Low-cost spectrometry system for end-user food analysis
AssigneeVerifood, Ltd.
InventorsDamian Goldring, Dror Sharon
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Abstract
A compact spectrometer is disclosed that is suitable for use in mobile devices such as cellular telephones. In preferred embodiments, the spectrometer comprises a filter, at least one Fourier transform focusing element, a micro-lens array, and a detector, but does not use any dispersive elements. Methods for using the spectrometer as an end-user device for performing on-site determinations of food quality, in particular, by comparison with an updatable database accessible by all users of the device, are also disclosed.
Claims41
A method of obtaining a spectrum of a sample without using dispersive optics, wherein said method comprises:
- providing a sample;
- causing light emanating from said sample to impinge on an optical filter, the center wavelength of which depends on the angle of incidence of the light impinging upon it;
- passing said light to a first Fourier transform focusing element, wherein said step of causing light emanating from said sample to impinge on an optical filter precedes said step of passing said light to a first Fourier transform focusing element, whereby the light passing through said optical filter is angle-encoded according to its wavelength and said light is transformed by said Fourier transform focusing element to be spatially encoded;
- measuring the intensity of light as a function of position in a predetermined plane P1;
- and,
- converting the intensity of light as a function of position in said plane P1 to a spectrum.
A method of obtaining a spectrum of a sample without using dispersive optics, wherein said method comprises:
- providing a sample;
- causing light emanating from said sample to impinge on an optical filter comprising a plurality of sub-filters, the center wavelength of which depends on the angle of incidence of the light impinging upon it;
- passing said light to a first Fourier transform focusing element;
- measuring the intensity of light as a function of position in a predetermined plane P1;
- converting the intensity of light as a function of position in said plane P1 to a spectrum;
- and
- placing a micro-lens array in a predetermined plane P2 oriented such that each micro-lens samples the optical Fourier transform formed at said plane P2, thereby creating a micro-image of the aperture of said optical filter at a predetermined plane P3, and thereby decomposing the sampling points of said optical Fourier transform according to the origin of the light at a particular sub-filter reaching said micro-lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.