System and method for attenuating the effect of ambient light on an optical sensor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for compensating for ambient light that may reach a photodetector system of an optical sensor having indicator molecules, comprising:
- illuminating the indicator molecules, thereby causing the indicator molecules to emit light;
determining the amount of light reaching the photodetector system at a point in time when the indicator molecules are illuminated, thereby determining the sum of the amount of ambient light and the light emitted from the indicator molecules reaching the photodetector;
ceasing illuminating the indicator molecules;
after ceasing illuminating the indicator molecules, determining the amount of light reaching the photodetector system, thereby determining the amount of ambient light reaching the photodetector; and
determining the amount of light emitted from the indicator molecules that reached the photodetector system by subtracting the second determined amount of light from the first determined amount of light.
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Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for attenuating the effect of ambient light on optical sensors and for measuring and compensating quantitatively for the ambient light.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for compensating for ambient light that may reach a photodetector system of an optical sensor having indicator molecules, comprising:
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illuminating the indicator molecules, thereby causing the indicator molecules to emit light; determining the amount of light reaching the photodetector system at a point in time when the indicator molecules are illuminated, thereby determining the sum of the amount of ambient light and the light emitted from the indicator molecules reaching the photodetector; ceasing illuminating the indicator molecules; after ceasing illuminating the indicator molecules, determining the amount of light reaching the photodetector system, thereby determining the amount of ambient light reaching the photodetector; and determining the amount of light emitted from the indicator molecules that reached the photodetector system by subtracting the second determined amount of light from the first determined amount of light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for compensating for ambient light that may reach a photodetector system of an optical sensor having indicator molecules, comprising:
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(a) illuminating the indicator molecules; (b) capturing a first signal output from the photodetector system, wherein said first signal is a function of the intensity of the light striking a photosensitive surface or surfaces of the photodetector system; (c) after performing step (b) and while the indicator molecules are not being illuminated, capturing a second signal output from the photodetector system, wherein said second signal is a function of the intensity of the light striking a photosensitive surface or surfaces of the photodetector system; and (d) generating a third signal, wherein the third signal is a function of the first and second signal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An optical sensor, comprising:
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indicator molecules; a photodetector; a light source for illuminating the indicator molecules; means for determining the amount of light reaching the photodetector at a point in time when the indicator molecules are illuminated by the light source, thereby determining the sum of the amount of ambient light and the light emitted from the indicator molecules reaching the photodetector; and means for determining the amount of light reaching the photodetector at a point in time when the indicator molecules are not being illuminated by the light source, thereby determining the amount of ambient light reaching the photodetector. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An optical sensor, comprising:
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indicator molecules; a photodetector system; a light source for illuminating the indicator molecules; means for capturing a first signal output from the photodetector system while the indicator molecules are in a fluorescent state, wherein said first signal is a function of the intensity of the light striking a photosensitive surface or surfaces of the photodetector system; and means for capturing a second signal output from the photodetector system while the indicator molecules are not in a fluorescent state, wherein said second signal is a function of the intensity of the light striking a photosensitive surface or surfaces of the photodetector system. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification