Patent · US Expired

Current to voltage converter with optical gain mechanism

US6710317B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
13References
20Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 27, 2002
Grant dateMar 23, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 1, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03F3/45973
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention creates a current to voltage conversion system, comprised of an operational amplifier, which obtains a feedback current from an optical detector. The output of the operational amplifier controls the intensity of a light source whose optical energy is transmitted through an optical intensity reduction mechanism, to generate the feedback current. A separate light intensity measurement system is constructed to measure the output of the light source directly, bypassing the effects of the optical intensity reduction mechanism. By measuring the light source, the magnitude of the input current can be determined. The increased illumination created by using an optical reduction mechanism within the operational amplifier's feedback loop allows the separate light source intensity measurement system to be easily constructed using conventional technologies.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.