Detection of light for ascertaining color information

• US 9,521,387 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Foltin, Johannes, Sepp, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): OSINSKI, MICHAEL S
• Application Number:
  US14/409,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20150341610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0474 Diffusers cavities G01J2001/0481
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0488 with spectral filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/143 Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7904 using intermediate digital signal processing

Abstract

A sensor is provided for detecting light, including an imager which includes a first imaging element and a second imaging element situated adjacent to the first imaging element, and including an optical element which is designed for directing a first component of light incident in the direction of the first imaging element onto the second imaging element, and for allowing a second component of the light incident in the direction of the first imaging element to strike the first imaging element.

Claims

1. A sensor for detecting light, comprising:

an imager having a first imaging element and a second imaging element situated adjacent to the first imaging element; and

an optical element for directing a first component of light incident in a direction of the first imaging element onto the second imaging element, and for allowing a second component of the light incident in the direction of the first imaging element to strike the first imaging element, wherein;

the first component of light has a first frequency,

the second component of light has a second frequency that is different than the first frequency, and

the optical element includes one of a diffuser and a defocusing device that expands at least one of the first component and the second component.

2. The sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the optical element removes frequency components of the light which are above a threshold.

3. The sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the second imaging element is sensitive to a first color and is not sensitive to a second color, and

the first imaging element is sensitive to the second color.

4. The sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the optical element includes a diffraction structure, situated at a distance from the first and second imaging elements, for diffracting the first component of the light, incident in the direction of the first imaging element, in a direction of the second imaging element.

5. The sensor as recited in claim 4, wherein the diffraction structure of the optical element has one of a lattice structure, a linear structure, and a point structure.

6. The sensor as recited in claim 4, wherein:

the first imaging element and the second imaging element have the same color sensitivity, and

the diffraction structure is a color filter.

7. The sensor as recited in claim 1, wherein the imager is a semiconductor element.

8. A method for detecting light, comprising:

directing a first component of light incident in a direction of a first imaging element onto a second imaging element, the first imaging element being situated adjacent to the second imaging element on an imager;

allowing a second component of the light incident in the direction of the first imaging element to strike the first imaging element;

detecting the first component via the second imaging element; and

detecting the second component via the first imaging element, wherein;

the first component of light has a first frequency,

the second component of light has a second frequency that is different than the first frequency, and

at least one of the first component and the second component is expanded via one of a diffuser and a defocusing device.

9. A method for ascertaining a color information of light detected by a sensor by directing a first component of light incident in a direction of a first imaging element onto a second imaging element, the first imaging element being situated adjacent to the second imaging element on an imager;

allowing a second component of the light incident in the direction of the first imaging element to strike the first imaging element;

detecting the first component via the second imaging element; and

detecting the second component via the first imaging element, the method for ascertaining the color information comprising;

comparing an intensity value of a first image signal of the first imaging element to an intensity value of a second image signal of the second imaging element in order to ascertain the color information, wherein;

the first component of light has a first frequency,

the second component of light has a second frequency that is different than the first frequency, and

at least one of the first component and the second component is expanded via one of a diffuser and a defocusing device.

10. A device for ascertaining a color information of light detected by a sensor by directing a first component of light incident in a direction of a first imaging element onto a second imaging element, the first imaging element being situated adjacent to the second imaging element on an imager;

allowing a second component of the light incident in the direction of the first imaging element to strike the first imaging element;

detecting the first component via the second imaging element; and

detecting the second component via the first imaging element, the device comprising;

an arrangement for comparing an intensity value of a first image signal of the first imaging element to an intensity value of a second image signal of the second imaging element in order to ascertain the color information, wherein;

the first component of light has a first frequency,

the second component of light has a second frequency that is different than the first frequency, and

at least one of the first component and the second component is expanded via one of a diffuser and a defocusing device.

11. A sensor for detecting light, comprising:

an imager having a first imaging element and a second imaging element situated adjacent to the first imaging element; and

an optical element for directing a first component of light incident in a direction of the first imaging element onto the second imaging element, and for allowing a second component of the light incident in the direction of the first imaging element to strike the first imaging element, wherein;

the second imaging element is sensitive to a first color and is not sensitive to a second color,

the first imaging element is sensitive to the second color,

the optical element directs the first component, corresponding to the first color, of the light incident in the direction of the first imaging element onto the second imaging element,

the optical element allows the second component, corresponding to the first color, of the light incident in the direction of the first imaging element to strike the first imaging element, and

the optical element allows a third light component, corresponding to the second color, of the light incident in the direction of the first imaging element to fall completely on the first imaging element.