Compact OCT Spectrometer Sensor Protrusion Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional OCT spectrometers are large, expensive, and not suitable for handheld or mobile applications due to their size, power requirements, and sensitivity issues, which limits their use in various diagnostic fields.
Innovation Solution
A compact OCT spectrometer design featuring a spectrometer optical module with a sensor board and a connector for power and control signals, where the sensor is embedded in the board and protrudes from the surface, eliminating the need for a cover window, and includes a low-power circuit and analog-to-digital converter to minimize size, power consumption, and noise, while maintaining high sensitivity and full well capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sensor with cover window and indented detection region is used, then the sensor is protected and packaged as a single unit, but the spectrometer size cannot be miniaturized and artificial horizontal line noises are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the cover window from the sensor package, extracting the problematic component that caused both the noise issue and the size constraint. By taking out the cover window, the sensor can be positioned flush with the sensor board surface, enabling spectrometer miniaturization while maintaining sensor protection through alternative means (proper sealing and positioning in the optical path)
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the detection region indented below the surface (conventional design), the patent inverts this arrangement by positioning the detection region flush with or protruding from the sensor board surface. This inversion eliminates the need for cover window clearance space and enables compact spectrometer design
2Reliability
If the sensor is indented from the surface in a single package, then the sensor is protected, but miniaturization of the spectrometer is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The cover window is removed from the sensor assembly, extracting the component that created the depth requirement. This allows the sensor to be positioned flush with the board surface, reducing the spectrometer's overall depth and enabling miniaturization while sensor protection is maintained through alternative packaging approaches
3Adaptability or versatility
If a power supply circuit and connector are added for handheld operation, then the device can be battery-powered, but the spectrometer size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the power supply circuit and connector directly into the sensor board, merging previously separate components (power circuit, connector, sensor board) into a single integrated unit. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate power adaptor connections and minimizes the overall spectrometer size while enabling battery-powered handheld operation
4Measurement precision
If high sensitivity sensor is used, then fewer photons are needed, but the full well capacity limits the intensity of incident light signal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects and optimizes sensor parameters (sensitivity and full well capacity) to achieve the desired balance. By carefully choosing sensor specifications and adjusting operational parameters (integration time, gain settings), the system achieves high sensitivity for low-light conditions while managing full well capacity to prevent saturation, optimizing performance for mobile OCT applications
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 compact design reduces the size and cost of the OCT system, enabling broader application in diagnostics and making it suitable for battery-powered handheld devices, enhancing medical accessibility and reducing medical insurance fees.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor that converts light received from the spectrometer optical module into an electrical signal
Data Source
AI summary
A compact handheld optical coherence tomography (OCT) spectrometer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a spectrometer optical module; a sensor board coupled to one side of the spectrometer optical module and including a sensor that converts light received from the spectrometer optical module into an electrical signal; and a connector configured to supply, to the sensor board, a control signal and a power signal received from another circuit outside the spectrometer and to transmit a signal received from the sensor board to another external circuit, and the sensor board is packaged with the spectrometer optical module, and the sensor is not indented but is formed to protrude from the surface of the sensor board, and a light receiving portion of the sensor is configured to face the inside of the packaged component and collect light from the spectrometer optical module.