Sensing direction and distance
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical sensor comprising:
- a. a rectangular array of at least four photodetector cells of substantially equal size;
b. an opaque mask affixed over said array, said opaque mask defining a substantially rectangular aperture centrally positioned over said at least four photodetector cells for admitting light onto only a portion of the surface of each of said at least four photodetector cells,wherein the optical sensor is configured to determine a bearing angle to a source of the light admitted through the aperture based on a difference in light intensity received at the at least four photodetector cells.
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Abstract
Technology described in this document can be embodied in an optical sensor that includes a rectangular array of at least four photodetector cells of substantially equal size. An opaque mask is affixed over the rectangular array. The opaque mask defines a substantially rectangular aperture for admitting light onto only a portion of the surface of each of the at least four photodetector cells, where the aperture can be centrally positioned over the rectangular array.
20 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An optical sensor comprising:
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a. a rectangular array of at least four photodetector cells of substantially equal size; b. an opaque mask affixed over said array, said opaque mask defining a substantially rectangular aperture centrally positioned over said at least four photodetector cells for admitting light onto only a portion of the surface of each of said at least four photodetector cells, wherein the optical sensor is configured to determine a bearing angle to a source of the light admitted through the aperture based on a difference in light intensity received at the at least four photodetector cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20, 21, 22)
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10. A method for determining the direction of a point-source-like emitter of light comprising:
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a. providing a rectangular array of at least four photodetector cells of substantially equal size and an opaque mask affixed over said array, said opaque mask defining a substantially rectangular aperture for admitting light onto only a portion of the surface of each of said at least four photodetector cells, wherein said aperture is centrally positioned over said rectangular array; and b. determining a bearing angle of a source of light admitted through the aperture onto the surface of said photodetector cells comprising analyzing the intensity of light received on said array from said point-source-like emitter in order to determine a difference in light intensity received at the at least four photodetector cells. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A tracking system comprising:
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a. a transmitting unit comprising an optical emitter; b. a receiving unit comprising an optical sensor adapted to receive signals from said optical emitter, the optical sensor comprising a rectangular array of at least four photodetector cells and an opaque mask having a central rectangular aperture for admitting light onto a portion of the surface of each of said at least four photodetector cells, wherein the optical sensor is configured to determine a bearing angle to a source of the admitted light through the aperture based on a difference in light intensity received at the at least four photodetector cells; a. an acoustic emitter mounted on said transmitting unit or said receiving unit; b. an acoustic receiver mount on a different one of said transmitting unit or said receiving unit from said acoustic emitter; and c. a processor that determines a vector direction and a range between the receiving unit and the transmitting unit based on said received optical and acoustic signals.
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23. A method for determining a vector between a receiving unit and an emitter unit comprising:
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a. receiving, at a receiving unit comprising an array of at least four photodetector cells with an aperture, a first optical signal from a point-source-like emitter attached to a first emitter unit; b. analyzing a pattern on the array of light intensity of the received optical signal from the emitter; c. determining a first coordinate of said vector by determining a difference in light intensity received at a first grouping of cells in said array and at a second grouping of cells in said array; and d. determining a second coordinate of said vector by determining a difference in light intensity received at a third grouping of cells in said array and a fourth grouping of cells in said array. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A tracking system comprising:
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a. a receiving unit comprising an array of at least four photodetector cells with an aperture; b. a first point-source-like emitter; c. a data processing unit adapted to analyze a pattern on the array of light intensity of a received first optical signal from said first emitter, and to determine a first coordinate of a vector between said receiving unit and said first emitter by determining a difference in light intensity received at a first grouping of cells in said array and at a second grouping of cells said array, and to determine a second coordinate of said vector by determining a difference in light intensity received at a third grouping of cells in said array and a fourth grouping of cells in said array. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification