Light angle selecting light detector device

• US 8,619,249 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Meijer, Eduard Johannes, Vergeer, Peter, Hikmet, Rifat Ata Mustafa
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Sang
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKANBI, ISIAKA O
• Application Number:
  US12/738,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20100238430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• Field of Search: 356/138, 356/139.02, 356/450, 356/121, 356/620, 356/222, 250/505.1
• US Class Current: 356/138
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0214 Constructional arrangements for removing stray light
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0437 using masks, aperture plates, spatial light modulators, spatial filters, e.g. reflective filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/06 Restricting the angle of incident light
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7835 using coding masks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

This invention relates to a light angle selecting light detector device comprising a detector unit which is arranged to receive light selected by a selector unit. The device comprising at least one set of light passing areas. Each set of light passing areas consists of a first light passing area having a first size, which first light passing area is located on a first surface, and a second light passing area having a second size, which second light passing area is located on a second surface. The first light passing area and the second light passing area are arranged with a lateral displacement and form a light path from the first surface to the second surface for light having an incident angle between a maximum angle and a minimum angle.

Claims

1. A light angle selecting light detector device comprising

a selector unit and

a detector unit arranged to receive light selected by said selector unit, wherein said selector unit comprises

a non-transparent body having a first surface and a second surface,

said first and second surfaces being substantially parallel to each other and vertically separated by a distance,

said device comprising at least one light path defined by a cavity spanning from a first light passing area having a first size arranged at said first surface to a second light passing area with a second size arranged at said second surface and surrounded by said non-transparent body,

said first light passing area and said second light passing area being arranged with a lateral displacement,

wherein said light path allows light having an incident angle between a maximum angle and a minimum angle, determined by said first and second size, said lateral displacement, and said distance, pass through said selector unit.

2. A device according to claim 1, comprising at least two sets of light passing areas, which have different lateral displacements.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said lateral displacement for at least one set of light passing areas is variable.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first and second sizes for at least one set of light passing areas are variable.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first and second sizes for at least one set of light passing areas are equal.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said light detector unit comprises a light sensor array.

7. A device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one interference filter.

8. A device according to claim 6, wherein

said selector unit comprises a pixelated optical modulator comprising said first surface and

said light detector unit comprises said second surface,

wherein said first and second light passing areas are realized with a first and second set of pixels, located in said pixelated optical modulator and said light detector unit, respectively,

wherein said optical modulator is capable of switching the pixels between a transparent state and a non-transparent state, and

wherein said second set of pixels are addressable light sensor elements or light element pixels.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein said optical modulators are selected from a group consisting of:

liquid crystal modulators, electrophoretic modulators, and optical modulators based on electrowetting.

10. A device according to claim 8, wherein said selector unit and said detector unit are optically coupled.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein

said selector unit comprises a first pixelated optical modulator comprising said first surface, and

a second pixelated optical modulator comprising said second surface,

wherein said first and second light passing areas for said at least one sets of light passing areas are realized with a first and second set of pixels, located in said first and said second modulators, respectively,

wherein said first and second pixelated modulators are capable of switching the pixels between a transparent state and a non-transparent state.

12. A method for manufacturing a light angle selecting light detector comprising the steps of:

providing a detector unit;

providing a selector unit in a non-transparent material, said selector unit having a first surface and a second surface arranged in parallel and having a distance between each other;

arranging in said selector unit at least one light path formed as a cavity spanning from a first light passing area having a first area size arranged at said first surface to a second light passing area with a second size arranged at said second surface, wherein said first light passing area and said second light passing area are arranged with a lateral displacement;

assembling said detector unit so as to receive light selected by said selector unit;

wherein said selector unit includes a pixelated optical modulator,

said detector unit is pixelated and constitute a part of said selector unit such that said second surface is arranged on said pixelated detector unit,

wherein said first and second light passing areas for said at least one sets of light passing areas are realized with a first and second set of pixels located in said pixelated optical modulator and said light detector unit, respectively,

wherein said optical modulator is capable of switching the pixels between a transparent state and a non-transparent state, and

wherein said first and second light passing areas are arranged to have a first and a second size, wherein said first size is different from said second size.

13. A method for manufacturing a light angle selecting light detector comprising the steps of:

providing a detector unit;

providing a selector unit in a non-transparent material, said selector unit having a first surface and a second surface arranged in parallel and having a distance between each other;

arranging in said selector unit at least one light path formed as a cavity spanning from a first light passing area having a first area size arranged at said first surface to a second light passing are with a second size arranged at said second surface,

wherein said first light passing area and said second light passing area are arranged with a lateral displacement;

assembling said detector unit so as to receive light selected by said selector unit;

wherein said selector unit includes a first pixelated optical modulator forming said first surface, and a second pixelated optical modulator forming said second surface,

wherein said first and second pixelated modulators are capable of switching between a transparent state and a non-transparent state,

wherein said first and second light passing areas for said at least one sets of light passing areas are realized with a first and second set of pixels, located in said first and second modulators, respectively.