Tristimulus colorimeter having integral dye filters

• US 20060119849A1
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datacolor Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Datacolor Holding AG
• Inventors: Slocum, David, Shannon, Colman, Levey, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/419
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0214 Constructional arrangements for removing stray light
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0488 with spectral filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4247 for testing lamps or other light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/1213 Filters in general, e.g. dichroic, band
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0256 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0262 Constructional arrangements for removing stray light
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/10 Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/465 taking into account the colour perception of the eye; using tristimulus detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/50 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/505 measuring the colour produced by lighting fixtures other than screens, monitors, displays or CRTs
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/506 measuring the colour produced by screens, monitors, displays or CRTs
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/51 using colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/513 having fixed filter-detector pairs

Abstract

A tristimulus colorimeter on a single semiconductor chip having at least three detectors, each detector being coated by colorant filters, each filter having at least one layer and at least one filter having a double layer is provided. The colorimeter determines CIE tristimulus values of an incident light from inputs to the filters and detectors. Colorimeters having integral dye filters may be constructed on a single silicon chip embodying all the detectors and electronics, coated over each detector by a deposited filter layer. Colorants may be directly deposited on the detectors, rather than using a plastic substrate for a filter.

Claims

1. A solid-state color-measuring device, comprising:

a plurality of light detectors; and

a plurality of colorants that are permanently deposited onto the solid-state color-measuring device, the colorants being included in a plurality of filters such that light passing through the filters causes the light detectors to cause the solid-state color-measuring device to produce an output having a plurality of spectral responses each approximating a distinct CIE-like color-matching function.

2. The solid-state color-measuring device of claim 1, wherein the light detectors are identical prior to attachment of the filters.

3. The solid-state color-measuring device of claim 1, wherein each colorant has a thickness such that the thicknesses of the colorants in combination produce the output having the spectral responses approximating the CIE-like color-matching functions.

4. The solid-state color-measuring device of claim 1, wherein each colorant is permanently deposited onto a single detector.

5. The solid-state color-measuring device of claim 1, wherein each colorant is permanently deposited onto at least two detectors.

19. The solid-state color-measuring device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of filters includes an infrared light filter.

20. The solid-state color-measuring device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of filters includes an ultraviolet light filter.

6. The solid-state color-measuring device, wherein a set of combinations of colorants is determined, each of the combinations being determined so that the output has the spectral responses that are linearly combined to approximate a set of CIE-like color-matching functions;

and further wherein one of the combinations is selected from the set having a best solution and meeting predetermined performance criteria, the selected combination being permanently deposited onto the solid-state color-measuring device.

7. A calorimeter, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having at least three photodetectors;

at least three filters permanently deposited on the at least three photodetectors, each filter having at least a single layer and at least one filter having a double layer; and

a plurality of channels including the photodetectors and filters so that linear combinations of a plurality of spectral responses of the channels approximate a set of CIE-like target color-matching functions.

8. The colorimeter of claim 7, wherein the filters are integral with the photodetectors.

9. The colorimeter of claim 7, wherein the semiconductor substrate has four photodetectors.

10. The calorimeter of claim 9, wherein the filters include all single layers.

11. The colorimeter of claim 7, wherein the filters include one double layer and three single layers.

12. The colorimeter of claim 11, wherein the double layer is cyan and magenta and the three single layers are red, green, and yellow.

13. The calorimeter of claim 9, wherein the filters include two double layers and two single layers.

14. The calorimeter of claim 9, wherein the filters include three double layers and one single layer.

15. The colorimeter of claim 7, wherein a thickness of each filter is between about 0.50 microns and 2.00 microns.

16. The colorimeter of claim 7, wherein the semiconductor substrate has 64 photodetectors.

17. The calorimeter of claim 7, wherein the filters are absorptive.

18. A system including the colorimeter of claim 7, wherein the system is selected from the group consisting of:

a computer monitor calibration system, a home theater display calibration system, a projector calibration system, an ambient light measurement system, and a LED measurement and control application.

21. The calorimeter of claim 7, wherein the at least one filter includes an infrared light filter.

22. The colorimeter of claim 7, wherein the at least one filter includes an ultraviolet light filter.