Avago Technologies Announces Miniature Signal Conditioning IC for Optical Sensors. Avago Technologies has developed a miniature single-chip signal conditioning IC that is claimed to enhance the performance and robustness of optical sensors used for proximity or object detection in consumer and industrial applications. Targeted applications include PDAs, mobile phones, handheld games, notebook computers, vending machines, industrial automation equipment, contactless switches and sanitary automation devices. When used with optical proximity sensors, Avago's APDS-9700 signal conditioning IC provides accurate and robust detection of objects in ambient light and sunlight conditions, and will allow design engineers to package more functionality into those applications where printed circuit board space is limited. As a result, this signal conditioning IC will provide designers with a total solution that offers ease of implementation and cost savings ...

Articles, Papers and References

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1.

A. Sartori, M. Gottardi, F. Maloberti, A. Simoni, and G. Torelli, "Analog-to-digital converters for optical sensor arrays", Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Electronics, Circuits, and Systems (ICECS `96) , Rhodes, Greece, pp. 939-942, 1996.

Abstract - The main goal of the ESPIRIT project "Microintegrated Intelligent Optical Sensor Systems" (MInOSS) was to investigate a design methodology for optical sensor systems. This methodology was applied to the design of a library of modules and general building blocks in standard CMOS technology aimed at making the design of future optical sensors easier. A set of demonstrators was developed, including a linear array of sensors for spectrophotometry and a number of 2D sensor array for use in "intelligent" digital cameras. The main results of the project to be reviewed in this paper include library photodiode arrays and charge amplifiers; three-step flash and algorithmic analog-to-digital converters for on-chip conversion; the linear and 2D intelligent sensor architectures which were developed; and guidelines for the practical design of photosensors and pixel arrays in a mixed analogue/digital/optical environment.

2.

A. Sartori, M. Gottardi, P. Lee, F. Maloberti, P. O'Leary, A. Simoni, and G. Torelli, "The MInOSS Project", Proceedings of EurOpto Series - Advanced Focal Plane Arrays and Electronic Cameras , Berlin, Germany, pp. 25-35, 1996.

Abstract - The use of CMOS technology allows the monolithic integration of photosensor arrays together with analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion circuits. The structure of the array can be exploited to increase the connectivity between the sensor and the converter, which are in close coupling. Both single-converter per array and multiple-converter per array approaches are therefore possible. This paper presents a comparative study of different A/D conversion architectures incorporated in intelligent optical systems. The presented schemes have been validated by experimental evaluations.

3.

G. Torelli, L. Gonzo, M. Gottardi, F. Maloberti, A. Sartori, and A. Simoni, "Analog-to-digital conversion architectures for intelligent optical sensor arrays", Proceedings of EurOpto Series - Advanced Focal Plane Arrays and Electronic Cameras , Berlin, Germany, pp. 254-264, 1996.

Abstract - This paper presents a comparative analysis of different analog-to-digital conversion architectures optimized for operation in close coupling with optical sensor arrays in the presence of stringent design constraints such as signal and noise levels, conversion rates and physical size of the array. Architectures based on a single converter per array and on multiple converters per array are considered. Measurement results on dedicated converters integrated in experimental chips together with optical arrays have proved the validity of the architectures presented, with different trade-off points in terms of power consumption, conversion rate and spatial uniformity.

4.

J.H. Correia, G.de Graaf, S.H.Kong, M.Bartek and R.F. Wolffenbuttel, Single-Chip CMOS Optical Microspectrometer, In Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators (Transducers '99), Sendai, Japan, 7-10 June, 1999, vol.2, pp.896-899.

5.

G. de Graaf and R.F. Wolffenbuttel, Light-to-Frequency Converter using Integrating Mode Photodiodes, IEEE transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, August 1997, Vol.46, No.4, pp. 933-937.

6.

G. de Graaf, F.R. Riedijk and R.F. Wolffenbuttel, Colour Sensor System with a Frequency Output and an ISS or I2C Bus Interface, Sensors and Actuators, Vol.A61, 1997, pp.441-445.

7.

G. de Graaf and R.F. Wolffenbuttel, Optical Sensors in CMOS with integrated Dual- slope AD conversion, Proc. Eurosensors XI, September 21-24, 1997, Warsaw, Poland, pp. 1129-1132.

McCarthy, S.G., Billingsley, J., and Harris, H. (2000). Listening for Cane Loss, In proceedings of the 7th Annual Conference on Mechatronics and Machine Vision in Practice (M2VIP), September 19-21 2000, Hervey Bay and appeared in the book Billingsley, J. (Ed, 2000). Mechatronics and Machine Vision, pp113-118. Research Studies Press Ltd, Baldock, Hertfordshire, England.

McCarthy, S.G., Billingsley, J., and Harris, H. Where the Sweetness Ends, In Proceedings of the 8th Annual Conference on Mechatronics and Machine Vision in Practice (M2VIP), August 27-29, 2001, Hong Kong.

10.

Gary Bishop, Self-Tracker: A Smart Optical Sensor on Silicon, UNC Computer Science Dissertation TR84-002.

Kimberly A. Thomas, Everett E. Crisman, Otto J. Gregory, and William B. Euler, A Temperature Insensitive Smart Optical Strain Sensor, Proceedings SPIE: Smart Structures and Materials 2000: Smart Systems for Bridges, Structures, and Highways, S. C. Liu, editor, SPIE Press, Belligham, WA, vol. 3988, 2000, 429-439.

J. Kramer, P. Seitz and H. Baltes, An inexpensive real-time 3-D camera with a smart optical sensor, Sensors and Actuators A 31 (1992) 241-244.

J. Kramer, P. Seitz and H. Baltes, Industrial CMOS technology for the integration of optical metrology systems (photo-ASICs), Sensors and Actuators A 34 (1992) 21-30.

Byoungho Lee, Review of the Present Status of Optical Fiber Sensors, Optical Fiber Technology, Vol. 9, Issue 2 , April 2003, Pages 57-79.

Abstract: The current status of optical fiber sensors is reviewed. The optical fiber sensors have certain advantages that include immunity to electromagnetic interference, lightweight, small size, high sensitivity, large bandwidth, and ease in implementing multiplexed or distributed sensors. Strain, temperature and pressure are the most widely studied measurands and the fiber grating sensor represents the most widely studied technology for optical fiber sensors. Fiber-optic gyroscopes and fiber-optic current sensors are good examples of rather mature and commercialized optical fiber sensor technologies. In this paper, among the various fiber-optic sensor technologies, especially, technologies such as fiber grating sensors, fiber-optic gyroscopes, and fiber-optic current sensors are discussed with emphasis on the principles and current status. Today, some success has been found in the commercialization of optical fiber sensors. However, in various fields they still suffer from competition with other mature sensor technologies. However, new ideas are being continuously developed and tested not only for the traditional measurands but also for new applications.

18.

Eric Pinet and Caroline Hamel, Fiber-Optic Sensors Applied to Minimally Invasive Diagnostics and Therapies (Technical Note), 11 January 2007