Distinguishing objects
First Claim
1. A method of using apparatus that includes an optical cavity component and a photosensing component;
- the optical cavity component including a light-transmissive region that is partially bounded by first and second light-reflective components such that the light-transmissive region is operable in response to illumination as an optical cavity in which constructive interference occurs in one or more photon energy subranges and destructive interference occurs in other photon energy subranges and that provides output light;
each of the first and second light-reflective components having a respective reflection surface toward the light-transmissive region, the respective reflection surfaces being approximately parallel, the light-transmissive region including positions through which, in operation, objects travel in lateral directions approximately parallel to the reflection surfaces;
the photosensing component receiving output light from the optical cavity;
the method comprising;
while objects travel through the light-transmissive region, illuminating the light-transmissive region to operate as an optical cavity in which constructive interference occurs in one or more photon energy subranges and destructive interference occurs in other photon energy subranges, the optical cavity providing output light;
the objects traveling through the light-transmissive region in lateral directions approximately parallel to the reflection surfaces;
the objects affecting the output light, the output light having a laterally varying intensity function that includes information about the objects while the objects travel through the light-transmissive region;
photosensing the output light with the photosensing component to obtain sensing results that depend on the laterally varying intensity function; and
using the sensing results to distinguish at least one of the objects.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
While objects travel through an optical cavity, the cavity provides output light that is affected by the objects, causing the output light to have a varying intensity function. The output light is photosensed to obtain sensing results that depend on the varying intensity function. The sensing results are used to distinguish at least one object, such as from its environment or from objects of other types. The objects can, for example, be particles or biological cells, and their optical characteristics, such as refractive index or absorption, can affect the output light, so that information about them is included in the output light. The output light can, for example, have a laterally varying intensity function with peaks whose features change due to the objects. The sensing results can also be used to track objects, together with other information, such as about the speed of a fluid that carries the objects through the cavity.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of using apparatus that includes an optical cavity component and a photosensing component;
- the optical cavity component including a light-transmissive region that is partially bounded by first and second light-reflective components such that the light-transmissive region is operable in response to illumination as an optical cavity in which constructive interference occurs in one or more photon energy subranges and destructive interference occurs in other photon energy subranges and that provides output light;
each of the first and second light-reflective components having a respective reflection surface toward the light-transmissive region, the respective reflection surfaces being approximately parallel, the light-transmissive region including positions through which, in operation, objects travel in lateral directions approximately parallel to the reflection surfaces;
the photosensing component receiving output light from the optical cavity;
the method comprising;while objects travel through the light-transmissive region, illuminating the light-transmissive region to operate as an optical cavity in which constructive interference occurs in one or more photon energy subranges and destructive interference occurs in other photon energy subranges, the optical cavity providing output light;
the objects traveling through the light-transmissive region in lateral directions approximately parallel to the reflection surfaces;
the objects affecting the output light, the output light having a laterally varying intensity function that includes information about the objects while the objects travel through the light-transmissive region;photosensing the output light with the photosensing component to obtain sensing results that depend on the laterally varying intensity function; and using the sensing results to distinguish at least one of the objects. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- the optical cavity component including a light-transmissive region that is partially bounded by first and second light-reflective components such that the light-transmissive region is operable in response to illumination as an optical cavity in which constructive interference occurs in one or more photon energy subranges and destructive interference occurs in other photon energy subranges and that provides output light;
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15. A system comprising:
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an optical cavity component that includes a light-transmissive region that is partially bounded by first and second light-reflective components such that the light-transmissive region is operable in response to illumination as an optical cavity in which constructive interference occurs in one or more photon energy subranges and destructive interference occurs in other photon energy subranges and which provides output light;
each of the first and second light-reflective components having a respective reflection surface toward the light-transmissive region, the respective reflection surfaces being approximately parallel;
the light-transmissive region including positions through which, in operation, objects travel in lateral directions approximately parallel to the reflection surfaces, the objects affecting the output light, the output light having a laterally varying intensity function that includes information about the objects while the objects travel through the light-transmissive region;a light source component that, in operation, illuminates the light-transmissive region so that it operates as an optical cavity; a photosensing component that photosenses the output light to obtain sensing results that depend on the laterally varying intensity function; and an object distinguishing component that uses the sensing results to distinguish at least one of the objects. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of using apparatus that includes an optical cavity component and a photosensing component;
- the optical cavity component including a light-transmissive region that is operable as a transmissive optical cavity;
the photosensing component receiving output light from the optical cavity;
the method comprising;while objects travel through the light transmissive region, illuminating the light-transmissive region;
in response, the light-transmissive region operating as a transmissive optical cavity that provides output light;
the objects affecting the output light, the output light having a laterally varying intensity function that includes information about the objects while the objects travel through the light-transmissive region;with the photosensing component, photosensing the output light to obtain sensing results that depend on the laterally varying intensity function, the sensing results including information about the objects; and using the sensing results to distinguish at least one of the objects;
the act of using the sensing results comprising;using the information about the objects to distinguish at least one of the objects.
- the optical cavity component including a light-transmissive region that is operable as a transmissive optical cavity;
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25. A system comprising:
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an optical cavity component that includes a light-transmissive region through which objects travel, the light-transmissive region being operable as a transmissive optical cavity that provides output light in response to illumination, the objects affecting the output light, the output light having a laterally varying intensity function that includes information about the objects while the objects travel through the cavity; a light source component that illuminates the light-transmissive region so that it operates as the transmissive optical cavity and provides the output light having the laterally varying intensity function; a photosensing component that photosenses the output light to obtain sensing results that depend on the laterally varying intensity function, the sensing results including information about the objects; and an object distinguishing component that uses the sensing results, the object distinguishing component using the information about the objects to distinguish at least one of the objects.
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26. A method of using apparatus that includes an optical cavity component and a photosensing component;
- the optical cavity component including a light-transmissive region that is operable as an optical cavity;
the photosensing component receiving output light from the optical cavity;
the method comprising;while objects travel through the light-transmissive region in a medium, operating the light-transmissive region as an optical cavity that provides output light;
objects of one or more trackable types affecting output light provided by the cavity so that it is different than the cavity would provide if no objects were in the medium;
the output light having a varying intensity function while the objects travel through the cavity;
the varying intensity function including information about the objects of the trackable types;with the photosensing component, photosensing the output light to obtain sensing results that depend on the varying intensity function, the sensing results including information about the objects of the trackable types; and using the sensing results to track a set of the objects of the trackable types and to distinguish at least one of the tracked objects;
the act of using the sensing results comprising;using the information about the objects of the trackable types to distinguish at least one of the tracked objects.
- the optical cavity component including a light-transmissive region that is operable as an optical cavity;
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27. A method of using apparatus that includes an optical cavity component and a photosensing component;
- the optical cavity component including a light-transmissive region that is partially bounded by first and second light-reflective components such that the light-transmissive region is operable as an optical cavity that provides output light;
each of the first and second light-reflective components having a respective reflection surface toward the light-transmissive region, the respective reflection surfaces being approximately parallel;
the photosensing component receiving output light from the optical cavity;
the method comprising;while objects travel through the light-transmissive region in a medium, operating the light-transmissive region as an optical cavity in which constructive interference occurs in one or more photon energy subranges and destructive interference occurs in other photon energy subranges, the optical cavity providing output light;
the objects traveling through the light-transmissive region in lateral directions approximately parallel to the reflection surfaces;
objects of one or more trackable types affecting output light provided by the cavity so that it is different than the cavity would provide if no objects were in the medium;
the output light having a varying intensity function that includes information about the objects while the objects travel through the light-transmissive region;photosensing the output light with the photosensing component to obtain sensing results that depend on the varying intensity function; and using the sensing results to track a set of the objects of the trackable types and to distinguish at least one of the tracked objects. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
- the optical cavity component including a light-transmissive region that is partially bounded by first and second light-reflective components such that the light-transmissive region is operable as an optical cavity that provides output light;
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37. A method of using apparatus that includes an optical cavity component and a photosensing component;
- the optical cavity component including a light-transmissive region that is operable as an optical cavity that provides output light;
the photosensing component receiving output light from the optical cavity;
the method comprising;while objects travel through the light-transmissive region, operating the light-transmissive region as an optical cavity that provides output light;
each of the objects having an absorption characteristic and/or a refractive index characteristic;
the objects affecting the output light, the output light having a varying intensity function that is affected by each object'"'"'s absorption characteristic and/or refractive index characteristic while the object travels through the light-transmissive region;photosensing the output light to obtain sensing results that include information about each object'"'"'s absorption characteristic and/or refractive index characteristic; and using the sensing results to distinguish at least one of the objects;
the act of using the sensing results comprising;using the information about absorption characteristic and/or refractive index characteristic to distinguish at least one of the objects; the cavity being one of; (1) a transmissive cavity, illuminated to provide output light with the varying intensity function, wherein at least one of; (a) the varying intensity function is a laterally varying intensity function; and (b) the sensing results are used to track a set of the objects that are of one or more trackable types;
the information about absorption characteristic and/or refractive index characteristic being used to distinguish at least one of the tracked objects; and(2) an emitting cavity operated to provide output light with the varying intensity function;
the objects being of one or more trackable types;
the sensing results being used to track a set of the objects of the trackable types;
the information about absorption characteristic and/or refractive index characteristic being used to distinguish at least one of the tracked objects. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
- the optical cavity component including a light-transmissive region that is operable as an optical cavity that provides output light;
Specification