Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-11
2001-10-02
Hofsass, Jeffery (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S584000, C340S425500, C250S203400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06297740
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for sensing the magnitude and intensity of solar radiation, especially a sensor for detecting solar radiation incident upon a vehicle which includes a controller for adjusting the air conditioning in response thereto.
Solar radiation sensors have become popular for providing sensory input into automobile air conditioning systems that include means for separately controlling different areas within the passenger compartment. Some of these sensors include only two photodiodes, and roughly separate the solar radiation load and the passenger compartment into halves. These sensors may not provide sufficient resolution of the radiation load for some consumers. Yet other radiation sensors provide four photodiodes for improved resolution of the radiation load into quadrants, but mount the photodiodes on angled surfaces. This angled mounting results in more costly and less reliable connections from the photodiodes to the corresponding conditioning circuitry. Further, some of these quadrant radiation sensors have excessive cross-talk onto one of the photodiodes from adjacent quadrants, and measure this cross-talk along with the radiation load of the correct, corresponding quadrant. This excessive cross-talk can result in poor overall system performance because the sensor includes too much averaging among the quadrants. A further drawback of some radiation sensors is the remote mounting of the conditioning circuitry from the photodiodes, with corresponding reliability problems. This latter drawback is especially apparent for those sensors which are mounted on parts of the vehicle where the sensor and conditioning circuitry cannot both be accommodated.
What is needed then is an improved solar radiation sensor. The present invention provides such a sensor in a novel and unobvious way.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the current invention concerns an apparatus which includes a vehicle with a passenger compartment. The compartment includes an air conditioner, the air conditioner being adjustable to vary the conditioning of the air provided within the compartment. The apparatus also includes a controller for adjusting the air conditioner. There is also a radiation sensor that includes a channeled member, a diffuser, and at least four photodiodes. The channeled member defines at least four channels for transmission of radiation. The diffuser provides radiation to a single channel. Each photodiode is exposed to radiation from a single channel and produces a signal in response thereto. The controller receives the signals and adjusts the air conditioner in response to the signals.
In another aspect, the present invention concerns an apparatus comprising a channeled member, a diffuser, and a plurality of photodiodes. The channeled member defines at least four channels, each channel being substantially parallel with each other channel. The channel member has a top and a bottom. The diffuser is mounted proximate to the top of the channeled member. The diffuser is optically coupled to one channel. The plurality of photodiodes are mounted proximate to the bottom of the channeled member, each photodiode being optically coupled to a different one of the channels.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the claims, description, and drawings to follow.
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Cook Richard
Cote Mark
Hill Jonathan W.
Control Devices, Inc.
Hofsass Jeffery
La Anh
Woodard, Emhardt, Naughton, Moriarty & McNett Patent and Tradema
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