Light sensor configurations for automatic vehicle equipment control having an integrally formed encapsulant

• US 7,087,893 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Bechtel, Jon H., Ockerse, Harold C.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US11/216,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20060006319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 250/239, 250/216
• US Class Current: 250/239
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0833 Optical rain sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0885 the sensor being integrated in a rear-view mirror module
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0209 Monolithic
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0219 Electrical interface; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0228 Control of working procedures; Failure detection; Spectral bandwidth calculation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0266 Field-of-view determination; Aiming or pointing of a photometer; Adjusting alignment; Encoding angular position; Size of the measurement area; Position tracking; Photodetection involving different fields of view for a single detector
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/04 Optical or mechanical part supplementary adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0403 Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements; Scanning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0407 Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. manifolds, windows, holograms, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0411 using focussing or collimating elements, i.e. lenses or mirrors; Aberration correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0422 using light concentrators, collectors or condensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0474 Diffusers cavities G01J2001/0481
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/18 using comparison with a reference electric value
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/46 using a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4266 : for measuring solar light
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0028 : refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0076 : for use with a detector G02B19/009, G02B19/0095 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/021 : the diffusion taking place at the element's surface, e.g. by means of surface roughening or microprismatic structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0215 : the surface having a regular structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0221 : the surface having an irregular structure G02B5/0226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0242 : by means of dispersed particles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 : used in transmission

Abstract

The inventive sensor device includes a support structure, a sensing element mounted on the support substrate for sensing optical radiation and generating an electrical output signal in response thereto, and an encapsulant encapsulating the sensing element on the support structure. The encapsulant being configured to define a lens portion for focusing incident optical radiation onto an active surface of the sensing element, and an optical radiation collector portion surrounding the lens portion for collecting and redirecting optical radiation that is not incident the lens portion onto the active surface of the sensing element. The collector portion may be a parabolic reflector that reflects incident light by total internal reflection. The sensor device may be incorporated into an assembly including a diffuser positioned across an aperture, and/or may be incorporated into a vehicle accessory such as a rearview mirror assembly.

Claims

1. A vehicle equipment control, comprising:

a sensing element for sensing optical radiation and generating an electrical output signal in response thereto mounted on a support structure;

an encapaulant encapsulating said sensing element on said support structure, said encapsulant being configured to define an integrally formed optical radiation collector portion in physical contact with said sensing element for collecting and redirecting incident optical radiation toward said sensing element; and

a controller configured to generate at least one vehicle equipment control signal as a function of said electrical output signal.

2. The vehicle equipment control of claim 1 wherein said at least one vehicle equipment control signal is configured to interact with vehicle equipment selected from the group comprising:

windshield wiper, moisture sensor, defogger, defroster, heater, air conditioner, climate, head lamp, interior light and rearview mirror element.

3. The vehicle equipment control of claim 1 wherein said sensing element is configured in either a sky sensor, a sun load sensor, an ambient sensor or a glare sensor.

4. The vehicle equipment control of claim 1 wherein said sensing element is configured within a mount selected from;

a rearview mirror assembly, vehicle accessories in the vehicle, vehicle instrument panel, an A-pillar, a sun visor, an overhead console, an overhead console located on the headliner, on the windshield or near the windshield.

5. The vehicle equipment control of claim 1 wherein said sensing element comprises:

a light transducer exposed to light, the light transducer operative to accumulate charge in proportion to light incident over an integration period; and

a sensor logic circuit in communication with the exposed light transducer, the sensor logic circuit operative to output a discrete light signal according to the accumuJated exposed light transducer charge.

6. A vehicle equipment control as in claim 1 further comprising a second sensing element.

7. A vehicle equipment control, comprising:

a first sensing element for sensing optical radiation and generating a first electrical output signal in response thereto mounted on a support structure;

a second sensing element for sensing optical radiation and generating a second electrical output signal in response thereto mounted on a support structure;

an encapsulant encapsulating at least one of said sensing elements on at least one of said support structures, said encapsulant being configured to define an integrally formed optical radiation collector portion in physical contact with said sensing element for collecting and redirecting incident optical radiation toward the given sensing element; and

a controller configured to generate at least one vehicle equipment control signal as a function of at least one of said first electrical output signal and said second electrical output signal.

8. The vehicle equipment control of claim 7 wherein said at least one vehicle equipment control signal is configured to interact with vehicle equipment selected from the group comprising:

windshield wiper, moisture sensor, defogger, defroster, heater, air conditioner, climate, head lamp, interior light and rearview mirror element.

9. The vehicle equipment control of claim 7 wherein said first sensing element is configured in either a sky sensor, a sun load sensor, an ambient sensor or a glare sensor.

10. The vehicle equipment control of claim 7 wherein said second sensing element is configured in either a sky sensor, a sun road sensor, an ambient sensor or a glare sensor.

11. The vehicle equipment control of claim 7 wherein said first sensing element is configured within a mount selected from;

a rearview mirror assembly, vehicle accessories in the vehicle, vehicle instrument panel, an A-pillar, a sun visor, an overhead console, an overhead console located on the headliner, on the windshield or near the windshield.

12. The vehicle equipment control of claim 7 wherein said second sensing element is configured in either a sky sensor, a sun load sensor, an ambient sensor or a glare sensor.

13. The vehicle equipment control of claim 7 wherein said first sensing element comprises:

a light transducer exposed to light, the light transducer operative to accumulate charge in proportion to light incident over an integration period; and

a sensor logic circuit in communication with the exposed light transducer, the sensor logic circuit operative to output a discrete light signal according to the accumulated exposed light transducer charge.

14. The vehicle equipment control of claim 7 wherein said second sensing element comprises:

a light transducer exposed to light, the light transducer operative to accumulate charge in proportion to light incident over an integration period; and

a sensor logic circuit in communication with the exposed light transducer, the sensor logic circuit operative to output a discrete light signal according to the accumulated exposed light transducer charge.

15. A vehicle equipment control, comprising:

at least one sensing element for sensing optical radiation and generating at least one electrical output signal in response thereto mounted on at least one support structure;

an encapsulant encapsulating at least one of said sensing elements on at least one of said support structures, said encapsulant being configured to define an integrally formed optical radiation collector portion in physical contact with said sensing element for collecting and redirecting incident optical radiation toward the given sensing element; and

a controller configured to generate at least one vehicle equipment control signal as a function of at least one of said electrical output signals, wherein at least one vehicle equipment control signal is configured to interact with vehicle equipment selected from the group comprising;

windshield wiper, moisture sensor, defogger, defroster, heater, air conditioner, climate, head lamp, interior light and rearview mirror element.

16. The vehicle equipment control of claim 15 wherein said sensing element is configured in either a sky sensor, a sun load sensor, an ambient sensor or a glare sensor.

17. The vehicle equipment control of claim 15 wherein said sensing element is configured within a mount selected from;

a rearview mirror assembly, vehicle accessories in the vehicle, vehicle instrument panel, an A-pillar, a sun visor, an overhead console, an overhead console located on the headliner, on the windshield or near the windshield.

18. The vehicle equipment control of claim 15 wherein said sensing element comprises:

a light transducer exposed to light, the light transducer operative to accumulate charge in proportion to light incident over an integration period; and

a sensor logic circuit in communication with the exposed light transducer, the sensor logic circuit operative to output a discrete fight signal according to the accumulated exposed light transducer charge.

19. A vehicle equipment control as in claim 15 further comprising a second sensing element.

20. The vehicle equipment control of claim 19 wherein said second sensing element is configured in either a sky sensor, a sun load sensor, an ambient sensor or a glare sensor.