Large dynamic range detector for gingivitis detection

Abstract

A system (100) for detecting tissue inflammation, gingivitis specifically, including a light emitter (102) configured to emit light at a tissue region within a user's mouth; at least four wavelength-sensitive photodetectors (110, 112, 114, and 116) configured to detect optical signals diffusely reflected through the tissue region, each of the at least four wavelength-sensitive photodetectors comprising a filter (BPF1, BPF2, BPF3, and BPF4) and a photodiode (D1, D2, D3, and D4), where the photodiodes are stacked on top of each other to generate current differential signals for amplifiers corresponding with the photodiodes, wherein the generation of the current differential signals removes an unwanted component from the optical signals prior to amplification; and an inflammation detection unit (136) configured to receive outputs from the corresponding amplifiers and detect inflammation at the tissue region.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.