instrument (,) can be used on-site and communicates with the sensor (,) to receive sample (,) related data and transmit it to a remote processing system (,) for further analysis. In yet another embodiment, a hand held instrument (,) has a plurality of cardiac marker binding ligands (,) deposited on the sensor/sample interface providing a medical diagnosis and point-of-care device (,).

Fixed optic sensor system and distributed sensor network

Managed integration optical sensor array (11) having an array block (12). The array block having a plurality of optical sensors (13), a switch control logic circuit (59) and a bit shift register (60). The switch control logic circuit (59) operating to control the integration periods of each optical sensor (13).

Apparatus and method for a managed integration optical sensor array

Active integrator optical sensor (13) having a photodetector (56) and an active integrator circuit. The active integrator circuit having an operational amplifier (50), an integrating capacitor (51) an offset capacitor (54) and a store capacitor (52). The active integrator circuit operating to integrate the electrical signal from photodetector (56).

Apparatus and method for active integrator optical sensors

Color optical sensor array (11) having a color optical sensor (13) with each color optical sensor (13) having a color photodetector (56) and an active integrator circuit. The active integrator circuit having an operational amplifier (50) and an integrating capacitor (51), the active integrator circuit operating to integrate and normalize the electrical signal from color photodetector (56).

Apparatus and method for normalizing multiple color signals

A fixed optic sensor system (200) comprising a sensor system (210), and electronic sub-system (205) and a communications means (215). The system can be used for detecting the presence of various sample (236) properties and in that regard has widespread application by leveraging off various miniaturized sensor configurations including surface plasmon resonance (50), fluorescence (80), light transmission (125) and others (150). In one embodiment, the communications means (215) is a wireless transmitter/receiver. In another embodiment, a hand held instrument (358) can be used on-site and communicates with the sensor (350) to receive sample (352) related data and transmit it to a remote processing system (370) for further analysis. In yet another embodiment, a hand held instrument (403) has a plurality of cardiac marker binding ligands (400) deposited on the sensor/sample interface providing a medical diagnosis and point-of-care device (403).

A monolithic light-to-digital signal converter (1.10) includes a photodiode array (1.24) having a plurality of sections with each section producing a current signal in response to incident light, a current-to-digital signal converter circuit (1.28) for converting selected ones of the current signals to a digital signal, and a control circuit (1.26) for scaling the digital signal in response to user supplied programming signals. The control circuit (1.26) also responds to user supplied programming signals to supply control signals to current-to-digital signal converter circuit (1.28). Current-to-digital signal converter circuit (1.28) is responsive to the control signals for combining selected ones of the current signals into a composite current signal and converting the composite current signal to a digital signal.

Monolithic light-to-digital signal converter

photosensor device (41) having tapered photodiodes (53, 55) that are interdigitated and which is compatible with typical ASIC, CMOS and BiCMOS processes. A left side photodiode array of tapered regions (53) of a first conductivity type is disposed into an epitaxial layer of a second conductivity type. This array of photodiodes is coupled together and further coupled to a first output terminal (43). A fight side photodiode array of tapered regions (55) of said first conductivity type is disposed into the epitaxial layer of the second conductivity type, spaced apart from the left side photodiode by a minimum distance. A second output terminal is coupled to the array of fight side photodiodes (51). An incident light spot (39) is focused onto the sensor. The amount of current generated at the first and second output terminals (43, 51) will be proportional to the area of the left photodiode array and the area of the fight photodiode array which is receiving light. By comparing the current generated at the first and second output terminals, the position of the incident light spot can be accurately measured as a percentage of the total width of the sensor. The photosensor (41) may be used in many applications but is particularly well suited to autofocusing systems. Several embodiments are described which vary the size and number of photodiodes used. An integrated circuit (123) which incorporates the photosensor with the circuitry needed to output a digital position measurement is described.

Position sensing photosensor device

A photosensor device (41) having tapered photodiodes (53, 55) that are interdigitated and which is compatible with typical ASIC, CMOS and BiCMOS processes. A left side photodiode array of tapered regions (53) of a first conductivity type is disposed into an epitaxil layer of a second conductivity type. This array of photodiodes is coupled together and further coupled to a first output terminal (43). A right side photodiode array of tapered regions (55) of said first conductivity type is disposed into the epitaxial layer of the second conductivity type, spaced apart from the left side photodiode by a minimum distance. A second output terminal is coupled to the array of right side photodiodes (51). An incident light spot (39) is focused onto the sensor. The amount of current generated at the first and second output terminals (43, 51) will be proportional to the area of the left photodiode array and the area of the right photodiode array which is receiving light. By comparing the current generated at the first and second output terminals, the position of the incident light spot can be accurately measured as a percentage of the total width of the sensor. The photosensor (41) may be used in many applications but is particularly well suited to autofocusing systems. Several embodiments are described which vary the size and number of photodiodes used. An integrated circuit (123) which incorporates the photosensor with the circuitry needed to output a digital position measurement is described.

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Plano, TX, United States of America

John H Berlien, Jr