Laser sensor for particle size detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10732091-B2
Application number	US-201615746470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2016
Priority date	Jul 30, 2015
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

The invention describes a laser sensor module (100) for particle size detection. The laser sensor module (100) comprises at least one first laser (110), at least one first detector (120), at least one electrical driver (130) and at least one evaluator (140). The first laser (110) is adapted to emit first laser light in reaction to signals provided by the at least one driver (130). The at least one first detector (120) is adapted to determine a first self-mixing interference signal (30) of an optical wave within a first laser cavity of the first laser (110). The first self-mixing interference signal (30) is caused by first reflected laser light reentering the first laser cavity, the first reflected laser light being reflected by a particle receiving at least a part of the first laser light. The evaluator (140) is adapted to determine a size of the particle by determining a first relative distance between the particle and the first laser (110) by means of the first self-mixing interference signal (30) and by determining a first amplitude information by means of the first self-mixing interference signal (30). The invention is further related to a corresponding method of determining a particle size.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A laser sensor module comprising:
at least one first laser;
at least one first detector;
at least one electrical driver; and
at least one evaluator,
wherein the first laser is arranged to emit first laser light in reaction to signals provided by the at least one driver,
wherein the at least one first detector is arranged to determine a first self-mixing interference signal of an optical wave within a first laser cavity of the first laser,
wherein the first self-mixing interference signal is caused by first reflected laser light reentering the first laser cavity,
wherein the first reflected laser light is reflected by a particle receiving at least a part of the first laser light,
wherein the evaluator is arranged to determine a size of the particle by determining a first relative distance between the particle and the first laser using the first self-mixing interference signal and by determining a first amplitude information using the first self-mixing interference signal,
wherein the laser module further comprises at least one first focus region,
wherein the first relative distance is related to a distance between the first focus region and the particle,
wherein the evaluator is arranged to determine the first relative distance based on at least one characteristic of the first self-mixing interference signal,
wherein the first self-mixing interference signal is related to the distance between the first focus region and the particle,
wherein the first amplitude information comprises a maximum or a minimum amplitude of the first self-mixing interference signal,
wherein the at least one characteristic of the first self-mixing interference signal comprises at least one of phase information, number of oscillations, number of relative maxima or minima, ratio of amplitudes of relative maxima minima, number of zero crossings within a defined interval of the first self-mixing interference signal, one or more distances between the zero crossings and shape of an envelope of the first self-mixing interference signal.

2. The laser sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein the laser module further comprises at least one first optical device for focusing the first laser light on the first focus region.

3. The laser sensor module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the evaluator is arranged to determine an absolute maximum or minimum of a first signal amplitude of the first self-mixing interference signal,
wherein the evaluator is arranged to determine a first number of relative maxima or minima of the first self-mixing interference signal within a defined range around the absolute maximum or minimum of the first self-mixing interference signal,
wherein the evaluator is arranged to determine the first relative distance to the particle using the number of maxima or minima of the first self-mixing interference signal within the defined range,
wherein the evaluator is arranged to determine the size of the particle using the determined first relative distance to the particle and the absolute maximum or minimum of the first signal amplitude of the first self-mixing interference signal.

4. The laser sensor module according to claim 3 ,
wherein the evaluator is arranged to refine the determination of the first relative distance to the particle based on the ratio between the absolute maximum of the first signal amplitude of the first self-mixing interference signal and an amplitude of the first self-mixing interference signal at at least one of the relative maxima of the first self-mixing interference signal, or based on the ratio between the absolute minimum of the first signal amplitude of the first self-mixing interference signal and an amplitude of the first self-mixing interference signal at at least one of the relative minima of the first self-mixing interference signal.

5. The laser sensor module according to claim 1 , wherein the laser sensor module is arranged to provide a defined velocity distribution of the group of particles comprising the particle relative to the first focus region.

6. The laser sensor module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the electrical driver is arranged to provide a first modulated drive current to the first laser,
wherein the evaluator is arranged to determine the first relative distance to the particle based on the first self-mixing interference signal resulting from the first modulated drive current.

7. The laser sensor module according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first modulated drive current comprises at least a first driving scheme and a second driving scheme,
wherein the first driving scheme is different from the second driving scheme.

8. The laser sensor module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the laser sensor module further comprises a first movable mirror ( 170 ) for redirecting the first laser light,
wherein the laser sensor module is arranged to control a movement of the first movable mirror such that detection of the size of particles below a defined size threshold is suppressed.

9. The laser sensor module according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least a second laser; and
at least a second detector,
wherein the second laser is arranged to emit second laser light,
wherein the second laser light has a second wavelength being different from a first wavelength of the first laser light,
wherein the second detector is arranged to determine a second self-mixing interference signal of an optical wave within a second laser cavity of the second laser,
wherein the second self-mixing interference signal is caused by second reflected laser light reentering the second laser cavity,
wherein the second reflected laser light is reflected by the particle receiving at least a part of the second laser light,
wherein the evaluator is arranged to refine determination of the size of the particle by determining a second relative distance between the particle and the second laser using the second self-mixing interference signal.

10. The laser sensor module according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one first optical device, wherein the first optical device is arranged to focus the first laser light on a first focus region;
at least a second laser;
at least a second detector; and
at least one second optical device, wherein the second optical device is arranged for focusing second laser light emitted by the second laser on a second focus region,
wherein the second detector is arranged to determine a second self-mixing interference signal of an optical wave within a second laser cavity of the second laser,
wherein the second self-mixing interference signal is caused by second reflected second laser light reentering the second laser cavity,
wherein the second reflected laser light is reflected by the particle receiving at least a part of the second laser light,
wherein the evaluator is arranged to refine determination of the size of the particle by determining a second relative distance between the particle and the second laser using the second self-mixing interference signal.

11. The laser sensor module according to claim 10 , wherein a first size of the first focus region is different than a second size of the second focus region.

12. A mobile communication device comprising a particle detector, the particle detector comprising at least one laser sensor module according to claim 1 .

13. A method of particle size detection for determining an air quality, the method comprising the steps of:
emitting a first laser light using a first laser, wherein the first laser light illuminates to at least one first focus region,
receiving first reflected laser light in a first las

Assignees

• Philips Photonics Gmbh
• Trumpf Photonic Components Gmbh

Inventors

• Van Der Lee Alexander Marc
• Hellmig Joachim Wilhelm
• Spruit Johannes Hendrikus Maria

Classifications

• G01N15/1434 Primary

  Optical arrangements · CPC title

• G01N2015/1493

  Particle size · CPC title

• G01S17/95

  for meteorological use · CPC title

• G01N15/0205 Primary

  by optical means · CPC title

• G01S17/58

  Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems · CPC title