US5037201A — Spectral resolving and sensing apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 72 words

An apparatus for sensing on at least a partially page-wide basis one or more selected spectral components or groups of spectral components of an electromagnetic signal representing a scan line of a scanned document, comprising: substantially page-wide means for resolving the electromagnetic signal into a continuous spectrum; and means formed on said resolving means for sensing one or more selected spectral components of said spectrum on at least a partially page-wide basis.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 72 words

An apparatus for sensing on at least a partially page-wide basis one or more selected spectral components or groups of spectral components of an electromagnetic signal representing a scan line of a scanned document, comprising: substantially page-wide means for resolving the electromagnetic signal into a continuous spectrum; and means formed on said resolving means for sensing one or more selected spectral components of said spectrum on at least a partially page-wide basis.

Claim 3

Independent Claim 80 words

An apparatus for resolving a polychromatic electromagnetic signal representing a scan line of a scanned document into a continuous spectrum and for sensing on at least a partially page-wide basis a selected set of discrete spectral components of said spectrum, comprising: substantially page-wide means for resolving the polychromatic electromagnetic signal into a continuous spectrum; and means formed on said resolving means for sensing one or more selected discrete spectral components of said spectrum on at least a partially page-wide basis.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 80 words

An apparatus for resolving a polychromatic electromagnetic signal representing a scan line of a scanned document into a continuous spectrum and for sensing on at least a partially page-wide basis a selected set of discrete spectral components of said spectrum, comprising: substantially page-wide means for resolving the polychromatic electromagnetic signal into a continuous spectrum; and means formed on said resolving means for sensing one or more selected discrete spectral components of said spectrum on at least a partially page-wide basis.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said sensing means comprise one or more solid state photoreceptors formed by photolithographic processes.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said one or more solid state photoreceptors are formed at least in part of amorphous silicon.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said means for resolving comprises an optically transparent substrate having a primary surface upon which said one or more solid state photoreceptors are formed.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said substrate has an adjacent surface adjacent said primary surface beveled so as to enable said substrate to act as a means for refracting light.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 67 words

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said one or more solid state photoreceptors are positioned such that when said polychromatic electromagnetic signal is made incident upon said adjacent surface and is refracted within said substrate and thereby spatially resolved into a continuous spectrum, said one or more solid state photoreceptors are capable of detecting the presence or absence of said one or more selected discrete spectral components.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising logic circuitry for determining which if any of said one or more photoreceptors detect the presence of said one or more selected discrete spectral components.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said logic circuitry if formed on said primary surface by substantially the same photolithographic processes as and substantially simultaneously with the formation of said one or more solid state photoreceptors.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said logic circuitry is formed at least in part of amorphous silicon.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 123 words

An apparatus for resolving a polychromatic electromagnetic signal representing a scan line of a scanned document into a continuous spectrum and for sensing on at least a partially page-wide basis a selected set of discrete spectral components of said spectrum, comprising: a substantially page-wide, generally transparent substrate, having a primary surface, and forming an optical component of said apparatus; substantially page-wide means for resolving the polychromatic electromagnetic signal into a continuous spectrum disposed on said substrate; and means for sensing one or more selected discrete spectral components of said spectrum on at least a partially page-wide basis formed on said substrate such that said polychromatic electromagnetic signal is resolved by said resolving means and thereafter transmitted through said substrate to said sensing means.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 123 words

An apparatus for resolving a polychromatic electromagnetic signal representing a scan line of a scanned document into a continuous spectrum and for sensing on at least a partially page-wide basis a selected set of discrete spectral components of said spectrum, comprising: a substantially page-wide, generally transparent substrate, having a primary surface, and forming an optical component of said apparatus; substantially page-wide means for resolving the polychromatic electromagnetic signal into a continuous spectrum disposed on said substrate; and means for sensing one or more selected discrete spectral components of said spectrum on at least a partially page-wide basis formed on said substrate such that said polychromatic electromagnetic signal is resolved by said resolving means and thereafter transmitted through said substrate to said sensing means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said sensing means comprise one or more solid state photoreceptors formed by photolithographic processes.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said one or more solid state photoreceptors are formed at least in part of amorphous silicon.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 12 words

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said resolving means comprises a prism.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 95 words

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said prism is located on said primary surface, wherein said substrate includes an opposite surface opposite said primary surface, and further wherein said solid state photoreceptors are located on said opposite surface and positioned such that when said polychromatic electromagnetic signal is made incident upon said prism and refracted thereby in transmission and further refracted within said substrate and thereby spatially resolved into discrete elements, said one or more solid state photoreceptors are capable of detecting the presence of absence of said one or more selected discrete spectral components.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising logic circuitry for determining which if any of said one or more solid state photoreceptors detect one or more of said selected discrete spectral components.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said logic circuitry is formed on said opposite surface by substantially the same photolithographic processes as and substantially simultaneously with the formation of said one or more solid state photoreceptors.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said resolving means comprises a diffraction grating.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 35 words

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said diffraction grating is formed on said substrate by substantially the same photolithographic processes as and substantially simultaneously with the formation of said one or more solid state photoreceptors.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said diffraction grating is formed by machining said diffraction grating into said substrate.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 97 words

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said diffraction grating is located on said primary surface, wherein said substrate includes an opposite surface opposite said primary surface, and further wherein said solid state photoreceptors are located on said opposite surface and positioned such that when said polychromatic electromagnetic signal is made incident upon said diffraction grating and diffracted thereby in transmission and further refracted within said substrate and thereby spatially resolved into discrete elements, said one or more solid state photoreceptors are capable of detecting the presence or absence of said one or more selected discrete spectral components.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising logic circuitry for determining which if any of said one or more solid state photoreceptors detect one or more of said selected discrete spectral components.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said logic circuitry is formed on said opposite surface by substantially the same photolithographic processes as and substantially simultaneously with the formation of said one or more solid state photoreceptors.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 140 words

The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said substrate includes an opposite surface opposite said primary surface, wherein means for reflecting are located on said opposite surface, wherein said diffraction grating is located on said primary surface, wherein said one or more solid-state photoreceptors are located on said primary surface adjacent to said diffraction grating and positioned such that when said polychromatic electromagnetic signal is made incident upon said diffraction grating and diffracted thereby in transmission in a direction from said primary surface towards said opposite surface, and further refracted within said substrate and thereby spatially resolved into discrete elements, and reflected by said reflecting means in a direction from said opposite surface towards said primary surface, said one or more solid state photoreceptors are capable of detecting the presence or absence of said one or more selected discrete spectral components.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said diffraction grating and said one or more solid state photoreceptors are formed by substantially the same photolithographic processes substantially simultaneously on said primary surface.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising logic circuitry for determining which if any of said one or more solid state photoreceptors detect one or more of said selected discrete spectral components.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said logic circuitry is formed on said primary surface by substantially the same photolithographic processes as and substantially simultaneously with the formation of said one or more solid state photoreceptors and said diffraction grating.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 22 words

The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said logic circuitry and said diffraction grating are formed at least in part from amorphous silicon.

Claim 32

Independent Claim 147 words

An apparatus for resolving a polychromatic electromagnetic signal representing a scan line of a scanned document into a continuous spectrum and for sensing on at least a partially page-wide basis a selected set of discrete spectral components of said spectrum, comprising a generally transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface of the type capable of causing a polychromatic electromagnetic signal incident thereupon at an angle of incidence to enter the substrate such that each of the spectral components of the signal subtends a different angle from the angle of incidence to thereby separate the signal into its spectral components such that they pass through the substrate and strike the first surface at spatially separated locations, and sensing means formed on said first surface and positioned such that selected spectral components impinge thereupon for sensing on at least a partially page-wide basis.

Claim 33

Independent Claim 147 words

An apparatus for resolving a polychromatic electromagnetic signal representing a scan line of a scanned document into a continuous spectrum and for sensing on at least a partially page-wide basis a selected set of discrete spectral components of said spectrum, comprising a generally transparent substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface of the type capable of causing a polychromatic electromagnetic signal incident thereupon at an angle of incidence to enter the substrate such that each of the spectral components of the signal subtends a different angle from the angle of incidence to thereby separate the signal into its spectral components such that they pass through the substrate and strike the first surface at spatially separated locations, and sensing means formed on said first surface and positioned such that selected spectral components impinge thereupon for sensing on at least a partially page-wide basis.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a diffraction grating formed on said second surface such that the subtending of different angles by the spectral components of the polychromatic electromagnetic signal is caused at least in part by said diffraction grating.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-08-05	1995-02-04	1995-08-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-08-05	1999-02-04	1999-08-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-08-05	2003-02-04	2003-08-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Spectral resolving and sensing apparatus

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