Optical measuring device and electronic device including the same

• US 10,307,063 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2016
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Seung Jun, Kim, Dong Ho, Bae, Jung Mok, Shin, Eui Seok, Lee, Woo Chang
• Primary Examiner(s): Cox, Thaddeus B
• Application Number:
  US15/237,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20170143209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0242 for varying or adjusting the optical path length in the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/443 Evaluating skin constituents, e.g. elastin, melanin, water
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/49 Blood chemical methods for determining blood cell populations G01N33/5094; chemical analysis of blood groups or blood types G01N33/80

Abstract

An optical measuring device including a light source, a light beam path adjuster, a light detector and a controller is provided. The light source may emit light toward an object in a predetermined progress direction. The light beam path adjuster may be disposed between the light source and the object and may change a progress path of the light emitted from the light source. The light detector may receive the light that is reflected from the object after passing through the light beam path adjuster. The controller may compare a first effective beam path length of the reflected light that the light detector receives with a predetermined target beam path length and control a refractive angle of the light beam path adjuster based on a beam path length difference between the first effective beam path length and the predetermined target beam path length.

Claims

1. An optical measuring device comprising:

a light source configured to emit light toward an object in a predetermined progress direction;

a light beam path adjuster that is configured to be disposed between the light source and the object and change a progress path of the light emitted from the light source;

a light detector configured to receive the light that is emitted to and reflected from the object after passing through the light beam path adjuster; and

a controller configured to compare a first effective beam path length of the light that the light detector receives with a predetermined target beam path length and control a refractive angle of the light beam path adjuster based on a beam path length difference between the first effective beam path length and the predetermined target beam path length.

2. The optical measuring device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the refractive angle of the light beam path adjuster according to a beam path adjusting value determined based on the beam path length difference, so that a second effective beam path length of light, which is subsequently emitted from the light source and is received by the light detector, is within a predetermined range of the predetermined target beam path length.

3. The optical measuring device of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the beam path adjusting value from the beam path length difference using a predetermined algorithm.

4. The optical measuring device of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to determine the beam path adjusting value using a database in which the beam path adjusting value corresponding to the beam path length difference is determined.

5. The optical measuring device of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to control the refractive angle of the light beam path adjuster only when the beam path length difference or the beam path adjusting value is less than a predetermined threshold.

6. The optical measuring device of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to output an immeasurability notice message indicating that measurement is impossible in response to the beam path length difference or the beam path adjusting value being greater than the predetermined threshold.

7. The optical measuring device of claim 1, wherein the light beam path adjuster is further configured to change the progress path using two immiscible liquids to form a continuous refractive interface.

8. The optical measuring device of claim 7, wherein the light beam path adjuster comprises:

two immiscible fluids which are accommodated in one container to form a boundary surface; and

a refractive angle adjuster configured to adjust the refractive angle by changing an incline angle of the boundary surface to which the light is incident.

9. The optical measuring device of claim 8, wherein the two immiscible fluids respectively correspond to a conductive fluid and an insulating fluid, and

the refractive angle adjuster comprises a plurality of electrodes generating a predetermined size of electric field in the container so that the incline angle of the boundary surface is changed according to an electro-wetting property of the conductive fluid.

10. The optical measuring device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined progress direction of the light emitted from the light source is constant, and

the light detector is disposed apart from the light source by a predetermined distance.