Current measuring apparatus using light-emitting devices
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device for measuring current comprising:
- electroluminescence means for generating light within first and second dissimilar wavelength intervals in response to stimulation by said current such that said electroluminescence means is modulated by said current;
said electroluminescence means further comprising a material compositionally formed and dimensioned such that said light exhibits a plurality of non-uniform current dependencies;
at least one optical fiber optically connected to said electroluminescence means;
first and second photo-detectors each optically connected to said at least one optical fiber and respectively having first and second sensitivity spectra and respectively adjusted to said first and second wavelength intervals such that said first photo-detector selectively senses said light in at least a portion of said first wavelength interval and said second photo-detector senses said light in at least a portion of said second wavelength interval.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a device for measuring current which traverses a light-emitting structure, the current passage thus causing emission of light. It is characterized in that the emitted light signal is adapted to be supplied to two photo-detectors having different sensitivity spectra and/or with at least one photo-detector being provided with an optical filter. The output signals of the photo-detectors are adapted to be supplied to a quotient forming member and/or a calculating member for obtaining a signal which is compensated for temperature variations in the light-emitting structure and other sources of error.
-
Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A device for measuring current comprising:
-
electroluminescence means for generating light within first and second dissimilar wavelength intervals in response to stimulation by said current such that said electroluminescence means is modulated by said current; said electroluminescence means further comprising a material compositionally formed and dimensioned such that said light exhibits a plurality of non-uniform current dependencies; at least one optical fiber optically connected to said electroluminescence means; first and second photo-detectors each optically connected to said at least one optical fiber and respectively having first and second sensitivity spectra and respectively adjusted to said first and second wavelength intervals such that said first photo-detector selectively senses said light in at least a portion of said first wavelength interval and said second photo-detector senses said light in at least a portion of said second wavelength interval. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A current measuring device, comprising:
-
means for generating light in response to stimulus by the current to be measured and being modulated thereby; at least two photo-detectors for detecting the light generated by said generating means, said at least two photo-detectors having different spectral sensitivity characteristics with respect to the wavelength of said light wherein at least one of said at least two photo-detectors optically contacts a photo-luminescence material; at least one optical fiber for transmitting said light from said generating means to said at least two photo-detectors; an optical filter for filtering the light transmitted to at least one of said at least two photo-detectors; means for generating a reference light signal; means for modulating said reference light generating signal at a frequency different than the modulation frequency of the light generated by said generating means, said at least one optical fiber transmitting the modulated reference signal to said means for generating light; means for dividing the output of one of said at least two photo-detectors by the output of another of said at least two photo-detectors; and means for generating an output signal representative of the current to be measured from the output of said means for dividing, said output signal being compensated for intensity variations unrelated to said current in said light generated by said generating means.
-
-
19. A current measuring device, comprising:
-
means for generating light in response to stimulus by the current to be measured being modulated thereby; at least two photo-detectors for detecting the light generated by said generating means, said at least two photo-detectors having different spectral sensitivity characteristics with respect to the wavelength of said light, wherein at least one of said at least two photo-detectors is in optical contact with a photo-luminescent material and includes two pn junctions made of material with different band gaps such that the emitted light signal traverses said two pn junctions; at least one optical fiber for transmitting said light from said generating means to said at least two photo-detectors; an optical filter for filtering the light transmitted to at least one of said at least two photo-detectors; means for generating a reference light signal; means for modulating said reference light generating signal at a frequency different than the modulation frequency of the light generated by said generating means, said at least one optical fiber transmitting the modulated reference signal to said means for generating light; means for dividing the output of one of said at least two photo-detectors by the output of another of said at least two photo-detectors; and means for generating an output signal representative of the current to be measured from the output of said means for dividing, said output signal being compensated for intensity variations unrelated to said current in said light generated by said generating means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
Specification