Light detection circuit for ambient light and proximity sensor

• US 7,960,699 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eminence Electronic Technology Pvt. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Eminence Electronic Technology Pvt. Ltd.
• Inventors: Canfield, John, Zhang, Chongmei, Chang, Tom, Grzegorek, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Kiho
• Application Number:
  US12/589,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20100102230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 2503381-3385, 250/200, 2502011-2019, 257/227, 257/223, 257/749, 257/E31.001, 257/E41.054, 438/585
• US Class Current: 250/338.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/32 adapted for automatic variation of the measured or reference value regulation of light intensity G05D25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/44 Electric circuits for command of an exposure part G03B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14647 Multicolour imagers having a stacked pixel-element structure, e.g. npn, npnpn or MQW elements

Abstract

A circuit for implementing an ambient light sensing mode and a proximity sensing mode includes a first light sensor that is more sensitive to light in the infrared spectrum than to light in the visible spectrum and a light source that emits light in the infrared spectrum. The circuit further includes a second light sensor that is sensitive to light in the visible spectrum and a controller coupled to the first light sensor, the light source, and the second light sensor. The controller is configured to process an ambient light level output from the first light sensor without the light source energized with an output from the first light sensor with the light source energized to implement a proximity sensing mode. Further, the controller is configured to process an output from the second light sensor to implement an ambient light sensing mode.

Claims

1. A circuit for implementing an ambient light sensing mode and a proximity sensing mode, comprising:

a first light sensor that is more sensitive to light in the infrared spectrum than to light in the visible spectrum;

a light source that emits light in the infrared spectrum;

a second light sensor that is sensitive to light in the visible spectrum; and

a controller coupled to the first light sensor, the light source, and the second light sensor;

wherein the controller is configured to process an ambient light level output from the first light sensor without the light source energized with an output from the first light sensor with the light source energized to implement the proximity sensing mode, and

wherein the controller is configured to process an output from the second light sensor to implement the ambient light sensing mode.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the first light sensor includes a P-type substrate with an N-type well formed over the P-type substrate, an N+ doped region disposed within the N-type well, P+ doped regions disposed on opposing sides of the N-type well, and a poly silicon layer over the P-type substrate.

3. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the second light sensor models a typical human visual system response to visible light intensity and includes a P-type substrate with an N-type well formed over the P-type substrate, an N+ doped region and a P+ doped region disposed within the N-type well, a P-type terminal disposed on a side of the N-type well, and a dielectric layer disposed over the P-type substrate.

4. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the second light sensor includes a Visible+IR light sensor that is sensitive to both visible light and infrared light, and wherein the controller is configured to process outputs from the first light sensor and the Visible+IR light sensor to model a typical human visual system response to visible light intensity for the ambient light sensing mode.

5. The circuit of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to utilize a mathematic function to produce an output that models the typical human visual system response to visible light intensity from the outputs from the first sensor and the Visible+IR sensor in the form of Z=f(X, Y), wherein X is the output from the first sensor, Y is the output from the Visible+IR sensor, and Z is a resulting parameter that models the typical human visual system response to visible light intensity.

6. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a third sensor with a metal layer disposed thereover, wherein the controller is configured to process an output of the third sensor to obtain a dark current reference value and to process the dark current reference value with the outputs from the first and second sensors to compensate for temperature effects and other noise conditions.

7. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising one or more adjustable gain amplifiers coupled to one or more of the first and second sensors to improve the sensitivity of such sensors.

8. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to alternatingly implement the proximity sensing mode and the ambient light sensing mode in an adjustable ratio to conserve power consumption.

9. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to process outputs from the first light sensor before and after the light source is energized to obtain the ambient light level output and to compare the ambient light level output with the output from the first light sensor when the light source is energized to determine if the first light sensor has detected an object in proximity thereto.

10. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to compare the ambient light level output with the output from the first light sensor with the light source energized to determine if the first light sensor has detected an object in proximity thereto only if the ambient light level output is higher than a threshold value.

11. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a difference between the ambient light level output and the output from the first light sensor when the light source is energized and to compare such difference to a threshold value to determine if the first light sensor has detected an object in proximity thereto.

12. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect light intensity as a function of time, to identify a period during which light modulation due to noise is a minimum, and to compare the light intensity and a rate of change of the light intensity to threshold values, and further wherein the controller is configured to implement the proximity sensing and ambient light sensing modes only when light modulation due to noise is a minimum and when the light intensity and rate of change exceed the threshold values.

13. A light sensor circuit, comprising:

a light sensor and one or more calibration sensors disposed around the light sensor, wherein the light sensor is coupled to an output pin and a bias voltage is applied to the one or more calibration sensors to enhance the sensitivity of the light sensor; and

a guard ring disposed around the light sensor and the one or more calibration sensors.

14. The light sensor circuit of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of calibration sensors that surround the light sensor.

15. The light sensor circuit of claim 13, wherein the guard ring primarily comprises a P+ doped layer.

16. A circuit that models a typical human visual system response to visible light intensity, comprising:

a first light sensor that is sensitive to both visible light and infrared light,

a second light sensor that is more sensitive to light in the infrared spectrum than to light in the visible spectrum;

a controller coupled to the first and second light sensors to process the outputs from the first and second light sensors to model the typical human visual system response to visible light intensity,

wherein the second sensor includes a P-type substrate with an N-type well formed over the P-type substrate, an N+ doped region disposed within the N-type well, P+ doped regions disposed on opposing sides of the N-type well, and a poly silicon layer over the P-type substrate.

17. The circuit of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to utilize a mathematic function to produce an output that models the typical human visual system response to visible light intensity from the outputs from the first sensor and the second sensor in the form of Z=f(X, Y), wherein X is the output from the first sensor, Y is the output from the second sensor, and Z is a resulting parameter that models the typical human visual system response to visible light intensity.

18. The circuit of claim 16, further comprising a third sensor with a metal layer thereover, wherein the controller is configured to process the output of the third sensor to obtain a dark current reference value and to process the dark current reference value with the outputs from the first and second sensors to compensate for temperature effects and other noise conditions.