Ams Sensors Germany Gmbh

Julius Komma

Gunter Siess

Thomas Nimz

Mahmoud Jazayerifar

Holger Pless

Frank Krumbein

Thomas Höppler

Volker Mannheim

Gunter Sieß

An integrated radiation sensor for color matching functions comprises a plurality of color matching channels, each color matching channel comprising a radiation sensing element and an associated optical filter defining a spectral sensitivity profile corresponding to a color matching function. The sensors comprise a plurality of compensation channels, each compensation channel comprising a radiation sensing element and an associated optical filter defining a spectral sensitivity profile for use in compensating a color sensed by the color matching channels. The spectral sensitivity profile of each compensation channel substantially corresponds to a mean of an upper deviation spectra and a lower deviation spectra, wherein the upper deviation spectra corresponds to a spectral sensitivity profile of a typical color matching channel increased by a fixed deviation in wavelength and the lower deviation spectra corresponds to the spectral sensitivity profile of the typical color matching channel decreased by the fixed deviation in wavelength.

Multichannel color sensor

A monolithic semiconductor chip defines a plurality of subarrays of optical detector regions, wherein each subarray of optical detector regions includes a corresponding plurality of optical detector regions and wherein each subarray of optical detector regions has the same relative spatial arrangement of optical detector regions as each of the other subarrays of optical detector regions. A multi-spectral optical sensor comprises the monolithic semiconductor chip, a plurality of optical filters, and a plurality of lens elements, wherein each optical filter is aligned between a corresponding lens element and a corresponding subarray of optical detector regions such that light which is incident on any one of the lens elements along a direction of incidence converges through the corresponding optical filter onto a corresponding one of the optical detector regions of the corresponding subarray of optical detector regions, which corresponding one of the optical detector regions depends on the direction of incidence. Such a multi-spectral optical sensor may be used to measure spectral information relating to different parts or sectors of a scene captured by an image sensor or a camera. A multi-spectral optical system and an image sensing system are also disclosed which comprise the multi-spectral optical sensor.

Multi-spectral optical sensor and system

An image-sensing device is disclosed, the image-sensing device comprising a multispectral sensor and a processor communicably coupled to the multispectral sensor. The processor is configured to determine an ambient light source classification based on a comparison of predefined spectral data to data corresponding to an output of the multispectral sensor. Also disclosed is a method of classifying an ambient light source by sensing a spectrum of light with a multispectral sensor; and determining an ambient light source classification based on a comparison of predefined spectral data to data corresponding to an output of the multispectral sensor. An associated computer program, computer-readable medium and data processing apparatus are also disclosed.

Ambient light source classification

Disclosed are methods and devices for calibration in the field of optical sensors, e.g. characterizing and calibrating an optical sensor chip. In order to address complexity of sensor data with high accuracy the optical sensor, e.g. an optical sensor is not provided as an already calibrated unit. Rather, sensor response data may be recorded in a defined or standardized environment, e.g. at a production line, and with high precision. This high standard sensor response data can be obtained on a per device basis and, thus, is referenced with an unambiguous chip identification number, chip ID. The sensor data is complemented with a dedicated calibration algorithm which can be tailor-made to fit the optical sensor or the optical sensor chip. In order to retrieve the sensor response data and the calibration algorithm both can be made available by means of the chip ID, for example.

Method of characterizing an optical sensor chip, method of calibrating an optical sensor chip, method of operating an optical sensor device, optical sensor device and calibration system

The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus that uses spectral reconstruction of detector sensitivity to solve the above and other problems. Specifically, light sources (e.g., of visible light, infrared light and/or ultraviolet light) may target the sensor and emit, in sequence, beams of different wavelength. Spectral output of multiple channels of the sensor is received, the output including intensity (e.g., peak intensity) for each channel. The output is compared with reference intensities for each of the light sources and difference values are calculated. Based on the difference values, a calibration matrix is calculated that can be used in calibrating the specific sensor. In addition, the present disclosure describes an apparatus that includes a plurality of light sources, a receiver for receiving sensor output, and circuitry configured to generate a calibration matrix using the light sources, the receiver using spectral reconstruction of detector sensitivity.

Growing community of inventors

Jena, Germany

Julius Komma