Disturbance Tolerant Optical Device Using Sensor Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Optical devices, such as photo-detectors, face disturbances from surroundings, leading to bit errors, reduced communication speed, or noise in applications like fiber optics and industrial settings, which existing shielding methods have not fully addressed, especially in compact and high-noise environments.
Innovation Solution
The arrangement of photo-sensors into two groups, with one group exposed and the other shielded, where both groups are positioned around overlapping center of gravity regions to cancel out disturbances from time-varying fields, using a differential circuit to generate an output independent of noise and dark current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If photo-detectors are placed in locations susceptible to high noise or used in industrial settings, then the optical devices can operate in high-noise environments, but the disturbances from surroundings induce bit errors and reduce communication speed
Solution Approach 1:
The photo-detector is segmented into multiple individual photo-detectors arranged in an array. By dividing the single detector into multiple segments, the system can spatially distinguish between signal light and disturbance light, enabling noise rejection through differential processing while maintaining operability in high-noise environments
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the photo-detector array are assigned different functions: some photo-detectors are exposed to incident light for signal detection, while others are shielded to detect only disturbance light. This local differentiation allows the system to selectively process signal and noise components, improving reliability by enabling disturbance subtraction
2Adaptability or versatility
If shielding is added to reduce disturbance effects, then the optical devices can operate in high-noise environments, but the package design becomes more complex and difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding complex shielding structures, the system segments the photo-detector into multiple independent detectors with different exposure configurations. This segmentation approach achieves noise rejection through detector arrangement and signal processing rather than physical shielding, simplifying package design while maintaining high-noise environment operability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces mechanical shielding structures with an optical-electrical solution using multiple photo-detectors and differential circuit processing. By substituting physical shielding with detector array configuration and electronic signal processing, the system reduces package design complexity while achieving the same disturbance rejection goal
3Volume of moving object
If more devices are packed into limited space for compact design, then consumer devices become smaller, but the disturbances increase resulting in higher noise
Solution Approach 1:
The photo-detector is segmented into multiple small photo-detectors that can be densely packed in a compact array. This segmentation enables the system to maintain a small device volume while using spatial arrangement and differential processing to reject disturbance signals, thus reducing the harmful effects of increased disturbance from compact packaging
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 configuration significantly reduces the impact of electromagnetic interference, achieving improved performance and tolerance to disturbances, with up to 12 dB better performance and minimal noise influence, even in non-linear field conditions.
Implementation Method 1
photo-detectors convert light into electrical signals
Implementation Method 2
disturbances created by an electro-magnetic interference on the first and second groups of the plurality of photo-sensors may be substantially similar, so as to be substantially canceled
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, an optical device having a first and second group of the plurality of sensors is disclosed. The first and second group of the plurality of sensors may have a first and second center of gravity region respectively. The plurality of sensors may be arranged such that the first and second center of gravity region may be substantially overlapping so as disturbances created by a time varying field on the first and second group of the plurality of sensors may be substantially similar in magnitude. In another embodiment, a fiber optic transmission system having first and second groups of the plurality of sensors being arranged around a center of gravity region is disclosed. In yet another embodiment, an optical transceiver having first and second sets of the plurality of sensors arranged such that center of gravity of each group is formed at the center region is disclosed.