# US 2009/0261237 A1 · Optical sensor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0261237 A1 - Document ID: US20090261237A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/386,643 - Filed: 2009-04-21 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-22 - Assignees: TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Ulrich Backes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090261237A1 ## CPC - B60S 1/0837: {with a particular arrangement of the optical elements} - B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An optical sensor device has a sensor unit which includes a light emitter (24), a light receiver (26), and a lens plate (12) that is used for coupling a pencil of rays, radiated by the light emitter (24), into and out of the pane and directing it onto the light receiver (26). The lens plate (12) includes a combined Fresnel structure (16a, 16b) having a Fresnel lens structure (18a, 18b) and a Fresnel reflector structure (20a, 20b) on a first surface (12a) facing the light emitter (24) and the light receiver (26), and a Fresnel reflector structure (22a, 22b) on an opposite, second surface (12b) facing the pane. This configuration is especially suitable for use as a rain sensor. Without the light emitter the sensor device is suitable to be used as a light sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical sensor device, adapted to be coupled to a pane and comprising a sensor unit which includes a light emitter, a light receiver, and a lens plate that is used for coupling a pencil of rays, radiated by the light emitter, into and out of the pane and directing it onto the light receiver, the lens plate including a combined Fresnel structure having a Fresnel lens structure and a Fresnel reflector structure on a first surface facing the light emitter and the light receiver, and a Fresnel reflector structure on an opposite, second surface facing the pane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the combined Fresnel structure of the first surface reshapes a diverging pencil of rays into a parallel pencil of rays. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the combined Fresnel structure of the first surface reshapes a parallel pencil of rays coupled out of the pane and traversing the lens plate into a converging pencil of rays. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The optical sensor device according to claim 3, wherein the lens plate is designed such that the parallel pencil of rays traverses the lens plate perpendicularly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the combined Fresnel structure of the first surface is a rotationally symmetrical structure for focusing a diverging or parallel pencil of rays. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The optical sensor device according to claim 5, wherein the Fresnel reflector structure of the combined Fresnel structure has a larger radial distance from an axis of rotational symmetry than the Fresnel lens structure of the combined Fresnel structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the Fresnel reflector structure of the second surface is a linear structure for deflecting a parallel pencil of rays into a specific direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the lens plate is coupled to the pane by a coupler layer that is in form-fitting contact with the Fresnel reflector structure of the second surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the Fresnel reflector structure of the second surface reflects at internal surfaces. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the Fresnel reflector structure of the second surface is generally sawtooth-shaped in cross-section, having first flanks, having entry or exit surfaces at which the reflection occurs, and second flanks, at which a parallel pencil of rays enters or exits, respectively. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The optical sensor device according to claim 10, wherein the second flanks are traversed perpendicularly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The optical sensor device according to claim 10, wherein a refraction of light is effected at the second flanks. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The optical sensor device according to claim 11, wherein the second flanks have two sections of different steepness, the less steep sections forming the entry and exit surfaces. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The optical sensor device according to claim 12, wherein the second flanks from entry or exit surfaces, respectively, which are steeper than the first flanks. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The optical sensor device according to claim 10, wherein the first and second flanks are made to be substantially symmetrical to relation to each other. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The optical sensor device according to claim 1, comprising at least one sensor unit, for which there are formed in the lens plate two separate, combined Fresnel structures adjacent to each other, including a Fresnel lens structure and a Fresnel reflector structure, with oppositely located Fresnel reflector structures, the light emitter being arranged in the focal point of one Fresnel lens structure and the light receiver being arranged in the focal point of the other Fresnel lens structure, the pencil of rays emitted by the light emitter being collimated by the one combined Fresnel structure, passing perpendicularly through the lens plate, being directed against the pane at an angle by the opposite Fresnel reflector structure and totally reflected by the pane, and then being coupled into the lens plate by the Fresnel reflector structure opposite to the other combined Fresnel structure and being directed perpendicularly through the lens plate onto the other combined Fresnel structure and focused onto the light receiver by the other combined Fresnel structure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The optical sensor device according to claim 16, including a number of sensor units which have a shared lens plate (12). ### Claim 18 An optical sensor device, adapted to be coupled to a pane and comprising a sensor unit which includes a light receiver and a lens plate that is used for coupling a pencil of rays, incident on the pane, out of the pane and directing it onto the light receiver, the lens plate including a combined Fresnel structure having a Fresnel lens structure and a Fresnel reflector structure on a first surface facing the light receiver, and a Fresnel reflector structure on an opposite, second surface facing the pane. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The optical sensor device according to claim 18, wherein a pencil of rays incident on the pane at a narrow angle of detection traverses the pane at an angle and is then coupled into the lens plate by the Fresnel reflector structure opposite to the pane and directed perpendicularly through the lens plate onto the combined Fresnel structure and focused onto the light receiver by the other combined Fresnel structure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The optical sensor device according to claim 16, further including another sensor unit which includes another light receiver and another lens plate that is used for coupling a pencil of rays, incident on the pane, out of the pane and directing it onto the other light receiver, the other lens plate including another combined Fresnel structure having a Fresnel lens structure and a Fresnel reflector structure on a first surface facing the other light receiver, and another Fresnel reflector structure on an opposite, second surface facing the pane, a pencil of rays incident on the pane at a narrow angle of detection traverses the pane at an angle and is then coupled into the other lens plate by the other Fresnel reflector structure opposite to the pane and directed perpendicularly through the other lens plate onto the other combined Fresnel structure and focused onto the other light receiver by the other combined Fresnel structure the sensor devices units having a shared lens plate.