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US 2011/0086676 A1Published application
Multi-purpose plasmonic ambient light sensor and visual range proximity sensor
AssigneeNanoLambda, Inc.
InventorsByung Choi, Min Kyu Song, Byounghee Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A visible wavelength range proximity sensor includes a visible light emitter with a peak wavelength in a visible wavelength range, and a plasmonic ambient light sensor, where a proximity sensing mode and an ambient light sensing mode are time multiplexed.
Claims24
A plasmonic ambient light sensor, comprising:
- a photodetector;
- and
- a plasmonic optical filter comprising metallic plasmonic structure;
- wherein the photodetector and the plasmonic optical filter are provided in the plasmonic ambient light sensor.
1 more element
A visible wavelength range proximity sensor, comprising:
- a visible light emitter with a peak wavelength in a visible wavelength range;
- a plasmonic ambient light sensor;
- and
- a processor in which a proximity sensing mode and an ambient light sensing mode are time multiplexed.
1 more element
A visual range proximity sensor, comprising:
- a visible light emitter with a peak wavelength in a visible wavelength range;
- an ambient light sensor having a spectral response similar to human eye spectral response;
- and
- a processor in which a proximity sensing mode and an ambient light sensing mode are time multiplexed.
1 more element
A method of using an integrated proximity and ambient light sensor, comprising:
- emitting light with a peak wavelength in a visible wavelength range and sensing a proximity of an object from which the light reflects in a proximity mode using the integrated sensor;
- and
- sensing an amount of ambient light in an ambient light sensing mode using the integrated sensor;
- wherein the proximity sensing mode and the ambient light sensing mode are time multiplexed.
1 more element
An ambient light sensing method, comprising:
- sensing ambient light using a plasmonic ambient light detector comprising a photodetector and a plasmonic optical filter comprising metallic plasmonic structure;
- and
- dimming or lighting a display of a mobile device based on the sensed ambient light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.