# US 10,768,044 B2 · Optical sensor device

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- Number: US 10,768,044 B2
- Document ID: US10768044B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/306,649
- Filed: 2017-05-31
- Published: 2019-05-23
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-06
- Assignees: ams International AG
- Applicants: ams International AG
- Inventors: David Mehrl; Troy Chesler; Eugene G. Dierschke
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768044B2

## CPC

- 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}
- G01J 1/06: Restricting the angle of incident light
- G01J 1/42: using electric radiation detectors (optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10)
- G01J 1/4204: {with determination of ambient light (solar light G01J2001/4266)}
- G01J 1/429: {applied to measurement of ultraviolet light (using counting tubes G01T)}
- G01S 3/783: using amplitude comparison of signals derived from static detectors or detector systems
- G01S 3/7861: {Solar tracking systems}
- G01J 2001/4266: {for measuring solar light}
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES

## Abstract

An optical sensor device comprises a first and a second optical sensor arrangement. In the first optical sensor arrangement at least one optical sensor structure measures the incidence angle of incoming light that is approximately on the main beam axis of a light source. The second optical sensor arrangement comprises at least one optical sensor structure with at least one optical sensor, at least two metal layers and opaque walls optically isolating the optical sensor. An evaluation circuit provides an output signal of the second optical sensor arrangement under the condition that the incidence angle measured by the first optical sensor arrangement lies within a set interval.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical sensor device, comprising:
a first optical sensor arrangement including at least one optical sensor structure, wherein the first optical sensor arrangement is operable to measure an incidence angle of incoming light that is approximately on a main beam axis of a light source;
a second optical sensor arrangement comprising at least one optical sensor structure having:
at least one optical sensor with a light-sensitive surface,
a metal layer structure forming an aperture above the optical sensor including at least two metal layers, one in or above a plane of the optical sensor and the other one stacked further above, and
opaque walls connecting the metal layers and optically isolating the optical sensor; and
an evaluation circuit connected to outputs of the first and the second optical sensor arrangement and operable to provide an output signal of the second optical sensor arrangement under a condition that the incidence angle measured by the first optical sensor arrangement lies within a set interval.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The optical-sensor device according to claim 1,
wherein the at least one optical sensor structure of the first optical sensor arrangement comprises:
at least one additional optical sensor with an additional light-sensitive surface,
an additional metal layer structure forming an additional aperture above the additional optical sensor including at least additional two metal layers, one in or above a plane of the additional optical sensor and the other one stacked further above, and
additional opaque walls connecting the additional metal layers and optically isolating the additional optical sensor; and
wherein the first optical sensor arrangement further comprises at least three further optical sensor structures, wherein the at least three further optical sensor structures are directional, and
wherein the at least three further optical sensor structures are configured to:
detect light incident from at least three different directions, including light with incidence angles different from 90° towards a plane of the additional light-sensitive surface, and
measure an angle between the main beam axis of the light source and a normal of the additional light-sensitive surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The optical-sensor device according to claim 2, wherein the additional light-sensitive surface of the at least one optical sensor structure of the first optical sensor arrangement is oriented perpendicular to the main beam axis of the light source or deviates from this orientation by a given range, and
wherein the evaluation circuit is operable to display a ratio of a signal outputted by the at least three directional optical sensor structures in the first optical sensor arrangement to a signal outputted by the at least one optical sensor structure in the first optical sensor arrangement, which is referred to as the haze index.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the first optical sensor arrangement further comprises at least one further optical sensor structure,
wherein each of the at least one optical sensor structure and the at least one further optical sensor structure of the first optical sensor arrangement comprises:
at least one additional optical sensor with an additional light-sensitive surface,
an additional metal layer structure forming an additional aperture above the additional optical sensor including at least two additional metal layers, one in or above a plane of the additional optical sensor and the other one stacked further above,
additional opaque walls connecting the additional metal layers and optically isolating the additional optical sensor, and
wherein the further optical sensor structure further comprises an opaque layer configured to block light that is incident perpendicular towards the additional light-sensitive surface of the further optical sensor structure, such that the least one optical sensor structure of the first optical sensor arrangement detects direct light and the further optical sensor structure of first optical sensor arrangement detects ambient light, and wherein the haze index is determined by a ratio of output signals of the at least one optical sensor structure and the at least one further optical sensor structure of the first optical sensor arrangement.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The optical sensor device according to claim 4, wherein the evaluation circuit is operable to provide the output signal of the second optical sensor arrangement under the condition that the output signal of the optical sensor structure detecting direct light reaches a maximum value and that the output signal of the optical sensor structure detecting ambient light reaches a minimum value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The optical sensor device according to claim 3, wherein the optical sensor device is configured to correct the output signal of the second optical sensor arrangement according to the haze index.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The optical device according to claim 4, wherein each of the at least one optical sensor structure and the at least one further optical sensor structure of the first optical sensor arrangement comprises color filters above the additional aperture, and
wherein, for each of the at least one optical sensor structure and the at least one further optical sensor structure of the first optical sensor arrangement, the additional aperture is above the additional light-sensitive surface; and
wherein the optical device is configured to determine the color correlated temperature of the incident light.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The optical sensor device according to claim 7, wherein the evaluation circuit is operable to provide the output signal of the second optical sensor arrangement under the condition that the determined color correlated temperature is within a set range.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation circuit is operable to display the incidence angle of the incoming light measured by the first optical sensor arrangement.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein a range of valid values of an output signal of the first optical sensor arrangement can be set.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the optical sensor structures in the first and/or the second optical sensor arrangement are shaped hexagonally and are arranged in a honeycomb structure.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein in the first optical sensor arrangement, the at least one optical sensor structure is covered with an infrared blocking filter.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein in the second optical sensor arrangement, the at least one optical sensor structure is covered with an ultra-violet pass filter.