Transmittting light with lateral variation
First Claim
1. A detection system, comprising:
- a detector comprising at least one layer, the detector including;
a transmission component that includes at least one layer with laterally varying transmission properties, the transmission component configured to, when illuminated with input light, output sub-bands of optical wavelengths at respective positions along an output surface of the transmission component, including at least a first sub-band output at a first position of the transmission component output surface and a second sub-band output at a second position of the transmission component output surface; and
a photosensing component configured to receive the one or more sub-bands of optical wavelengths output by the transmission component and to generate signals in response to the sub-bands of optical wavelengths, including generating a first signal responsive to the first sub-band and a second signal responsive to the second sub-band; and
circuitry configured to determine changes in the first and second signals over time and to generate an output signal that includes information about wavelength changes in the sub-bands output from the transmission.
6 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Input light, such as from an optical sensor or stimulus-wavelength converter, includes one or more light or dark sub-bands. The input light is transmitted, such as through a transmissive layer or transmission component, to obtain effects due to transmission with lateral variation. A detector can, for example, obtain spectral information or other photon energy information about the sub-bands due to lateral variation. For each light or dark sub-band, a transmission component can, for example, provide a respective light or dark spot, and spot position can be used to obtain spectral information such as absolute wavelength or wavelength change. A photosensing component can sense or detect transmitted light or output photons, such as with a photosensor array or a position-sensitive detector. Circuitry can use photosensed quantities to obtain, e.g. a differential signal or information about time of wavelength change.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A detection system, comprising:
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a detector comprising at least one layer, the detector including; a transmission component that includes at least one layer with laterally varying transmission properties, the transmission component configured to, when illuminated with input light, output sub-bands of optical wavelengths at respective positions along an output surface of the transmission component, including at least a first sub-band output at a first position of the transmission component output surface and a second sub-band output at a second position of the transmission component output surface; and a photosensing component configured to receive the one or more sub-bands of optical wavelengths output by the transmission component and to generate signals in response to the sub-bands of optical wavelengths, including generating a first signal responsive to the first sub-band and a second signal responsive to the second sub-band; and circuitry configured to determine changes in the first and second signals over time and to generate an output signal that includes information about wavelength changes in the sub-bands output from the transmission. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. Apparatus comprising:
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a stimulus-wavelength converter that provides light within a photon energy range, the converter providing light in first and second sub-bands of the photon energy range in response to first and second values of a stimulus, respectively; a transmission structure with entry and exit surfaces, the exit surface including first and second positions;
the transmission structure being a layered structure; anda propagation component that propagates light from the converter to the transmission structure'"'"'s entry surface; the transmission structure providing photons at the first and second positions of the exit surface in response to light received at its entry surface; the stimulus wavelength converter, propagation component, and transmission structure being configured so that, due to transmission of light with lateral variation, relative quantities of photons provided at the first and second positions change over time in response to change over time between the first and second sub-bands and to output a signal indicating the change over time. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A detection system, comprising:
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an optical sensor that, when illuminated with a broad band of optical wavelengths, outputs approximately the broad band of optical wavelengths with a dark sub-band; and a detector that includes one or more transmissive layers;
the optical sensor and the detector being configured so that the detector receives light output by the optical sensor and, due to transmission of light with lateral variation, transmits light in at least two sets of wavelengths in the broad band at a respective position of the layers, the detector configured to compare a change over time of positions of the light transmitted in each set of wavelengths to determine wavelength changes of the dark sub-band in the output from the optical sensor responsive to the change over time of the positions of the light transmitted in each set of wavelengths. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification