Curved Photoconductive Optical Sensor for 3D Position Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical detectors for determining the position of objects in space are not simple, cost-efficient, and reliable, lacking in precision and accuracy for depth and width measurement.
Innovation Solution
A detector comprising an optical sensor with a photoconductive material on a curved substrate, combined with a transfer device featuring a single aspheric lens and a biconcave lens, which allows for the generation of sensor signals dependent on illumination, enabling accurate determination of object position through the FiP effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple optical sensors and complex optical elements are used to determine three-dimensional position, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensing functions (depth, width, height detection) into a single optical sensor that utilizes the FiP effect. By merging the detection capabilities that would traditionally require multiple sensors into one device, the system achieves three-dimensional position determination with reduced component quantity and simplified device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the optical sensor by applying the FiP effect, which relates sensor signal to beam cross-section geometry rather than traditional intensity-based detection. This parameter change enables a single sensor to extract multiple spatial dimensions (depth, width, height) from the illuminated object, improving measurement precision without increasing device complexity.
2Reliability
If traditional optical detection systems are used, then object position can be detected, but cost efficiency deteriorates due to multiple optical components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary optical components from traditional detection systems. By using a single optical sensor with FiP effect that can determine three-dimensional position through beam cross-section analysis, the system removes multiple lenses, mirrors, and sensors that would increase manufacturing cost, while maintaining reliable detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a cost-effective optical sensor design that uses photoconductive materials with high absorption coefficients, allowing for simpler, cheaper sensor construction. The FiP effect enables this simpler sensor to achieve reliable three-dimensional detection that would traditionally require expensive, complex optical systems with multiple precision components.
3Device complexity
If a single optical sensor is used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the detection parameter from traditional light intensity measurement to beam cross-section geometry measurement via the FiP effect. This parameter change allows a single optical sensor to determine depth, width, and height of an object by analyzing how the illuminated beam's cross-section varies, achieving multi-dimensional measurement precision that would traditionally require multiple sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes photoconductive materials with high absorption coefficients as the sensing element, creating a composite sensor structure that combines the photoconductive layer with appropriate substrates and electrodes. This composite material approach enables the single sensor to achieve high measurement precision for three-dimensional position determination while maintaining device simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a cost-effective and reliable method for determining the three-dimensional position of objects with high accuracy, using fewer optical components compared to existing systems, while maintaining precision in depth and width measurements.
Implementation Method 1
the sensor region comprises at least one substrate and at least one film having a photoconductive material, wherein the film is placed on at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the optical sensor is designed to generate at least one sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the sensor region
Implementation Method 2
having a curved substrate as the substrate constituting or comprising an optical element, wherein the optical element is at least partially optically transparent with respect to at least a partition of a wavelength range of the light beam
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 3
AI summary
A detector (110) for an optical detection of at least one object (112) is proposed. Further, the invention relates to a method for optical detection of at least one object (112) and to various uses of the detector(110). The detector (110) comprises: -at least one optical sensor(114), the optical sensor (114) having at least one sensor region(132),the sensor region (132) comprising at least one curved substrate (142) and at least one film (134) having a photoconductive material (136), wherein the film (134) is placed on at least one surface (140, 172) of the curved substrate (142), wherein the optical sensor (114) is designed to generate at least one sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the sensor region (132) by a light beam(124); -at least one transfer device (120), the transfer device (120) being adapted to transfer the light beam (124) from the object (112) to the optical sensor (114), thereby being adapted to guide the light beam (124) to the film (134) located on the curved substrate (142);and -at least one evaluation device(154), wherein the evaluation device (154) is designed to generate at least one item of information on a position of the object (112) by evaluating the sensor signal of the optical sensor(114). Thereby, a simple, cost-efficient and, still, reliable detector (110) for an accurate determining of a position of at least one object (112) in space is provided.