The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 14, 1997
Filed:
Dec. 14, 1994
Yasutoshi Suzuki, Okazaki, JP;
Kenichi Yokoyama, Nagoya, JP;
Koki Mizuno, Okazaki, JP;
Inao Toyoda, Okazaki, JP;
Yukio Tsuzuki, Nukata-gun, JP;
Nippondenso Co., Ltd., Kariya, JP;
Abstract
A sunlight sensor is provided which detects sunlight by means of a semiconductor device and achieves the desired elevation angle characteristics. The sunlight sensor is implemented as a semiconductor device having p+ layers 10 and 11 as a light-responsive section and an n+ or n layer 9 as a light-nonresponsive section, and additionally having a light-detection element 2 which outputs a detection signal responsive to the amount of light received by the p+ layers 10 and 11. A light-transparent molding 4 is provided at least over the light-detection element 2, and additionally a light-cutoff mask 5 is provided on the transparent molding 4. The relative positions of the light-cutoff mask, the p+ layers 10 and 11, and the n+ or n layer 9 are then established. By doing this, of the shadow of the light-cutoff mask 5 which is created when incident sunlight 13 and 14 strikes the light-detection element, the surface area of at least the part of the shadow which falls on the p+ layers 10 and 11 and the part of the shadow that falls on the n+ or n layer 9 are controlled so as to obtain the desired elevation angle characteristics.