Patent Application
20110122411
The invention is an optical measuring unit and a related method for carrying out reflective measurements.
In the prior art, a broad use is made of spectrophotometers and other similar optical devices for measuring the optical characteristics of various objects and surfaces to be measured. These units illuminate the surface or objects to be measured, and then detect the light reflected or transmitted by the surface to be measured. This invention relates to a reflection type optical measuring unit and method, and hence we shall not deal furthermore with any transmission approaches.
The most important characteristics of light reflected during the reflective measurement described above are the wave length and the intensity. Once these characteristics are known, the colour of the surface to be measured can be determined by way of example. Identifying the colours could be important in a number of technical areas, for example in medical diagnostics. This is because reagent sheets that change their colour when exposed to various compounds and materials are frequently applied in diagnostic procedures. Such reagent sheets are very popular in determining the characteristics of body fluids, for example blood or urine.
In prior art reflection measuring apparatuses, it is an important consideration that the apparatuses should be relatively simple to produce and repair and that they should have a high degree of accuracy regardless of the circumstances. The most significant part of such measuring units is the optical measuring unit, which comprises a light source for illuminating the surface to be measured, a measuring detector for sensing the light reflected by the surface to be measured, and further optical components required for detection. Such measuring units are described e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,999, U.S. Pat. No. 7,227,640 B2, US 2002/0167668 A1, US 2006/0192957 A1, and US 2007/0188764 A1. In the latter document an optical measuring unit is described, which is of relatively small size, includes bonded LED chips for the appropriate lighting, and has a light blocking optical element which surrounds the light beam generated by the light source, directs it through a light tube to the surface to be measured and has further light tubes that guide the reflected light to various measuring sensors.
It is a disadvantage of prior art solutions, especially the latter approach that there is no compensation in case the light emitting parameters of the light source vary. Although according to the solution described in US 2007/0188764 A1 a further monitoring sensor is disclosed in addition to the normal measuring sensors, it is not used for monitoring the light of the light source, but for monitoring a light coming from a surface to be measured which emits light beams. The monitoring sensor applied in this known solution does not ‘see’ the light source and therefore it is not suitable for monitoring the signal of the light source. A further disadvantage of this approach is that light tubes—the surface parameters of which are difficult to stabilise—surrounding the reflected light beams lead to the measuring and monitoring sensors. It is mentioned with emphasis in the document that the light tubes must have a surface with the highest possible light reflecting ability to make sure that the efficiency of measurement is appropriate. However, the highly reflecting surfaces are extremely sensitive to dirt and vapour condensation, which greatly deteriorates in the long run the accuracy and efficiency of an optical measuring unit. In addition, the reflecting surfaces greatly increase the noise of measurement. A further disadvantage is that the measuring probe applied complicates the calculations associated with the measuring method and introduces an inaccuracy into the system at several points. The measuring sensors receiving light through the light tubes may only detect the signal coming from a narrow part of the field of vision, and therefore through the use of these units it is not possible to detect a substantial part of the light reflected by a surface.
It is an object of the invention is to provide an optical measuring unit and to provide a method for carrying out a reflective measurement therewith, which are free of the disadvantages of prior art solutions. It is another object of the invention to provide an optical measuring unit and method, which enable efficient and low cost compensation with long term reliability concerning the eventually changing one or more light emitting parameters of the illumination. A further object of the invention is to establish a measuring sensor arrangement for compensating the eventual tilting of the illuminated surface.
The following idea led to creating the invention: if the light guiding and light blocking optical element in the optical measuring unit is used to project through a light tube the light of the light source to a surface to be measured, then it is possible to compensate the change in the light emission of the light source in a way that a monitoring sensor subjected to at least a part of the direct light of the light source is arranged in the light blocking optical element, in the inner space which is not in the path of the light tube. Contrary to prior art solutions, in the approach according to the invention, the light blocking optical element only provides the light tube necessary for illumination; by means of this light tube it becomes possible to ‘concentrate’ the illuminating light to an illumination light spot covering a part of the surface to be measured. The measuring detectors do not sense a light only coming through a narrow light tube, but they see almost the whole field of vision which is very beneficial for accuracy and stability.
Consequently, the invention is an optical measuring unit according to claim 1, and a method according to claim 11. Preferred embodiments are defined in the independent claims.
Hence, the inner space of the light blocking optical element of the optical measuring unit according to the invention comprises an inner shaded space extending farther than the light tube from the centreline of the light tube, and in this said shaded space a monitoring sensor.subjected to a part of the direct light of the light source, and enabling the compensation of changes in the light emission of the light source is arranged. According to the invention, the expression ‘direct light’ means that the monitoring sensor does not (only) receive light coming via reflecting surfaces, but at least an overwhelming part of the light sensed by it comes directly from the light source. This of course does not exclude the possibility that the sensor eventually receives reflected light as well.
The disadvantages mentioned in the introduction and entailed by the application of reflecting surfaces are eliminated by the direct illumination of the monitoring sensor. According to the invention, the feature ‘shaded’ means that the monitoring sensor is not in the path of the light tube, i.e. it does not essentially receive either a reflected light or an environmental light coming from elsewhere, but of course it is subjected to the direct light of the light source.
The shaded space is preferably at the light source end of the inner space, and the monitoring sensor is arranged next to the light source, in a way that it senses the lateral light emission thereof. This leads to an extremely simple and low cost measuring unit, because the components can be fitted on a circuit board. In this case the light blocking optical element is fixed to the circuit board with a light tube which is perpendicular to the circuit board and the shaded space is designed as a bulging of the light tube that confines the light source and the monitoring sensor; consequently, it can be simply fitted on the circuit board.
There are preferably reflection hindering irregularities on the surface of the light tube, and preferably the light tube is designed as a threaded bore.
An especially preferred embodiment comprises at least two measuring sensors, which are arranged so as to detect the reflected light from different directions. They are preferably arranged on the two sides of the light source, symmetrically to the centreline of the light tube. In this way it becomes possible to compensate an eventual tilting of the surface to be measured. This is because in an optimal case the light tube is normal to the surface to be measured, and then even one measuring sensor could be sufficient. By the application of the two measuring sensors, and by combining their signals, the measurement can be made independent of the tilting of the surface to be measured, when the measuring sensors do not see the surface to be measured at an identical angle. When more than two sensors are used, a tilting in any direction can be compensated.
In another extremely preferred embodiment, the light blocking optical element has an external surface at least in its part between the measuring sensor and the light tube in the field of vision of the measuring sensor, where each point of the external surface is at a shorter distance from the centreline of the light tube than the spacing between the measuring sensor and the centreline of the light tube.
Thereby, the light blocking optical element is not concentrated between the measuring sensors, and does not block their fields of vision significantly and especially does not generate a light tube for them. Therefore, the disadvantages of reflecting surfaces can be eliminated.
The light source preferably comprises at least one bonded LED chip, and even more preferably several bonded LED chips arranged next to each other, where each of them preferably emits a different colour of light. The position of a bonded LED can be kept well under control, contrary to clear PVC encased transparent LEDs, where the location of the chip changes within a broad range. In the case of a bonded LED, there is no disturbing reflector or case, and its emitted light can be easily re-measured. It is excellent for the perpendicular illumination necessary for measurement, because indeed single spot illumination can be achieved by small size LEDs located very close to one another. In addition, the temperature dependence and aging of LEDs are also well known characteristics, which can be easily compensated.
Coloured LEDs provide illumination in a narrow wave length spectrum, and therefore illumination by several LEDs in different colours give information that can be considered to be independent about the sample, especially if the reflection of the sample depends on the wave length. This enables the measurement of real wave length dependence, while in the case of the conventional white LED/coloured detector arrangement, the sensitivity curves of the detector can be significantly overlapping (the information is not entirely independent). In addition, the wave length of coloured LEDs has a small scatter.
The measuring unit preferably also comprises an electronic unit which is coupled to the measuring sensors and the monitoring sensor, which electronic unit has a microprocessor unit, preferably a microcontroller, which receives the analogue signals of the measuring sensors and the monitoring sensor, and converts them into digital signals.
In the method according to the invention, the surface to be measured may be preferably a reagent sheet, the colour of which is measured. By means of the LED chips, the reagent sheet is illuminated alternatingly, and the intensity of reflected light is measured by means of the measuring sensors. The discolouring of reagent sheets may vary close to the edge of the strip (or mini strip), and therefore it is advantageous if an arrangement resulting in a round illumination light spot is applied, where the illumination light spot covers up to 75% of the reagent sheet surface.
The reflection is preferably measured with the light source switched on and off, and the interference caused by incident light is eliminated by generating the difference of the two measurements.
The preferred embodiments of the invention will be shown by way of example on the basis of drawings below, where
The optical measuring unit according to the invention is preferably designed as a replaceable measuring probe for measuring apparatuses, and it can be used preferably for the measurement of different coloured areas of a few square millimetre size. These could be, for example, reagent pads of dry reagent urine testing strips.
The light emitting diodes in the light source 11 of the measuring probe are fitted on a printed circuit preferably by means of a known bonding technology. In the course of bonding, the bottom of LED chips is glued by a special conductive adhesive to the printed circuit, and the upper outlet is linked by gold wire to an appropriately designed contact. The coloured LEDs give light in a narrow wave length spectrum, and therefore illumination by several LEDs of different colours provides information that can be considered to be independent of one another about the sample, especially if the reflection of the sample depends on the wave length.
The light blocking optical element 13 is formed in a way that it separates the direct light of the light source 11 from the measuring sensors 12a, 12b using the inner space surrounding the light beam generated by the light source 11, which inner space comprises a straight centreline light tube 14 directed from the light source 11 to the surface to be measured. The inner space of the light blocking optical element 13 also comprises a shaded space 19 extending from the centreline of the light tube 14 farther than the light tube 14, and in this shaded space a monitoring sensor 15 is arranged to enable compensating the change in the light emission of light source 11, which monitoring sensor 15 is exposed to one part of the direct light coming from the light source 11. Preferably, the light blocking optical element 13 is made of a light blocking material, i.e. it does not let any light through. The change in light emission means that one or more light emitting parameters (e.g. intensity, wave length, spectrum) vary, fluctuate or drift temporarily or on a long term basis. The compensation of the measuring result can be carried out e.g. in accordance with the techniques and correction calculations generally applied in this special field.
The monitoring sensor 15 and the measuring sensors 12a, 12b are preferably photodiodes, which are low cost and steady items with simple replacement. They measure intensity (i.e. not colour) and therefore they are highly linear.
The monitoring sensor 15 (compensating, emitted light re-measuring detector) measures a given ratio of the emitted light. Therefore, the measured value can be compensated by a signal independent of the reflection coming from the sample, i.e. from the surface to be measured. In this way, the aging and temperature dependence of the light source 11 can be entirely compensated, which makes the measuring probe suitable for absolute measurement.
By the direct illumination of the monitoring sensor 15, the disadvantages mentioned in the introduction and entailed by the application of reflecting surfaces are eliminated. According to the invention, the feature ‘shaded’ means that the monitoring sensor is not in the path of the light tube 14, and it is in a confined space within the light blocking optical element 13, i.e. it practically does not receive any reflected light or environmental light coming from elsewhere.
In the way shown in
Preferably, there are irregularities on the surface of the light tube 14, so as to avoid the disadvantages of reflecting surfaces mentioned in the introduction. Preferably, the irregularities can be formed by designing the light tube 14 as a threaded bore.
As shown in
In the case of two measuring sensors 12a, 12b, the light blocking optical element 13 is preferably designed with the spine shown in
In the preferred embodiments shown, the optical measuring unit comprises two measuring sensors 12a, 12b, which are arranged in a way that they can sense the reflected light from different directions. Indeed, the two measuring sensors 12a, 12b are arranged on the two sides of the light source 11, symmetrically to the centreline of the light tube 14. In this way it becomes possible to compensate the eventual tilting of the surface to be measured, for example when the reagent sheet to be tested is placed inaccurately into the measuring apparatus. This is because in an optimal case the light tube 14 is perpendicular to the surface to be measured in each measurement, and in this case even a single measuring sensor could be sufficient. By the application of the two measuring sensors 12a, 12b with any suitable combination—preferably by summing—of their signals, the measurement can be made independent of the eventual tilting of the surface to be measured, when the measuring sensors 12a, 12b do not see the surface to be measured at an identical angle. The optical measuring unit 10 according to the invention may comprise more than two measuring sensors, and in this case the measurement can be made independent of any direction of tilting. Hence, when the position of the surface to be measured changes after or even during each measurement, the sum of the signals of measuring sensors will be practically independent of the tilting angle of the surface.
As shown in the figures, the light blocking optical element 13 is concentrated between the measuring sensors 12a, 12b and does not block their fields of vision significantly and especially would not generate a light tube for them. At least those parts of the light blocking optical element 13 which are between each measuring sensor 12a, 12b and the light tube 14, and within the field of vision of the measuring sensors 12a, 12b, have such an external surface where each point has a shorter distance from the centreline of the light tube 14 than the spacing between the given measuring sensor 12a, 12b and the centreline of the light tube 14.
With this solution, the invention is contrary to general thinking, according to which the sensing of reflected light may only be implemented efficiently and without interferences by using a reflection light tube. According to the invention we have recognised that by making the fields of vision of measuring sensors as unlimited as possible, we can eliminate the disadvantages stemming from the further reflections of reflected light, thereby accomplishing steadier and more reliable measurements.
In the embodiment shown, the light source 11 has four bonded LED chips 21, but for more simple applications one could be sufficient. The bonded LED chips 21 arranged next to each other preferably emit different colour lights. In this way, the sensing of the colour can be provided for simply, by an intensity measurement based on various colour illuminations. The application of bonded LED chips 21 also gives the advantage in addition to the benefits mentioned in the introduction that due to their small size, they practically emit light from a single spot, which simplifies the calculations and ensures homogeneity. In the embodiment used by way of example, we apply LED chips 21 of 0.3×0.3 mm size, and the spacing between them is 0.2 mm. The distance between the surface to be measured and the light source 11 is preferably 8 to 12 mm and hence the LED chips 21 illuminate the surface practically from the very same point.
The optical measuring unit 10 according to the invention preferably comprises an electronic unit linked to the measuring sensors 12a, 12b and the monitoring sensor 15, and this electronic unit has a microprocessor apparatus, preferably a microcontroller, which receives the analogue signals of the measuring sensors 12a, 12b and monitoring sensor 15, converting them into digital signals. Consequently, the measuring electronics are fitted immediately next to the detectors, and hence the measured analogue signals are immediately passed on to the microcontroller, where the A/D conversion takes place. Therefore, the external noise characteristic of longer signal paths can be eliminated.
In the inventive method for carrying out a reflective measurement, the optical measuring unit 10 is used. In the course of this method, the surface to be measured is illuminated by the light source 11 and the light reflected by the surface to be measured is detected by the measuring sensors 12a, 12b. Furthermore, a part of the direct light of the light source 11 is detected by the monitoring sensor 15, which is arranged in the light blocking optical element 13, shaded from other lights. On the basis of the result of detection by the monitoring sensor 15, any eventual change in one or more light emitting parameters of the light source 11 is determined, and the measuring result is compensated in accordance with the measured change.
In the course of measurement, the reflected light is preferably detected from different directions by at least two measuring sensors 12a, 12b and the signals of the at least two measuring sensors 12a, 12b are combined, preferably summed.
The surface to be measured is preferably a reagent sheet 18 arranged on an insertable carrier 17 and shown in
Illumination by several light sources of different colours is applied perpendicularly to the surface to be measured. This is because if the angle of illumination is small, i.e. the illumination is very close to the perpendicular position, the intensity (position and size) of illumination only slightly depends on the distance. In such an illumination, furthermore, the surface roughness of the sample does not cause shading and a larger angular deviation from the perpendicular would only cause a smaller error in the intensity of reflected diffuse light.
The bonded LED chips 21 provide semi-spherical light, which light emission is concentrated by the light blocking optical element 13, and a round illumination light spot is created preferably of an approx. 3 mm diameter, where the illumination light spot covers up to 75% of the surface of the reagent sheet 18. The usual size of reagent sheets used in medical diagnostics is 5×5 mm. Consequently, we provide a small illuminated surface and a very sensitive field of vision in the method. This has numerous advantages: on the one hand, in the case of a small illuminated surface the eventual inhomogeneity of illumination does not influence the accuracy of measurement, and on the other the eventual inhomogenity of the sensor may not cause a measuring error either because the light falling on the whole measuring sensor surface is detected. In addition, the distance dependence of the arrangement is negligible within a certain limit. It is a further benefit that the edges of reagent sheets are liable to get discoloured in a different way than inside the sheet. By means of a light spot directed to the inside of the sheet, the appropriate colours can be sensed.
In this method, preferably the reflection is measured with the light source 11 switched on and off, and by generating a difference of the two measurements, the interference caused by the incident light is compensated. This increases the measuring time somewhat, but it is not necessary to fully screen the optical system, which could be done only with difficulty in the case of replaceable measuring probes.
In the method according to the invention, preferably interference suppression may also be provided for. The impact of external disturbing light resulting from the 50 Hz frequency of the mains is also screened by the measuring electronics by selecting the sampling time to be the integer multiple of the period (20 ms) of the disturbing signal.
The optical measuring unit according to the invention is preferably formed as a modularly replaceable measuring probe. The electronics of the measuring probe store the calibration data, and hence the measuring probe can be replaced as a module. The measuring probe is able to carry out the measurement and to provide measured, compensated, normalised and calibrated values. When using calibrated measuring probes, it is not necessary to recalibrate the whole apparatus when replacing the measuring probe.
The calibration is preferably performed at dedicated points of the characteristic curve. To eliminate the differences between measuring probes, subject to the wave lengths and the reflected light intensity, a ‘uniformisation’ is carried out at the given number of points. At the calibration points, the measuring probes practically measure an identical value, while the scatter of the values identified by interpolation between the points is minimal. The number of calibration points is determined by the accuracy requirements, the linearity of the sensors and the time necessary for calibration.
Consequently, it is shown by the description above that a measuring apparatus has been created which eliminates the factors that deteriorate measuring accuracy, can be produced at a low cost, and does not require prior art optical elements (lenses, filters and reflection light tubes). By means of the optical measuring unit according to the invention, the method according to the invention can be implemented in an extremely advantageous way.
Of course, the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments shown in details, but further modifications and versions are possible within the scope of protection defined by the claims. The optical measuring unit may include not only two, but also one or more measuring sensors. The design of the light blocking optical element may also deviate from that shown, and it may consist of one or more pieces.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| P 08 00386 | Jun 2008 | HU | national |
| P 09 00350 | Jun 2009 | HU | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/HU2009/000051 | 6/17/2009 | WO | 00 | 12/10/2010 |
