Optical encoding system with reduced total harmonic distortion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12411005-B2
Application number	US-202217970566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2022
Priority date	Oct 21, 2022
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

There is provided an optical encoding system including a photodiode array and a code disk opposite to each other. The code disk is arranged with multiple code slits at a ring area corresponding to the photodiode array. A length direction of each photodiode of the photodiode array has at least one deviation angle with respect to a length direction of the multiple code slits to reduce the total harmonic distortion in photocurrents.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical encoding system, comprising:
a code disk, arranged with equally-spaced multiple code slits along a tangential direction, and a length direction of the multiple code slits having a slant angle with respect to a radial direction of the code disk; and
a photodiode array opposite to the multiple code slits, the photodiode array comprising multiple sets of photodiodes each set having a first photodiode, a second photodiode, a third photodiode and a fourth photodiode sequentially arranged along the tangential direction, wherein
output currents of the first photodiode and the second photodiode are phase quadrature,
output currents of the first photodiode and the third photodiode are out of phase, and
output currents of the second photodiode and the fourth photodiode are out of phase.

2. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the multiple code slits are slanted toward a clockwise direction or a counter clockwise direction of the code disk.

3. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
coverages of the first photodiode, the second photodiode, the third photodiode and the fourth photodiode of a first set of photodiodes among the multiple sets of photodiodes by an opaque layer are respectively 90%, 70%, 50% and 30%; and
coverages of the first photodiode, the second photodiode, the third photodiode and the fourth photodiode of a last set of photodiodes among the multiple sets of photodiodes by the opaque layer are respectively 30%, 50%, 70% and 90%.

4. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the slant angle is determined according to a number of the multiple code slits and a size of each photodiode of the photodiode array.

5. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a length direction of each photodiode of the photodiode array is arranged along the radial direction.

6. An optical encoding system, comprising:
a code disk, arranged with equally-spaced multiple code slits along a tangential direction, and the multiple code slits having a first length direction and a second length direction, wherein the first length direction has a first slant angle with respect to a radial direction of the code disk, and the second length direction has a second slant angle with respect to the radial direction of the code disk; and
a photodiode array opposite to the multiple code slits, the photodiode array comprising multiple sets of photodiodes each set having a first photodiode, a second photodiode, a third photodiode and a fourth photodiode sequentially arranged along the tangential direction, wherein
output currents of the first photodiode and the second photodiode are phase quadrature,
output currents of the first photodiode and the third photodiode are out of phase, and
output currents of the second photodiode and the fourth photodiode are out of phase.

7. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein
a first length of the multiple code slits in the first length direction is equal to a second length of the multiple code slits in the second length direction, and
the first slant angle is equal to the second slant angle.

8. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein
a first length of the multiple code slits in the first length direction is not equal to a second length of the multiple code slits in the second length direction, and
the first slant angle is not equal to the second slant angle.

9. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first length direction and the second length direction are both toward a clockwise direction or a counter clockwise direction of the code disk.

10. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a connection point of a first length of the first length direction and a second length of the second length direction is at a center point of the multiple code slits.

11. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein
coverages of the first photodiode, the second photodiode, the third photodiode and the fourth photodiode of a first set of photodiodes among the multiple sets of photodiodes by an opaque layer are respectively 90%, 70%, 50% and 30%; and
coverages of the first photodiode, the second photodiode, the third photodiode and the fourth photodiode of a last set of photodiodes among the multiple sets of photodiodes by the opaque layer are respectively 30%, 50%, 70% and 90%.

12. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein all photodiodes of the photodiode array are not covered by an opaque layer.

13. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the first slant angle and the second slant angle are determined according to a number of the multiple code slits and a size of each photodiode of the photodiode array.

14. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a length direction of each photodiode of the photodiode array is arranged along the radial direction.

15. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a center point of a length of each photodiode of the photodiode array is aligned with a connection point of a first length of the first length direction and a second length of the second length direction of the multiple code slits.

16. An optical encoding system, comprising:
a photodiode array, comprising multiple sets of photodiodes each set having a first photodiode, a second photodiode, a third photodiode and a fourth photodiode arranged along a first direction,
wherein a first part and a second part of the first photodiode, the second photodiode, the third photodiode and the fourth photodiode are slanted toward the first direction, and
the first part and the second part are directly jointed at a connection point which forms an inflection point of the first photodiode, the second photodiode, the third photodiode and the fourth photodiode.

17. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein
a length of the first part is equal to a length of the second part, and
a first slant angle of the first part slanted toward to the first direction is equal to a second slant angle of the second part slanted toward to the first direction.

18. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising:
a code disk, arranged with equally-spaced multiple code slits along a tangential direction and opposite to the photodiode array,
wherein a length direction of the multiple code slits is arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

19. The optical encoding system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein
output currents of the first photodiode and the second photodiode are phase quadrature,
output currents of the first photodiode and the third photodiode are out of phase, and
output currents of the second photodiode and the fourth photodiode are out of phase.

Assignees

• Pixart Imaging Inc

Inventors

• Lim Meng-Yee
• Goh Priscilla Tze-Wei
• Shim Kuan-Choong
• Chew Gim-Eng

Classifications

• G01D5/264

  Mechanical constructional elements therefor (G01D5/28, G01D5/32, G01D5/39 and G01D5/40 take precedence); Mechanical adjustment thereof · CPC title

• G01D5/24438

  Special design of the sensing element or scale · CPC title

• G01D5/34715

  Scale reading or illumination devices · CPC title

• G01D5/34707

  Scales; Discs, e.g. fixation, fabrication, compensation · CPC title

• G01D5/3473 Primary

  Circular or rotary encoders · CPC title