Ambient light sensor

• US 6,396,040 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Control Devices Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: Control Devices Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Inventors: Hill, Jonathan W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John R.
• Application Number:
  US09/508,789
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 250/205,214 AL,214 R,226,214.1 315/77,82 362/464,465,466
• US Class Current: 250/205
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/3321 Detection of streetlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/337 Tunnels or bridges
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An improved ambient light sensor 20 is provided. Light 105 passes to at least two photosensors 30, 35 with different peak response frequencies. A controller 80 accepts output signals from the photosensors 30, 35 and operates vehicle systems (e.g., headlights 70 or environmental controls 75) accordingly. The controller 80 may distinguish between natural and artificial light, so that headlights 70 are illuminated while a vehicle passes through a well lit tunnel, or is exposed to lights from another vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a vehicle with an actuatable system;

a first photosensor with a first peak spectral sensitivity to a first wavelength, said first photosensor receiving light and producing a first electrical signal in response thereto;

a second photosensor with a second peak spectral sensitivity to a second wavelength, said second photosensor receiving light and producing a second electrical signal in response thereto; and

a controller for receiving the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, said controller actuating said actuatable system in response to the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal;

wherein the second wavelength is at least about 150 nanometers less than the first wavelength, the first wavelength is greater than about 750 nanometers, and the second wavelength is less than about 750 nanometers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a diffuser mounted to said vehicle for receiving and passing ambient light;

wherein said first photosensor and said second photosensor receive light passed by said diffuser.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said second photosensor has an antireflective coating which is most efficient at wavelengths shorter than about 750 nanometers.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second photosensor comprises a photodiode having a shallow p-n junction.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second photosensor comprises a photodiode having a gallium arsenic phosphide semiconductor junction or a gallium phosphide semiconductor junction.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said junction is a Schottky type junction.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said junction is a diffusion type junction.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller actuates said actuatable system in response to said first photosensor and said second photosensor receiving light within a tunnel.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller actuates said actuatable system in response to said first photosensor and said second photosensor receiving light from another vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said actuatable system comprises a passenger heating and cooling system for said vehicle, said system being actuatable by said controller, said controller actuating said actuatable system in response to the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said actuatable system comprises a headlight.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller actuates said actuatable system in response to the ratio of the magnitudes of the first electrical signal to the second electrical signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller scales said first electrical signal to create a first scaled signal, scales said second electrical signal to create a second scaled signal, adds the first scaled signal and the second scaled signal to create a sum signal, and actuates said actuatable system in response to the sum signal.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a vehicle with an actuatable system;

a first photosensor receiving light and infrared energy and producing a first signal in response thereto, the first signal including a first response to infrared energy and a first response to visible light;

a second photosensor receiving light and infrared energy and producing a second signal in response thereto, the second signal including a second response to infrared energy and a second response to visible light; and

a controller for receiving the first signal and the second signal, said controller actuating said actuatable system as a function of the first signal and the second signal;

wherein the first infrared energy response is greater than the second infrared energy response, and the second visible light response is greater than the first visible light response.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a diffuser mounted to said vehicle for receiving and passing light and infrared energy;

wherein said first photosensor and said second photosensor receive light and infrared energy passed by said diffuser.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of said second photosensor has an antireflective coating which is most efficient at wavelengths shorter than about 750 nanometers.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said second photosensor comprises a photodiode having a shallow p-n junction.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said second photosensor comprises a photodiode having a gallium arsenic phosphide semiconductor junction or a gallium phosphide semiconductor junction.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said junction is a Schottky type junction.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said junction is a diffusion type junction.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller actuates said actuatable system in response to said first photodetector and said second photodetector receiving light within a tunnel.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller actuates said actuatable system in response to said first photodetector and said second photodetector receiving light from another vehicle.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said actuatable system comprises a passenger heating and cooling system for said vehicle, said system being actuatable by said controller, said controller actuating said actuatable system in response to the first signal and the second signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said actuatable system comprises a headlight.

25. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller actuates said actuatable system in response to the ratio of the magnitudes of the first signal to the second signal.

26. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller scales said first signal to create a first scaled signal, scales said second signal to create a second scaled signal, adds the first scaled signal and the second scaled signal to create a sum signal, and actuates said actuatable system in response to the sum signal.