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:
Mar. 04, 2014
Filed:
Feb. 22, 2012
Kohei Yasukawa, Osaka, JP;
Norikazu Okada, Osaka, JP;
Yasuyuki Shirasaka, Osaka, JP;
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
The optical sensor includes a photodiode PDwith its anode grounded, a diode group DGhaving one end connected to a cathode of the photodiode PD, a current source Ihaving one end connected to the other end of the diode group DG, a power supply section for applying a constant voltage to the other end of the current source I, and a grounded-emitter NPN transistor Qhaving a base connected to the cathode of the photodiode PDand a collector connected to one end of the current source I. The diode group DGis provided by n diodes D, D, . . . , Dconnected in series so that their forward directions are directed toward the photodiode PDside, and a photocurrent which flows from a connecting point between the diode group and the current source to the photodiode is converted into a voltage and outputted as a photoelectric conversion signal.