Optical Sensor Simplified Filter Structure for Illuminance and Proximity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing optical sensors that measure illuminance and proximity using infrared and visible light filters face increased manufacturing costs due to the use of multiple materials like TiO2 and SiO2 in infrared blocking filters, which complicates the sensor structure and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
The optical sensor design incorporates photodiodes with specific optical filters, including infrared blocking filters and visible light filters, arranged to measure light quantities of specific wavelength bands, allowing for simplified structure and reduced manufacturing costs by using an infrared pass filter and color filters to isolate and measure visible light components, thereby performing color balancing and distance measurements efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple materials like TiO2 and SiO2 are used in infrared blocking filters to measure illuminance and proximity, then the measurement precision is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex multi-material infrared blocking filter structure from the sensor assembly. Instead of using multiple materials like TiO2 and SiO2, the invention uses a simplified single-material or reduced-material filter configuration that maintains measurement precision while reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the optical filter serve multiple functions simultaneously - it blocks infrared wavelengths while allowing visible light to pass for illuminance measurement, and also enables proximity detection. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate specialized filters for each measurement type, reducing overall device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If multiple materials like TiO2 and SiO2 are used in infrared blocking filters to measure illuminance and proximity, then the measurement precision is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive multi-material infrared blocking filters with a simpler, more cost-effective filter configuration using fewer materials or a single material that can be manufactured more economically while maintaining the required measurement precision for both illuminance and proximity detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material composition parameters of the optical filter, transitioning from a multi-material system (TiO2, SiO2) to a simplified material system. This parameter change reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while preserving the filter's ability to block infrared wavelengths and enable precise measurements.
3Measurement precision
If an infrared blocking filter with multiple deposited layers is used, then the measurement precision is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates due to vacuum thin film deposition technique
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex vacuum thin film deposition process and multi-layer structure from the filter manufacturing. Instead, it employs a simplified filter design that can be manufactured using more straightforward techniques, eliminating the need for alternating deposition of multiple materials like TiO2 and SiO2 while maintaining measurement precision.
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
This design enhances the performance of illuminance and distance measurements while reducing manufacturing costs by simplifying the optical sensor structure and improving the accuracy of light quantity measurements across different wavelengths.
Implementation Method 1
the optical sensor may absorb incident light energy to convert the absorbed light energy into an electrical signal
Implementation Method 2
the optical filters include an infrared blocking filter and at least one visible light filter
Data Source
AI summary
An optical sensor includes photodiodes and optical filters that are arranged on the photodiodes. The photodiodes and optical filters may be spaced apart from each other. The optical filters include an infrared blocking filter and at least one visible light filter and the optical sensor measures a light quantity of a specific wavelength band in a visible light band through the photodiodes, wherein a specific visible light filter is arranged on the photodiodes. Therefore, the optical sensor has a simplified structure and may function as an ambient illuminance sensor, a proximity sensor, and a color sensor.