Measuring apparatus and measuring method

• US 8,482,742 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Iwawaki, Takanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Gregory J
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLI, IYABO
• Application Number:
  US12/696,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20100201987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 356 39- 42, 356432-436, 356445-448, 356337-343, 356/416, 600/309, 600/310, 600322-323, 600/364, 600/407, 600/473, 600/475, 600/476, 600/477
• US Class Current: 356/601
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/274 Calibration, base line adjustment, drift correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/49 within a body or fluid

Abstract

A measuring apparatus includes a filter that transmits light of a predetermined wavelength; a first light receiving unit receives at least one of a first light that is output from a first light source, reflected by or transmitted through an object to be measured, and transmitted through the filter and a second light that is output from a second light source, reflected by or transmitted through the object to be measured, and transmitted through the filter, and through which a signal according to the received light travels; a second light receiving unit receives light of a different path from that received by the first light receiving unit; a difference extracting unit that obtains a difference signal between the signals traveling through the first and second light receiving units and an information generating unit that generates information of the object to be measured based on the difference signal.

Claims

1. A measuring apparatus comprising:

a filter that transmits light of a predetermined wavelength;

a first light receiving unit which receives a first light that is output from a first light source, reflected by or transmitted through an object to be measured, and transmitted through the filter and a second light that is output from a second light source, reflected by or transmitted through the object to be measured, and transmitted through the filter, and through which a first signal in response to the received first and second lights travels;

a second light receiving unit which receives light of a different path from the light received by the first light receiving unit, and through which a second signal in response to the received light travels;

a difference extracting unit that obtains a difference signal between the first signal traveling through the first light receiving unit and the second signal traveling through the second light receiving unit; and

an information generating unit that generates information of the object to be measured based on the signal obtained from the difference extracting unit.

2. The measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first light receiving unit receives a first reflected light that is output from the first light source, reflected by the object to be measured, and transmitted through the filter and a second reflected light that is output from the second light source, reflected by the object to be measured, and transmitted through the filter;

and

the second light receiving unit receives a third reflected light that is output from the second light source, reflected by the object to be measured, and transmitted through the filter.

3. The measuring apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a second filter that transmits the light having the same wavelength as that of the light transmitted through the filter among the light output from the first light source;

wherein the object to be measured is irradiated with the light that is output from the first light source and transmitted through the second filter.

4. The measuring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the light output from the first light source includes light having a plurality of wavelengths, and

the wavelength of the light that is transmitted through the filter and the second filter is changed in response to an input signal.

5. The measuring apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein;

the filter has a first filter and a second filter;

the first filter transmits the light of an assigned wavelength among the light that is output from the first light source and transmitted through the object to be measured and the light that is output from the second light source and transmitted through the object to be measured;

the second filter transmits the light of a determined wavelength among scattered light that is output from the first light source and transmitted through the object to be measured and the light that is output from the second light source and transmitted through the object to be measured;

the first light receiving unit receives the light that is transmitted through the first filter;

the second light receiving unit receives the light that is transmitted through the second filter;

the measuring apparatus includes a control unit that assigns a wavelength to the first filter and controls the first light source;

the control unit controls the first light source so that no light is output from the first light source, and stores in a storage unit the first signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the wavelength that is assigned to the first filter by the control unit is longer than the wavelength of the light that is transmitted through the second filter;

the control unit controls the first light source so that the light is output from the first light source, and stores in the storage unit the second signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the wavelength that is assigned to the first filter by the control unit is longer than the wavelength of the light that is transmitted through the second filter;

the control unit stores in the storage unit a third signal that indicates the difference between the first signal and the second signal that are stored in the storage unit;

the control unit controls the first light source so that the light is output from the first light source, and includes a correcting unit that corrects the signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the wavelength that is assigned to the first filter by the control unit is equal to the wavelength of the light that is transmitted through the second filter with the third signal that is stored in the storage unit; and

the information generating unit generates information of the object to be measured from the signal corrected by the correcting unit.

6. The measuring apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the measuring apparatus includes the first light source;

the filter has a first filter and a second filter;

the first filter transmits the light of an assigned wavelength among the light that is output from the first light source and reflected by the object to be measured and the light that is output from the second light source and reflected by the object to be measured;

the second filter transmits the light of a determined wavelength among scattered light that is output from the first light source and reflected by the object to be measured and the light that is output from the second light source and reflected by the object to be measured;

the first light receiving unit receives the light that is transmitted through the first filter;

the second light receiving unit receives the light that is transmitted through the second filter;

the measuring apparatus includes a control unit that assigns a wavelength to the first filter and controls the first light source;

the control unit controls the first light source so that no light is output from the first light source, and stores in a storage unit the first signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the wavelength that is assigned to the first filter by the control unit is longer than the wavelength of the light that is transmitted through the second filter;

the control unit controls the first light source so that the light is output from the first light source, and stores in the storage unit the second signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the wavelength that is assigned to the first filter by the control unit is longer than the wavelength of the light that is transmitted through the second filter;

the control unit stores in the storage unit a third signal that indicates the difference between the first signal and the second signal that are stored in the storage unit;

the control unit controls the first light source so that the light is output from the first light source, and includes a correcting unit that corrects the signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the wavelength that is assigned to the first filter by the control unit is equal to the wavelength of the light that is transmitted through the second filter with the third signal that is stored in the storage unit; and

the information generating unit generates information of the object to be measured from the signal corrected by the correcting unit.

7. The measuring apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a third filter that transmits light of a predetermined wavelength;

wherein the wavelength of the light transmitted through the second filter is equal to the wavelength of the light transmitted through the third filter; and

the light output from the first light source is transmitted through the third filter and output to the object to be measured.

8. The measuring apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a third filter that transmits light of a predetermined wavelength;

wherein the wavelength of the light transmitted through the second filter is equal to the wavelength of the light transmitted through the third filter; and

the light output from the first light source is transmitted through the third filter and output to the object to be measured.

9. The measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light output from the first light source includes light having a plurality of wavelengths.

10. The measuring apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein;

the first light receiving unit receives measuring light that is output from the first light source, transmitted through the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter and the light that is output from the second light source, transmitted through the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter; and

the second light receiving unit receives scattered light that is output from the first light source, transmitted through the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter and the light that is output from the second light source, transmitted through the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter;

the measuring apparatus includes a control unit that controls the first light source and the first light receiving unit;

the control unit controls the first light source so that no light is output from the first light source, and stores in a storage unit the first signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the first light receiving unit is controlled by the control unit so that the first light receiving unit does not respond to the light;

the control unit controls the first light source so that the light is output from the first light source, and stores in the storage unit the second signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the first light receiving unit is controlled by the control unit so that the first light receiving unit does not respond to the light;

the control unit stores in the storage unit a third signal that indicates the difference between the first signal and the second signal that are stored in the storage unit;

the control unit controls the first light source so that the light is output from the first light source, and includes a correcting unit that corrects the signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the first light receiving unit is controlled by the control unit so that the first light receiving unit responds to the light with the third signal that is stored in the storage unit; and

the information generating unit generates information of the object to be measured from the signal corrected by the correcting unit.

11. The measuring apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the measuring apparatus includes the first light source;

the first light receiving unit receives measuring light that is output from the first light source, reflected by the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter and the light that is output from the second light source, reflected by the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter;

the second light receiving unit receives scattered light that is output from the first light source, reflected by the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter and the light that is output from the second light source, reflected by the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter;

the measuring apparatus includes a control unit that controls the first light source and the first light receiving unit;

the control unit controls the first light source so that no light is output from the first light source, and stores in a storage unit the first signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the first light receiving unit is controlled by the control unit so that the first light receiving unit does not respond to the light;

the control unit controls the first light source so that the light is output from the first light source, and stores in the storage unit the second signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the first light receiving unit is controlled by the control unit so that the first light receiving unit does not respond to the light;

the control unit stores in the storage unit, a third signal that indicates the difference between the first signal and the second signal that are stored in the storage unit;

the control unit controls the first light source so that the light is output from the first light source, and includes a correcting unit that corrects the signal that is obtained from the difference extracting unit when the first light receiving unit is controlled by the control unit so that the first light receiving unit responds to the light with the third signal that is stored in the storage unit; and

the information generating unit generates information of the object to be measured from the signal corrected by the correcting unit.

12. The measuring apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a second filter that transmits the light having the same wavelength as that of the light transmitted through the filter;

wherein the object to be measured is irradiated with the light that is output from the first light source and transmitted through the second filter.

13. The measuring apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a second filter that transmits the light having the same wavelength as that of the light transmitted through the filter;

wherein the object to be measured is irradiated with the light that is output from the first light source and transmitted through the second filter.

14. A measuring method comprising:

receiving a first light that is output from a first light source, reflected by or transmitted through an object to be measured, and transmitted through a filter that transmits light of a predetermined wavelength and a second light that is output from a second light source, reflected by or transmitted through the object to be measured, and transmitted through the filter by a first light receiving unit, and sending a first signal in response to the received first and the second lights through the first light receiving unit;

receiving by a second light receiving unit, light of a different path from the light received by the first light receiving unit, and sending a second signal in response to the received light through the second light receiving unit;

obtaining a difference signal between the first signal traveling through the first light receiving unit and the second signal traveling through the second light receiving unit by a difference extracting unit; and

generating information of the object to be measured based on the signal obtained from the difference extracting unit by an information generating unit.

15. The measuring method according to claim 14, further comprising:

stopping an output of light from the first light source that outputs the light to the object to be measured;

assigning firstly a predetermined first wavelength to a first filter which the light that is output from the first light source and transmitted through the object to be measured and the light that is output from the second light source and transmitted through the object to be measured can reach and which transmits the light of the assigned wavelength;

storing firstly a difference signal between the first signal output from the first light receiving unit that outputs the first signal according to the light transmitted through the first filter and the second signal output from the second light receiving unit that outputs the second signal according to the light transmitted through a second filter which scattered light that is output from the first light source and transmitted through the object to be measured and the light that is output from the second light source and transmitted through the object to be measured can reach and which transmits the light of a second wavelength that is output from the first light source;

outputting the light from the first light source;

storing secondly a difference signal between the signal output from the first light receiving unit and the signal output from the second light receiving unit as a step following the outputting step;

storing thirdly a difference signal between the signal stored in the first storing step and the signal stored in the second storing step;

assigning secondly the second wavelength to the first filter; and

correcting the difference signal between the first signal output from the first light receiving unit and the second signal output from the second light receiving unit with the signal that is stored in the third storing step as a step following the second assigning step;

wherein the information of the object to be measured is generated from the signal corrected in the correction step.

16. The measuring method according to claim 14, further comprising:

stopping an output of light from the first light source that outputs the light to the object to be measured;

assigning firstly a predetermined first wavelength to a first filter which the light that is output from the first light source and reflected by the object to be measured and the light that is output from the second light source and reflected by the object to be measured can reach and which transmits the light of the assigned wavelength;

storing firstly a difference signal between the first signal output from the first light receiving unit that outputs the first signal according to the light transmitted through the first filter and the second signal output from the second light receiving unit that outputs the second signal according to the light transmitted through the second filter which scattered light that is output from the first light source and reflected by the object to be measured and the light that is output from the second light source and reflected by the object to be measured can reach and which transmits the light of a second wavelength that is output from the first light source;

outputting the light from the first light source;

storing secondly a difference signal between the signal output from the first light receiving unit and the signal output from the second light receiving unit as a step following the outputting step;

storing thirdly a difference signal between the signal stored in the first storing step and the signal stored in the second storing step;

assigning secondly the second wavelength to the first filter; and

correcting the difference signal between the first signal output from the first light receiving unit and the second signal output from the second light receiving unit with the signal that is stored in the third storing step as a step following the second assigning step;

wherein the information of the object to be measured is generated from the signal corrected in the correction step.

17. The measuring method according to claim 14, further comprising:

stopping an output of light from the first light source that outputs the light to the object to be measured;

controlling firstly the first light receiving unit, which can receive measuring light that is output from the first light source, transmitted through the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter that transmits the light of the predetermined wavelength and the light that is output from the second light source, transmitted through the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter and which outputs a signal according to the received light, so that the first light receiving unit does not respond to the light;

storing firstly a difference signal between the signal output from the first light receiving unit and the signal output from the second light receiving unit, which can receive scattered light that is output from the first light source and transmitted through the object to be measured and the light that is output from the second light source and transmitted through the object to be measured and which outputs a signal according to the received light, as a step following the first control step;

outputting the light from the first light source;

storing secondly a difference signal between the signal from the first light receiving unit and the signal from the second light receiving unit as a step following the outputting step;

storing thirdly a difference signal between the signal stored in the first storing step and the signal stored in the second storing step;

controlling secondly the first light receiving unit so that the first light receiving unit responds to the light; and

correcting the difference signal between the first signal from the first light receiving unit and the second signal from the second light receiving unit with the signal that is stored in the third storage step as a step following the second control step;

wherein the information of the object to be measured is generated from the signal corrected in the correction step.

18. The measuring method according to claim 14, further comprising:

stopping an output of light from the first light source that outputs the light to the object to be measured;

controlling firstly the first light receiving unit, which can receive measuring light that is output from the first light source, reflected by the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter that transmits the light of the predetermined wavelength and the light that is output from the second light source, reflected by the object to be measured, and then transmitted through the filter and which outputs a signal according to the received light, so that the first light receiving unit does not respond to the light;

storing firstly a difference signal between the signal output from the first light receiving unit and the signal output from the second light receiving unit, which can receive scattered light that is output from the first light source and reflected by the object to be measured and the light that is output from the second light source and reflected by the object to be measured and which outputs a signal according to the received light, as a step following the first control step;

outputting the light from the first light source;

storing secondly a difference signal between the signal from the first light receiving unit and the signal from the second light receiving unit as a step following the outputting step;

storing thirdly a difference signal between the signal stored in the first storing step and the signal stored in the second storing step;

controlling secondly the first light receiving unit so that the first light receiving unit responds to the light; and

correcting the difference signal between the first signal from the first light receiving unit and the second signal from the second light receiving unit with the signal that is stored in the third storage step as a step following the second control step;

wherein the information of the object to be measured is generated from the signal corrected in the correction step.