Method and apparatus for determining a measuring variable by means of an integrated optical sensor module
First Claim
1. A method for determining the value of one or more variables to be measured by means of an integrated optical sensor module, comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one guided wave in at least one optical waveguide integrated in said sensor module;
interacting at least one of said guided waves with at least one measuring variable in at least one sensor field arranged integrated in said sensor module to receive said at least one of said guided waves;
defining the value of at least one module parameter by the action of the measuring variable on the guided wave;
converting the guided wave into at least one modified guided wave by the action of the measuring variable on the guided wave;
analyzing said modified guided wave in at least one analyzer integrated in the sensor module to ascertain a value at least one output variable corresponding to the measuring variable; and
making available said value of said at least one output variable in at least one information field integrated in the sensor module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method that allows a plurality of variables to be measured with the aid of an integrated optical sensor module. Because all the components necessary for carrying out the method are integrated on the same substrate, the sensor becomes small, compact, stable, malfunction-free and economical. The sensor module substantially comprises a sensor field, an analyzer, and an information field. The method comprises making the variables to be measured interact in sensor fields with guided waves, analyzing the effect on the wave, determining from that the value of the measuring variables, and displaying the results in the information field.
192 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method for determining the value of one or more variables to be measured by means of an integrated optical sensor module, comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one guided wave in at least one optical waveguide integrated in said sensor module; interacting at least one of said guided waves with at least one measuring variable in at least one sensor field arranged integrated in said sensor module to receive said at least one of said guided waves; defining the value of at least one module parameter by the action of the measuring variable on the guided wave; converting the guided wave into at least one modified guided wave by the action of the measuring variable on the guided wave; analyzing said modified guided wave in at least one analyzer integrated in the sensor module to ascertain a value at least one output variable corresponding to the measuring variable; and making available said value of said at least one output variable in at least one information field integrated in the sensor module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus comprising:
an integrated optical sensor module, the sensor module including; at least one optical waveguide integrated in said sensor module; at least one guided wave in said at least one optical waveguide; at least one sensor integrated in said sensor module field for ascertaining the interaction of the guided wave with at least one measuring variable; at least one analyzer integrated in said sensor module for ascertaining at least one output variable corresponding to the measuring variable; and at least one information field integrated in said sensor module for making the output variable available. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
Specification