US6122042A — Devices and methods for optically identifying cha…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 137 words

A device comprising: a collection of light sources which emit light over a collection of corresponding source spectral distributions toward an object to produce scattered light, wherein the number of light sources is at least five and the corresponding source spectral distributions comprise at least four distinct spectral distributions; a light source driver which independently controls the emission of light from each of the light sources; a collection of optical detectors which detect portions of the scattered light and produce signals representative of the detected light, wherein the number of optical detectors is one or more; and a signal processor which receives the signals from the collection of optical detectors and compares the signals with a reference characteristic of a reference object, wherein the signal processor is previously trained by training signals associated with the reference object.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 137 words

A device comprising: a collection of light sources which emit light over a collection of corresponding source spectral distributions toward an object to produce scattered light, wherein the number of light sources is at least five and the corresponding source spectral distributions comprise at least four distinct spectral distributions; a light source driver which independently controls the emission of light from each of the light sources; a collection of optical detectors which detect portions of the scattered light and produce signals representative of the detected light, wherein the number of optical detectors is one or more; and a signal processor which receives the signals from the collection of optical detectors and compares the signals with a reference characteristic of a reference object, wherein the signal processor is previously trained by training signals associated with the reference object.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 41 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the signal processor compares the signals with a plurality of reference characteristics of a plurality of reference objects, wherein the signal processor is previously trained by training signals associated with the plurality of reference objects.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 14 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the training signals derive from the optical detectors.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 18 words

The device of claim 1 wherein at least two of the source wavelenghths are identical to each other.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 17 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the distinct source spectral distributions differ by at least 0.5 nanometers.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

The device of claim 1 further comprising an optical barrier which prevents light from traveling directly from the light sources to the optical detectors.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 29 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the light sources have a predetermined spatial arrangement and wherein the light source driver actuates the light sources in a predetermined temporal sequence.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the light sources and optical detectors are fixed on a hand glove.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 21 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the light sources and optical detectors are fixed on a collection of independently movable members.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the scattered light comprises fluorescent light, transmitted light, or phosphorescent light from the object.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 16 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the scattered light comprises bulk scattered retro-reflection from the object.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 35 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the signal processor determines from the signals a thermal, temperature, mechanical, stress, strain, weight, viscosity, turbidity density, shadowing, luminescence lifetime, electrokinetic, notional, spectral, or temporal property of the object.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 19 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the signal processor determines from the signals a nonlinear property of the object.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 18 words

The device of claim 13 wherein the nonlinear property derives from transitions between excitable states of the object.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 22 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the light sources are semiconductor or polymer luminescence devices, e.g. light emitting diodes or laser diodes.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 26 words

The device of claim 1 further comprising an optical element positioned in a path of the light emitted from one or more of the light sources.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 20 words

The device of claim 16 wherein the optical element is a clear refractive material, prism, lens, reflector, filter, or grating.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 26 words

The device of claim 1 further comprising an optical element positioned in a path of the light detected by one or more of the optical detectors.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 20 words

The device of claim 18 wherein the optical element is a clear refractive material, prism, lens, reflector, filter, or grating.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 29 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the optical detectors are charge coupled devices, photovoltaic detectors, PIN detectors, photodiodes, charge injection devices, image intensifiers, photoconductor detectors, avalanche detectors, or photomultipliers.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 57 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the optical detectors are charge coupled devices, a CID, CMOS imaging chip, or a 2-dimensional detector array, wherein the signals representative of the detected light are divided into temporal image frames, and wherein the light source driver activates a predetermined sequence of the light sources within each of the image frames.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 28 words

The device of claim 21 wherein the light source driver controls the light sources such that a predetermined sequence of light sources is activated in consecutive image frames.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 28 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the spectral distributions of the light emitted from the light sources are primarily within the range of 200 nm to 5000 nm.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 44 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the spectral distributions of the light emitted from the light sources are primarily within the range of 200 nm to 2 cm, whereby the device may be used to identify properties of the object cooled below 72 K.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 47 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the light source driver controls the light sources such that at least two light sources produce light pulses having envelopes that partially overlap in sub-100 millisecond time intervals, thereby permitting the measurement of coupling by the object between different spectral distributions.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 25 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the light source driver modulates the light emitted from the light sources in both an analog and digital manner.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 25 words

The device of claim 26 wherein the light source driver modulates the spectral distribution of light emitted from at least one of the light sources.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 15 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the number of light sources is at least ten.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 25 words

The device of claim 1 further comprising an optical shroud surrounding the optical detectors, whereby the amount of ambient light reaching the detectors is reduced.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 26 words

The device of claim 1 wherein each optical detector comprises an A/D converter which converts the signals representative of the detected light from analog to digital.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 15 words

The device of claim 30 wherein the A/D converter has at least 16 bit resolution.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 16 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the light sources and the optical detectors surround the object.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 16 words

The device of claim 32 wherein the object is a solid, liquid, powder, gas, or slurry.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 24 words

The device of claim 1 further comprising at least one lens which focuses the scattered light upon a planar arrangement of the optical detectors.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 47 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the signal processor receives a supplementary temperature, acoustic, electromagnetic, capacative, magnetic, electrokinetic, airborne gas, vibration, motion, pressure, force, ultrasonic, or electrical signal from the object, and wherein the training signals are further associated with corresponding supplementary signals of the reference object.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 44 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the signal processor is programmed to receive a distance signal representing a distance from a surface of the object to the collection of detectors, and wherein the training signals are further associated with distances from the reference object.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 23 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the signal processor comprises a neural net, a DPS, a general purpose microprocessor, or a human interface.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 30 words

The device of claim 1 wherein the signal processor determines an elastic back-scattering property of the object, a fluorescence property of the object, or a phosphorescence property of the object.

Claim 40

Independent Claim 83 words

A method for identifying properties of a material object, the method comprising: independently controlling the emission of light having distinct spectral distributions from at least five distinct light sources; scattering from the object the emitted light; detecting the scattered light with one or more optical detectors that produce signals representative of the detected light, wherein the signals comprise an optical interaction signature correlated with a density of states property of the material; and associating the signals with reference signals of a reference object.

Claim 41

Independent Claim 83 words

A method for identifying properties of a material object, the method comprising: independently controlling the emission of light having distinct spectral distributions from at least five distinct light sources; scattering from the object the emitted light; detecting the scattered light with one or more optical detectors that produce signals representative of the detected light, wherein the signals comprise an optical interaction signature correlated with a density of states property of the material; and associating the signals with reference signals of a reference object.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 52 words

The method of claim 39 further comprising independently controlling the emission of light from the light sources so that a predetermined sequence of distinct spectral distribution pulses is emitted during a repeating time interval, and wherein the signals representative of the detected light are produced once during each of the time intervals.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method of claim 39 wherein the controlling of the emission of light comprises controlling the light sources such that at least two light sources produce light pulses having envelopes that partially overlap in sub-100 millisecond time intervals.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 39 further comprising measuring a variable associated with a physical state of the object and associating the variable with a similar variable of the reference object.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 42 wherein the variable is relative velocity, relative position, acceleration, space-time coordinates, strain, stress, emitted airborne gasses, surface ions, humidity, inertial forces, dynamic forces, magnetic forces, capacitance, electrokinetic effects, flexability, temperature, pressure, electromagnetic field strength, electrical resistance, voltage, or current.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 39 wherein the light sources and the optical detectors surround the object.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 39 wherein the associating step comprises a multivariate analysis.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 39 wherein the associating comprises comparing the signals with reference signals of a plurality of reference objects.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 39 wherein the associating comprises comparing the signals with past signals associated with a plurality of reference objects.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 39 further comprising changing an optical path length between the light sources and the object, wherein the associating step comprises analysis of radiation signals detected at different path lengths.

Claim 51

Independent Claim 92 words

A method for identifying properties of a material object, the method comprising: generating light using four or more independently controlled light sources having three or more distinct spectral distributions; irradiating the object with the light; detecting from the object radiation signals representative of a response of the object to the light; and identifying a property of the object by analysis of the radiation signals, wherein the identifying step comprises comparing the radiation signals to reference data representing properties of a reference object, wherein the reference data is derived from a training procedure.

Claim 52

Independent Claim 92 words

A method for identifying properties of a material object, the method comprising: generating light using four or more independently controlled light sources having three or more distinct spectral distributions; irradiating the object with the light; detecting from the object radiation signals representative of a response of the object to the light; and identifying a property of the object by analysis of the radiation signals, wherein the identifying step comprises comparing the radiation signals to reference data representing properties of a reference object, wherein the reference data is derived from a training procedure.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 49 wherein the light sources are semiconductor junction emission devices, such as LEDs, laser diodes, or polymers.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 49 wherein the light sources are arranged in a dense array.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 49 wherein the detecting step comprises using a dense detector array.

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 49 further comprising changing an optical path length between the light sources and the object, wherein the identifying step comprises analysis of radiation signals detected at different path lengths.

Claim 57

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 53 wherein the optical path length changes by less than 10 cm.

Claim 58

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 49 wherein the identifying step comprises a multivariate analysis.

Claim 59

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 49 wherein the identifying step comprises comparing radiation signals detected at a time t 2 with the sum of raditation signals detected at a time t 1 and radiation signals detected at a time t 3 .

Claim 60

Dependent Claim 64 words

The method of claim 56 wherein at time t 2 a first light source and a second light source are simultaneously generating light, at time t 1 the first light source is generating light and the second light source is not generating light, and at time t 3 the first light source is not generating light and the second light source is generating light.

Claim 61

Independent Claim 130 words

A method for identifying properties of a material object, the method comprising: generating light using three or more light sources having three or more distinct spectral distributions, wherein the light sources are positioned on a first side of an optical barrier; irradiating the object with the light; changing the relative positions of the optical barrier and the object; determining a plurality of distances between the optical barrier and the object; detecting from the object radiation signals representative of a response of the object to the light at each of the plurality of distances, wherein the detecting uses optical detectors positioned on a second side of the optical barrier; and associating a property of the object with a reference property of a reference object using multivariate analysis of the radiation signals.

Claim 62

Independent Claim 130 words

A method for identifying properties of a material object, the method comprising: generating light using three or more light sources having three or more distinct spectral distributions, wherein the light sources are positioned on a first side of an optical barrier; irradiating the object with the light; changing the relative positions of the optical barrier and the object; determining a plurality of distances between the optical barrier and the object; detecting from the object radiation signals representative of a response of the object to the light at each of the plurality of distances, wherein the detecting uses optical detectors positioned on a second side of the optical barrier; and associating a property of the object with a reference property of a reference object using multivariate analysis of the radiation signals.

Claim 63

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 58 wherein the identifying step comprises comparing the radiation signals to reference data representing properties of a reference object.

Claim 64

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 58 wherein the plurality of distances comprise two extreme distances differing from each other by at least 2 cm.

Claim 65

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 58 wherein the plurality of distances comprise a distance less than 2 cm.

Claim 66

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 61 wherein the plurality of distances comprise a distance less than 1 mm.

Claim 67

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 58 wherein the generating of light comprises controlling the light sources such that at least two light sources produce light pulses having envelopes that partially overlap in sub-100 millisecond time intervals.

Claim 68

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 58 further comprising measuring a variable associated with a physical state of the object and wherein the associating step comprises comparing the variable with a similar variable of the reference object.

Claim 69

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 64 wherein the variable is relative velocity, relative position, acceleration, space-time coordinates, strain, stress, emitted airborne gasses, surface ions, humidity, inertial forces, dynamic forces, magnetic forces, temperature, pressure, electromagnetic field strength, electrical resistance, voltage, or current.

Claim 70

Independent Claim 113 words

A method of photometric analysis of a material object, the method comprising the steps of: irradiating the object with four or more light sources having substantially distinct wavelength envelopes, wherein the irradiating comprises activating the light sources in a sequence of distinct combinations, wherein the distinct combinations have an average temporal separation of less than 100 ms; detecting radiation from the object with a collection of spatially distributed light detectors to produce detected signals; synchronizing the detected signals with the activation of the sequence of distinct combinations of the light sources to produce associated combinations of detected signals; and analyzing the combinations of detected signals to determine a physical property of the object.

Claim 71

Independent Claim 113 words

A method of photometric analysis of a material object, the method comprising the steps of: irradiating the object with four or more light sources having substantially distinct wavelength envelopes, wherein the irradiating comprises activating the light sources in a sequence of distinct combinations, wherein the distinct combinations have an average temporal separation of less than 100 ms; detecting radiation from the object with a collection of spatially distributed light detectors to produce detected signals; synchronizing the detected signals with the activation of the sequence of distinct combinations of the light sources to produce associated combinations of detected signals; and analyzing the combinations of detected signals to determine a physical property of the object.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2003-09-19	2004-03-20	2004-09-19	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2007-09-19	2008-03-20	2008-09-19	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2011-09-19	2012-03-20	2012-09-19	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Devices and methods for optically identifying characteristics of material objects

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