Sensor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12055481-B2
Application number	US-202117447724-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2021
Priority date	Aug 1, 2019
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

A sensor device may determine a first optical sensor value associated with a first displacement and a second optical sensor value associated with a second displacement, wherein the first displacement is between an emitter associated with the first optical sensor value and a sensing location used to determine the first optical sensor value, wherein the second displacement is between an emitter associated with the second optical sensor value and a sensing location used to determine the second optical sensor value, and wherein the first displacement is different from the second displacement. The sensor device may determine one or more measurements using the first optical sensor value and the second optical sensor value, wherein the one or more measurements relate to a first penetration depth associated with the first optical sensor value, and a second penetration depth associated with the second optical sensor value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sensor device, comprising:
a first optical waveguide to guide first light from a single emitter that includes a light emitting diode (LED),
wherein the first optical waveguide is located a first distance from the LED;

a second optical waveguide to guide second light from the LED,
wherein the second optical waveguide is located a second distance from the LED, and
wherein the second distance is different from the first distance;

a first collimator to collimate the first light received via the first optical waveguide;
a second collimator to collimate the second light received via the second optical waveguide;
a single sensor; and
one or more filters between the single sensor and one or more of the first collimator or the second collimator, wherein the first collimator is between the first optical waveguide and the single sensor,
wherein the second collimator is between the second optical waveguide and the single sensor,
wherein the first collimator and the second collimator are on a first side of the single sensor,
wherein the LED is on a second side of the single sensor, and
wherein the second side of the single sensor is different from the first side of the single sensor.

2. The sensor device of claim 1 , further comprising:
the single emitter,
wherein the single emitter is configured to generate the first light and the second light.

3. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the first distance is longer than the second distance.

4. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the first optical waveguide guides the first light via a longer horizontal displacement than the second optical waveguide guides the second light.

5. The sensor device of claim 1 ,
wherein the first optical waveguide is a first light pipe, and
wherein the second optical waveguide is a second light pipe.

6. The sensor device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more filters comprise:
a first filter between the single sensor and the first collimator, and
a second filter between the single sensor and the second collimator.

7. A device, comprising:
a first optical waveguide to guide a first portion of light from a single emitter that is located a first distance from the first optical waveguide,
the single emitter including a light emitting diode (LED);

a second optical waveguide to guide a second portion of the light from the single emitter,
the single emitter being located a second distance from the second optical waveguide, and
the second distance being different from the first distance; and

one or more collimators to collimate the light received via one or more of the first optical waveguide or the second optical waveguide,
the first optical waveguide comprising a first dimension between where the first portion of the light is received by the first optical waveguide and where the first portion of the light is provided by the first optical waveguide,
the second optical waveguide comprising a second dimension between where the second portion of the light is received by the second optical waveguide and where the second portion of the light is provided by the second optical waveguide,
the second dimension being different from the first dimension,
one or more of the first optical waveguide or the second optical waveguide being on a first side of the one or more collimators,
the single emitter being on a second side of the one or more collimators, and
the second side of the one or more collimators being different from the first side of the one or more collimators.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the first optical waveguide includes an optical pickup, a light pipe, or an optical fiber.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the second optical waveguide guides the second portion of the light via a longer horizontal displacement than the first optical waveguide.

10. The device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a single sensor to receive the light after the first portion of the light and the second portion of the light after the light is collimated by the one or more collimators.

11. The device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a single sensor,
wherein the one or more collimators are between the single sensor and a plurality of optical waveguides that include the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide.

12. A device, comprising:
a first optical waveguide to guide first light from a first location that is located a first distance from a single emitter that includes a light emitting diode (LED);
a second optical waveguide to guide second light from a second location that is located a second distance from the single emitter,
wherein the second distance is different from the first distance;

one or more collimators to receive one or more of the first light or the second light; and
a sensor to receive the first light from the first optical waveguide and the second light from the second optical waveguide,
wherein the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide are on a first side of the sensor,
wherein the single emitter is on a second side of the sensor, and
wherein the second side of the sensor is different from the first side of the sensor.

13. The device of claim 12 , further comprising:
the single emitter,
wherein the single emitter is configured to generate the first light and the second light.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the first distance is longer than the second distance.

15. The device of claim 12 ,
wherein the one or more collimators include:
a first collimator, and
a second collimator, and

wherein the device further comprises:
a first filter between the sensor and the first collimator; and
a second filter between the sensor and the second collimator.

16. The device of claim 15 ,
wherein the first collimator is between the first optical waveguide and the first filter, and
wherein the second collimator is between the second optical waveguide and the second filter.

17. The device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more collimators include:
a first collimator to receive the first light from the first optical waveguide, collimate the first light, and provide the first light towards the sensor; and
a second collimator to receive the second light from the second optical waveguide, collimate the second light, and provide the second light towards the sensor.

18. The device of claim 12 ,
wherein the first optical waveguide is a first light pipe or a first optical pickup, and
wherein the second optical waveguide is a second light pipe or a second optical pickup.

19. The device of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first filter between the sensor and the first optical waveguide; and
a second filter between the sensor and the second optical waveguide.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the first filter and the second filter are monolithic in design.

Assignees

• Viavi Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Smith Valton
• Houck William D
• Hruska Curtis R
• Von Gunten Marc K

Classifications

• G01N2201/08

  Optical fibres; light guides · CPC title

• G01N2201/0633

  Directed, collimated illumination · CPC title

• A61B5/0261

  using optical means, e.g. infrared light · CPC title

• G01N21/4795

  spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium (in vivo A61B) · CPC title

• G01N21/474

  Details of optical heads therefor, e.g. using optical fibres · CPC title