Optosys Sa

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd

Asulab S.a.

Laurent Genilloud

Roland Bochud

Annette Liggenstorfer-Heimlicher

Pascal Heck

Fabien Aeby

A proximity sensor for detecting the proximity of an object, including a sensing element, a detection circuitry provided on a circuit board, and a housing with a rear portion adjoining a rear end of the housing and a front portion adjoining a front end of the housing, the sensing element being arranged inside the front portion of the housing to interact with the object through the front portion, the detection circuitry being interconnected with the sensing element to receive a detection signal from the sensing element, the housing including side walls extending in a longitudinal direction from the rear end to the front end of the housing, the side walls surrounding the circuit board. To allow a better flexibility of the sensor along its length expansion, the circuit board includes at least one bendable section extending in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal direction and that the side walls substantially consist of at least one flexible material in a region surrounding the bendable section of the circuit board such that the sensor is bendable through the transverse direction.

Proximity sensor

The present disclosure relates to a proximity sensor for detecting the proximity of an object, the sensor including a sensing element (), a detection circuitry (), and a housing (), the sensing element () being arranged in a front portion () of the housing () such that it is adapted to interact with the object through the front portion () and the detection circuitry being interconnected with the sensing element () in order to receive a detection signal from the sensing element (), wherein the detection circuitry () is provided on a circuit board (A,B,C) extending at least through a middle portion () of the housing (). To allow a better flexibility of the sensor along its length expansion, it is proposed that the housing () includes multiple segments () that are consecutively arranged in a longitudinal direction () from a rear end () toward a front end () of the housing (), wherein neighboring segments of said segments () are linked to each other via a respective pivot axis () extending transversely with respect to said longitudinal direction (), such that the housing () is bendable around each of said pivot axes (), wherein both of said front portion () and said middle portion () each includes at least one of said segments (), and wherein the circuit board (A,B,C) includes at least one bendable section () extending transversely with respect to said longitudinal direction (), said bendable section () being provided inside said neighboring segments ().

A method of obtaining an image uses a broad dynamic range image sensor that includes a photosensitive cell formed of pixels. Each pixel includes a element, a first initialization transistor series connected to the  element, storage means coupled to the element, a third initialization transistor series connected to a capacitor, and fourth and fifth series connected transistors, wherein one control terminal of the fourth transistor is connected to the capacitor. The method comprises initializing the capacitor and t-he-photodiode to a first initialization voltage via conduction of the second and third transistors, then making the second transistor non-conductive to start a first long exposure period of the photodiode. At the end of the first exposure period, the first transistor is made conductive to initialize the photodiode to a second initialization voltage to start a second short exposure period. The photodiode voltage level is stored in the capacitor.

Method of obtaining an image using an image sensor with a broad dynamic range

The variable gain analog-to-digital conversion device () for an image sensor comprises at least one N-bit non-linear coarse first converter () receiving a pixel voltage signal (Vpix) and at least one M-bit linear fine second converter () connected to the first converter () in order for the device to supply a binary word of N+M bits relating to the voltage level of the pixel. The first converter () comprises comparison means () for comparing the voltage level of the pixel with one or more voltage thresholds (Vto V) delimiting voltage ranges within the voltage dynamic range of the sensor. The successive voltage ranges represent areas of illumination of the pixel ranging from a weakly lit area to a strongly lit area. The first comparator supplies an N-bit binary word relating to the area of illumination determined for the pixel. The second converter comprises conversion adaptation means for converting the voltage pixel signal to a number of bits less than or equal to M, depending on the N-bit binary word from the first converter.

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Romont, Switzerland

Laurent Genilloud