Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Optical or pre-photocell system
Patent
1998-04-14
2000-02-01
Le, Que T.
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Optical or pre-photocell system
356425, G01J 350
Patent
active
060205830
ABSTRACT:
A sensor for measuring reflective, transmissive, or self-luminous samples, comprises a plurality of light sources, where each of the light sources emit light of a substantially different wavelength band spaced in the visible spectrum; a reference channel photodetector; a sample channel photodetector; an optical cap adapted to direct a first portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the reference channel photodetector; a reflector cone for directing a second portion of the light emitted by each of the light sources to the sample; and a receptor piece for directing the diffuse portion of the light reflected from the sample to the sample channel photodetector. Preferably, the reference channel and sample channel photodetectors are identical devices and are mounted back-to-back to share environmental characteristics, and in turn, minimize the variation between their respective responses. The sensor is preferably incorporated into a hand-held "mouse" device, which includes an area on its top surface for seating an index finger of the human hand. Positioned within this area is a pressure-activated switch that is operatively coupled to the sensor circuitry for performing the various readings. And the sensor is preferably mounted into the mouse device such that the focal aperture of the downward pointing reflector cone is in axial alignment with the pressure-activated switch. Accordingly, a user will be able to use the mouse to "point" with his or her index finger to an area of the sample surface, and will then simply press the switch using the same index finger.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2519081 (1950-08-01), Skarstrom
patent: 3226195 (1965-12-01), Nichols et al.
patent: 3544789 (1970-12-01), Wieder
patent: 3656856 (1972-04-01), Katz et al.
patent: 3773424 (1973-11-01), Selgin
patent: 3783276 (1974-01-01), Allington
patent: 3916168 (1975-10-01), McCarty et al.
patent: 3935436 (1976-01-01), Holschlag et al.
patent: 3994590 (1976-11-01), DiMartini et al.
patent: 4108555 (1978-08-01), Helder et al.
patent: 4123172 (1978-10-01), French
patent: 4244655 (1981-01-01), Asai et al.
patent: 4273449 (1981-06-01), Schmid
patent: 4283142 (1981-08-01), DeSteur et al.
patent: 4455084 (1984-06-01), Webb, Jr. et al.
patent: 4479718 (1984-10-01), Alman
patent: 4542296 (1985-09-01), Kleinnibbelink et al.
patent: 4565450 (1986-01-01), Wirz et al.
patent: 4617277 (1986-10-01), Bohl
patent: 4678338 (1987-07-01), Kitta et al.
patent: 4783591 (1988-11-01), Sullivan
patent: 4785170 (1988-11-01), Witt
patent: 4810873 (1989-03-01), Ammann et al.
patent: 4878756 (1989-11-01), Stauffer
patent: 4881811 (1989-11-01), O'Brein
patent: 4917500 (1990-04-01), Lugos
patent: 4937441 (1990-06-01), Ishizawa et al.
patent: 4940889 (1990-07-01), Ono et al.
patent: 4949400 (1990-08-01), Leveen et al.
patent: 4987298 (1991-01-01), Inagaki
patent: 5008525 (1991-04-01), Petronio
patent: 5015839 (1991-05-01), Tanikoshi
patent: 5019704 (1991-05-01), Zimmermann et al.
patent: 5021645 (1991-06-01), Satula et al.
patent: 5029277 (1991-07-01), Kane
patent: 5039191 (1991-08-01), Myszka
patent: 5055267 (1991-10-01), Burroughs et al.
patent: 5125747 (1992-06-01), Sayegh et al.
patent: 5137364 (1992-08-01), McCarthy
patent: 5150174 (1992-09-01), Ryczek et al.
patent: 5168320 (1992-12-01), Lutz et al.
patent: 5179423 (1993-01-01), Kravetz et al.
patent: 5233408 (1993-08-01), Satula
patent: 5257097 (1993-10-01), Pineau et al.
patent: 5272518 (1993-12-01), Vincent
patent: 5336900 (1994-08-01), Peters et al.
patent: 5377000 (1994-12-01), Berends
patent: 5416890 (1995-05-01), Beretta
patent: 5471052 (1995-11-01), Ryczek
patent: 5537211 (1996-07-01), Dial
patent: 5542421 (1996-08-01), Erdman
patent: 5558033 (1996-09-01), Futamura
In-Line Measurement and Closed-loop Control of the Color of Breakfast Cereals, by Ian McFarlane et al., The American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc., Dec. 1988, vol. 33, No. 12, pp. 978-980.
On-Line Color Measurement, by Ian McFarlane et al., The American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc., Jun. 1985, vol. 30, No. 6, pp. 386-388.
The Amateur Scientist--When Hazy Skies Are Rising, by Shawn Carlson, Scientific American, May 1997, pp. 106-107.
Experience with automatic control of biscuit and cracker oven, by Ian McFarlane, Automatic Control of Food and Biological Processes, 1994 Elsevier Science B.V., pp. 345-350, Jan. 1994.
Hunter Introduces Qual-Probe.TM. XR, Hunter's Lab Reflections & Transmissions, Feb. 1996, No. 61, pp. 1-6.
An Automatic Digital Colorimeter for Laboratory and Process Control Applications, by John W. Ward, Feb. 1966, pp. 1-11.
Photoelectric Tristimulus Colimetry with Three Filters, by Richard S. Hunter, Jul. 1942, pp. 1-46.
A Continuous Color Monitor for the Textile Dye Range, by John W. Ward, American Dyestuff Reporter, Sep. 1968, pp. 107-113.
A New Recording Spectrophotometer, by Arthur C. Hardy, J.O.S.A., vol. 25, Sep. 1935, pp. 305-311.
Instrumental Shade-Sorting to Visual Acceptance Limits, by John W. Ward, 1968 AATCC International Technical Conference, Oct. 1968, pp. 1-16.
Spectrophotometry, by Kasson S. Gibson, National Bureau of Standards Circular 484, Sep. 1949, pp. 1-48.
Duke Ronald J.
Iseli Victor L.
Sam Long B.
Vrhel Michael J.
Walowit Eric
Color Savvy Systems Limited
Le Que T.
LandOfFree
Color sensor does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Color sensor, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Color sensor will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-939272