Optical sensor for illumination mixtures and method for the design thereof

• US 6,441,903 B1
• Filed: 04/12/1999
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Cooper, Ted J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, F. L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Zandra V.
• Application Number:
  US09/290,357
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 356/402, 356/405, 356/406, 356/423, 356/425, 356/416
• US Class Current: 356/405
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/502 using a dispersive element, e.g. grating, prism
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/51 using colour filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/513 having fixed filter-detector pairs

Abstract

An optical sensor system is provided which provides portions of the intensity spectrum of various types of natural and artificial light and combinations thereof. The illumination passes through a series of band pass filters or through a diffraction grating to be sensed by a plurality of photosensors sensing different portions of the spectrum. The photosensors are connected to a processing system which can determine the nature of the illuminants from characteristic areas of the intensity spectrum falling on the photosensors.

Claims

1. An optical sensor system comprising:

a plurality of photosensors for providing a plurality of outputs proportional to the light energy applied thereto;

a resin disposed over said plurality of photosensors to form a flat surface;

a dye disposed on said flat surface by a process selected from a group consisting of silk-screening, printing, painting, and a combination thereof in a form selected from a group consisting of paint, gel, ink, and a combination thereof, said dye for each of said plurality of photosensors, each of said dyes selected for the discrimination ability of the bandpass spectrum thereof for portions of the spectrums of illumination selected from a group consisting of;

daylight,

afternoon light,

fluorescent,

incandescent,

photoflash, and

combination thereof;

a processing system responsive to said plurality of outputs to determine the presence of light energy attributable to illumination from the;

daylight,

afternoon light,

fluorescent

incandescent,

photoflash, and

combination thereof.

2. The optical sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said dye has been selected for cost by;

developing a composite illumination light curve using portions of the spectrums of illumination selected from a group consisting of the;

daylight,

afternoon light,

fluorescent,

incandescent,

photoflash, and

combination thereof;

developing a composite bandpass spectrum using bandpass spectrums of a plurality of preselected bandpass filters;

integrating the bandpass spectrum of a new bandpass filter having with said bandpass spectrums of said preselected bandpass filters to form a composite bandpass spectrum;

comparing said bandpass spectrum with said composite illumination light curve to determine the discrimination ability of said bandpass spectrum for said composite illumination light curve;

providing the costs of each of said plurality of preselected dyes;

providing the cost of said new dye;

changing said plurality of preselected dyes and the composite bandpass spectrum in accordance therewith; and

comparing said composite bandpass spectrum with said composite illumination curve to maximize the discrimination ability of said plurality of dyes and said new dye for said composite bandpass spectrum for said composite illumination light curve at the lowest cost.

3. The optical sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said processing system includes a microprocessor for determining the percentages of a predetermined number of illuminations the combination of illuminations.

4. The optical sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said processing system includes a microprocessor for outputting signals indicative of determining the percentages of fewer than three illuminations of the combination of illuminations.

5. The optical sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said plurality of photosensors is from three to eight in number.

6. The optical sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the number of said plurality of photosensous has been determined by;

providing the costs associated with electronic components required to be used in said optical sensor system with each of said plurality of preselected dyes;

providing the cost of said new dye and the costs associated with electronic components required to be used in said optical sensor system with said new dye;

changing said plurality of preselected dyes and the composite bandpass spectrum in accordance therewith; and

comparing said composite bandpass spectrum with said composite illumination curve to maximize the discrimination ability of said composite bandpass spectrum for said composite illumination light curve for the lowest cost optical sensor system with the fewest of said plurality of photosensors.

7. A method for developing an optical sensor system comprising the steps of:

developing a composite illumination light curve using portions of the spectrums of illumination selected from a group consisting of natural light, artificial light, and a combination thereof;

developing a composite bandpass spectrum using bandpass spectrums of a plurality of preselected bandpass filters;

integrating the bandpass spectrum of a new bandpass filter with said bandpass spectrums of said preselected bandpass filters to form a composite bandpass spectrum; and

comparing said bandpass spectrum with said composite illumination light curve to determine the discrimination ability of said plurality of preselected bandpass filters and said new bandpass filter with the composite bandpass spectrum for said composite illumination light curve.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 including the steps of:

providing the costs of each of said plurality of preselected bandpass filters;

providing the cost of said new bandpass filter;

changing said plurality of preselected bandpass filters and the composite bandpass spectrum in accordance therewith; and

comparing said composite bandpass spectrum with said composite illumination curve to maximize the discrimination ability of said composite bandpass spectrum for said composite illumination light curve at the lowest cost.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7 including the steps of:

providing the costs associated with electronic components required to be used in an optical sensor system with each of said plurality of preselected bandpass filters;

providing the cost of said new bandpass filter and the costs associated with electronic components required to be used in the optical sensor system with said new bandpass filter;

changing said plurality of preselected bandpass filters and the composite bandpass spectrum in accordance therewith; and

comparing said composite bandpass spectrum with said composite illumination curve to maximize the discrimination ability of said composite bandpass spectrum for said composite illumination light curve for the lowest cost optical sensor system.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of:

integrating the bandpass spectrum of a new bandpass filter includes replacing the bandpass spectrum of one said plurality of preselected bandpass filters with the bandpass spectrum of said new bandpass filter.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of:

integrating the bandpass spectrum of a new bandpass filter includes adding the bandpass spectrum of said new bandpass filter to the bandpass spectrum of said plurality of preselected bandpass filters.

12. A method for developing an optical sensor system comprising the steps of:

developing a composite illumination light curve using portions of the spectrums of illumination selected from a group consisting of;

daylight,

afternoon light,

fluorescent,

incandescent,

photoflash, and

a combination thereof;

developing a composite bandpass spectrum using bandpass spectrums of a plurality of preselected dyes;

integrating the bandpass spectrum of a new dye with said bandpass spectrums of said preselected dyes to form a composite bandpass spectrum; and

comparing said bandpass spectrum with said composite illumination light curve to determine the discrimination ability of said plurality of dyes and said new dye with the composite bandpass spectrum for said composite illumination light curve.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 including the steps of:

providing the costs of each of said plurality of preselected dyes;

providing the cost of said new dye;

changing said plurality of preselected dyes and the composite bandpass spectrum in accordance therewith; and

comparing said composite bandpass spectrum with said composite illumination curve to maximize the discrimination ability of said composite bandpass spectrum for said composite illumination light curve at the lowest cost.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 including the steps of:

providing the costs associated with electronic components required to be used in an optical sensor system with each of said plurality of preselected dyes;

providing the cost of said new dye and the costs associated with electronic components required to be used in the optical sensor system with said new dye;

changing the number of said plurality of preselected dyes and the composite bandpass spectrum and the number of electronic components in accordance therewith; and

comparing said composite bandpass spectrum with said composite illumination curve to maximize the discrimination ability of said composite bandpass spectrum for said composite illumination light curve for the lowest cost optical sensor system.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the step of:

integrating the bandpass spectrum of a new dye includes replacing the bandpass spectrum of one said plurality of preselected dyes with the bandpass spectrum of said new dye and the electronic components therewith.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the step of:

combining the bandpass spectrum of a new dye includes adding the bandpass spectrum of said new dye to the bandpass spectrum of said plurality of preselected dyes and the electronic components therewith.

17. An optical sensor system comprising:

a plurality of photosensors for providing a plurality of outputs proportional to the light energy applied thereto;

a resin disposed over said plurality of photosensors to form a flat surface; and

a dye for each of said plurality of photosensors disposed on said flat surface by a process selected from a group consisting of silk-screening, printing, painting, and a combination thereof in a form selected from a group consisting of paint, gel, ink, and a combination thereof, each of said dyes selected for the discrimination ability of the bandpass spectrum thereof for portions of the spectrums of illumination selected from a group consisting of;

daylight,

afternoon light,

fluorescent,

incandescent,

photoflash, and

a combination thereof; and

a processing system responsive to said plurality of outputs to determine the presence of light energy attributable to illumination from the;

daylight,

afternoon light,

fluorescent,

incandescent,

photoflash, and

combination thereof.