IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0468096
(2012-05-10)
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등록번호 |
US-8587776
(2013-11-19)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Maryfield, Tony
- Trissel, Richard
- Robinson, David A.
- Parry, Robert William
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
3 |
초록
▼
Techniques are disclosed for sensing a location of laser and/or other optical signals. According to certain embodiments of the invention, an electro-optical assembly can include a detector array coupled to one or more lenses for detecting the signals. Outputs of the photo detectors can be processed
Techniques are disclosed for sensing a location of laser and/or other optical signals. According to certain embodiments of the invention, an electro-optical assembly can include a detector array coupled to one or more lenses for detecting the signals. Outputs of the photo detectors can be processed using peak detection and/or other techniques to conserve power, help ensure detection, and avoid the need for moving parts.
대표청구항
▼
1. An electro-optical assembly comprising: one or more optical lenses;a plurality of photo detectors configured to receive incoming light that passes through the one or more optical lenses;electrical circuitry configured to, for each of the plurality of photo detectors: generate a signal based on an
1. An electro-optical assembly comprising: one or more optical lenses;a plurality of photo detectors configured to receive incoming light that passes through the one or more optical lenses;electrical circuitry configured to, for each of the plurality of photo detectors: generate a signal based on an output of the photo detector;determine a maximum value of the signal for a certain period of time; andconvert the maximum signal value to a digital signal; anda processing unit configured to: receive the digital signal of each of the plurality of photo detectors; anddetermine a direction of the incoming light based, at least in part, on the received digital signals of the plurality of photo detectors. 2. The electro-optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more optical lenses comprise at least one of silicon (Si), optical glass, indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), or germanium (Ge). 3. The electro-optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuitry configured to generate the signal comprises a transimpedance amplifier (TIA). 4. The electro-optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuitry configured to determine the maximum value of the signal is a peak hold reset (PHR) circuit. 5. The electro-optical assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of photo detectors comprises at least one of an avalanche photodiode (APD) or a PIN photodiode. 6. The electro-optical assembly of claim 1, further comprising a spectral filter configured to reject or pass at least a portion of the incoming light before the incoming light reaches the plurality of photo detectors. 7. The electro-optical assembly of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of photo detectors comprises a first substrate;the electrical circuitry comprises a second substrate coupled with the first substrate. 8. The electro-optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more optical lenses comprises a single optical lens coupled with the plurality of photo detectors. 9. The electro-optical assembly of claim 1, further comprising electrical circuitry configured to, for each of the plurality of photo detectors, increase an amplitude of the signal based on the output of the photo detector if an amplitude of the signal is below a certain threshold level. 10. The electro-optical assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of photo detectors has a width of about 200 microns and a length of about 200 microns. 11. The electro-optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of photo detectors are disposed on a substrate and configured to receive the incoming light after the incoming light passes through the substrate. 12. A method for detecting an optical signal, the method comprising: receiving the optical signal through one or more optical lenses;using a plurality of photo detectors to detect the optical signal after the optical signal passes through the one or more optical lenses;generating a plurality of electrical signals, wherein each signal corresponds with an output of each of the plurality of photo detectors;determining, for a certain period of time, a maximum value of each of the plurality of signals;converting each maximum value to a digital signal; andcalculating, with a processing unit, a direction of the optical signal based, at least in part, on the received digital signals of the plurality of photo detectors. 13. The method for detecting the optical signal of claim 12, wherein generating the plurality of signals comprises converting a plurality of currents into the plurality of voltages. 14. The method for detecting the optical signal of claim 12, further comprising using a spectral filter configured to allow at least a portion of the optical signal having a wavelength of about 1.5 microns to reach at least a portion of the plurality of photo detectors. 15. The method for detecting the optical signal of claim 12, wherein calculating the direction of the optical signal comprises determining which of the plurality of photo detectors received detected the optical signal with an amplitude above a certain threshold. 16. The method for detecting the optical signal of claim 12, wherein generating the plurality of signals comprises using circuitry on a different substrate than a substrate on which the plurality of photo detectors is disposed. 17. A method of manufacturing an electro-optical assembly, the method comprising: providing one or more optical lenses;coupling a plurality of photo detectors to the one or more optical lenses such that the plurality of photo detectors are configured to receive incoming light that passes through the one or more optical lenses;coupling electrical circuitry to the plurality of photo detectors, wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to, for each of the plurality of photo detectors: generate a signal based on an output of the photo detector;determine a maximum value of the signal for a certain period of time; andconvert the maximum value to a digital signal; andcoupling a processing unit to the electrical circuitry, wherein the processing unit is configured to: receive the digital signal of each of the plurality of photo detectors; anddetermine a direction of the incoming light based, at least in part, on the received digital signals of the plurality of photo detectors. 18. The method of manufacturing the electro-optical assembly of claim 17, further comprising coupling a spectral filter to the one or more optical lenses such that the spectral filter passes or rejects at least a portion of the incoming light. 19. The method of manufacturing the electro-optical assembly of claim 17, wherein coupling the electrical circuitry to the plurality of photo detectors comprises coupling the electrical circuitry disposed on a first substrate to the plurality of photo detectors disposed on a second substrate. 20. The method of manufacturing the electro-optical assembly of claim 17, wherein coupling the plurality of photo detectors to the one or more optical lenses comprises configuring the plurality of photo detectors to receive the incoming light after the incoming light passes through a substrate on which the plurality of photo detectors is disposed.
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