Sensor having a plurality of active areas

• US 20040094717A1
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wu, Cunkai, Griffin, Dennis P., Fultz, William W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,828,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/349
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/191 using pyroelectric sensor means

Abstract

A sensor including at least two active areas for receiving light energy and a resistive layer disposed on each of the at least two active areas for providing a pair of current signals corresponding to a position of light energy of a predetermined wavelength striking the active area. The two or more active areas are electrically isolated from each other and operate independent of each other. Preferably, the two or more active areas are electrically isolated with silicon dioxide.

Claims

1. A sensor comprising:

at least two or more active areas for receiving light energy; and

a resistive layer disposed on each of the at least two active areas for providing a pair of current signals corresponding to a position of light energy of a predetermined wavelength striking the active area.

2. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the two or more active areas operate independent of each other.

3. The sensor of claim 1 wherein the two or more active areas are electrically isolated from each other.

4. The sensor of claim 3 wherein each active area is electrically isolated with silicon dioxide.

5. The sensor of claim 1 wherein one of the at least two active areas provides a first pair of positional current signals in response to light energy of the predetermined wavelength striking the one active area and another of the at least two active areas provides a second pair of positional current signals in response to light energy of the predetermined wavelength striking the another active area.

6. The sensor of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two active areas operate to provide the pair of current signals independent of other active areas.

7. The sensor of claim 1 wherein resistance across the resistive layer is linear.

8. The sensor of claim 1 wherein resistance across the resistive layer is logarithmic.

9. The sensor of claim 1 wherein light energy of a predetermined wavelength is infrared light.

10. A receiver for sensing a distance between a light energy source and a target comprising:

a sensor including at least two active areas for receiving light energy and a resistive layer disposed on each of the at least two active areas for providing a pair of current signals corresponding to a position of light energy emitted from the light energy source, reflected off the target, and striking the active area.

11. The receiver of claim 10 wherein the two or more active areas operate independent of each other.

12. The receiver of claim 10 wherein the two or more active areas are electrically isolated from each other.

13. The receiver of claim 12 wherein each active area is electrically isolated with silicon dioxide.

14. The receiver of claim 10 wherein the light energy source emits light energy to illuminate a viewing point for each of the at least two active areas.

15. The receiver of claim 14 wherein one of the at least two active areas provides a first pair of positional current signals in response to light energy from a first viewing point reflecting off the target and striking the one active area and another of the at least two active areas provides a second pair of positional current signals in response to light energy from a second viewing point reflecting off the target and striking the another active area.

16. The receiver of claim 10 wherein the light energy source is an infrared light emitting diode array for emitting infrared light to illuminate a viewing plane for each of the at least two active areas.

17. The receiver of claim 16 further comprising a lens system having an infrared filter for passing only infrared light, an aspheric element for imaging the filtered infrared light, and a symmetrical convex lens for focusing the imaged infrared light on one of the at least two active areas.

18. An emitter and receiver system for sensing a distance between the emitter and a target, the system comprising:

the emitter including a light energy source for emitting light energy; and

the receiver including a sensor having at least two active areas and a resistive layer disposed on each of the at least two active areas for providing a pair of current signals corresponding to a position of light energy emitted from the light energy source, reflected off the target, and striking the active area.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the two or more active areas operate independent of each other.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the two or more active areas are electrically isolated from each other.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein each active area is electrically isolated with silicon dioxide.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein light energy source emits light energy to illuminate a viewing point for each of the at least two active areas.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein one of the at least two active areas provides a first pair of positional current signals in response to light energy from a first viewing point reflecting off the target and striking the one active area and another of the at least two active areas provides a second pair of positional current signals in response to light energy from a second viewing point reflecting off the target and striking the another active area.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the emitter further includes a lens system having an aspheric element for concentrating light energy emitted from the light energy source and a symmetrical convex lens for focusing the concentrated light energy on the target.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein the light energy source is an infrared light emitting diode array for emitting infrared light to illuminate a viewing plane for each of the at least two active areas.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the receiver further includes a lens system having an infrared filter for passing only infrared light, an aspheric element for imaging the filtered infrared light, and a symmetrical convex lens for focusing the imaged infrared light on the two or more active areas.

27. The system of claim 18 wherein the receiver is disposed approximately 45 millimeters from the emitter.