KR20180042750A - Light sensor module and Touch detecting method of light sensor module - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a photo sensing device comprising a plurality of photo sensing modules and a central control unit. The photo sensing module comprises a light emitting part, a light receiving part, and a control part. The light emitting part regularly or irregularly irradiates light signals to a subject. The light receiving part receives light signals reflected from the subject or light signals from the outside, converts the same into electrical signals proportional to a level of the received light signals, and transmits the electrical signals to the control part. The control part determines whether the subject is near to the photo sensing module based on the electrical signals and transmits the electrical signals to the central control unit. The central control unit analyzes the electrical signals from the photo sensing module, which is determined that the subject approaches, among the plurality of photo sensing modules. According to the photo sensing device, a user can precisely and constantly measure heart rates while driving a car without restriction on driver behavior.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a light sensing device and a proximity sensing method of a light sensing device,

The light sensing module includes a light emitting unit, a light receiving unit, and a control unit. The light emitting unit irradiates an optical signal periodically or non-periodically to an object, And the control unit receives the optical signal reflected from the object or an external optical signal and converts the optical signal into an electrical signal proportional to the intensity of the received optical signal to transmit the electrical signal to the control unit, The central control unit determines the proximity of the object to the light sensing module and transmits the electrical signal to the central control unit, and the central control unit analyzes the electrical signal from the light sensing module determined to be close to the object among the plurality of light sensing modules , And a light sensing device.

There are various kinds of sensors used in touch panels of smart electronic devices such as smart phones, mobile phones, monitors, TVs, and the like. In recent years, a light sensor including a light emitting portion that generates light and a light receiving portion Pulse) sensor and so on.

In the case of the light receiving part, when light energy is received, it is converted into electrical energy, and the function opposite to that of the light emitting diode which converts electric energy into light energy is performed. Such a light receiving section is characterized in that the response speed is high, the wavelength of the sensitivity is wide, and the direct current of the photocurrent is good. Therefore, researches for widely use in electronic devices have been steadily progressing.

On the other hand, the heartbeat (pulse) sensor can be applied for real-time confirmation of the state of the user while driving the vehicle. Conventionally, heart rate (pulse) of a driver is measured through various methods such as ECG (Electrocardiography) measurement on a wrist-worn health band, a smart watch, and a steering wheel, and a heart rate measurement during operation through an image heartbeat or a radar heartbeat .

However, in the case of a health band or a smart watch, the heartbeat (pulse) can be measured only when the user is always wearing the health band or smart watch, and the user can directly measure the heart rate There is an inconvenience in manually activating the measurement function. In addition, since the battery charge of each health band or smart watch must be maintained, there is a problem that the heart rate (pulse) can not be measured when the battery is discharged.

In addition, in the case of the ECG measurement on the steering wheel, measurement can be performed when the palm or the finger touches the position where the sensor is installed, and there is a problem that the ECG measurement can be performed when both hands are in contact with each other. Therefore, when the steering wheel is adjusted with one hand without holding the steering wheel with both hands, there is a disadvantage that ECG measurement can not be performed and heartbeat measurement can not be performed.

In addition, the heart rate during operation through the heartbeat or radar heartbeat is measured by the driver's seat or the radar and the camera sensor installed in front of the driver, and the heart rate is measured during operation. However, the driver's motion, ambient light change, There is a problem that the heartbeat measurement precision is very low.

As described above, in order to solve the disadvantage of the heartbeat sensor which senses the driver's state as described above, the present invention provides a light sensing device for determining whether the light sensing module is proximate to an electrical signal in the ON / And a method for detecting proximity of the light sensing device.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and various technical problems can be included within the scope of what is well known to a person skilled in the art from the following description.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light sensing device including a plurality of light sensing modules and a central control unit, wherein the light sensing module includes a light emitting unit, a light receiving unit, and a control unit, Wherein the light receiving unit receives an optical signal reflected from the object or an external optical signal and converts the optical signal into an electrical signal proportional to the intensity of the received optical signal, The control unit transmits the electrical signal to the central control unit by determining whether the object is close to the optical sensing module based on the electrical signal, and the central control unit transmits the electrical signal to the plurality of optical sensing modules It is possible to analyze the electrical signal from the light sensing module in which it is determined that the object of interest is close.

Also, in the light sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of photo sensing modules may be spaced apart at predetermined intervals.

At this time, in the light sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of light sensing modules may be arranged at an interval of 6 cm to 10 cm.

Further, the light sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention may be disposed on a steering wheel of a vehicle.

In the light sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the difference between the electrical signal received in the ON state of the light emitting unit and the electrical signal received in the OFF state of the light emitting unit is preset The controller may determine that the object is close to the light sensing module.

In the light sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the control unit determines that a difference between an electrical signal received when the light emitting unit is on and an electrical signal received when the light emitting unit is off, The controller may determine that the object is not close to the light sensing module.

Also, in the light sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting portion may be an LED.

At this time, in the light sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting unit may be an IR LED.

In the light sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the light receiving unit may be a photodiode.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photo-sensing device, wherein each of the photo-sensing modules further includes an amplifier, wherein the controller, when the electrical signal is less than a predetermined value, So that the electrical signal of the received optical signal can be amplified.

In the optical sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the central control unit may classify the optical sensing module in which the object is close to the optical sensing module and the optical sensing module in which the object is not in proximity.

At this time, in the photo-sensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller can measure the pulse of the object in the photo-sensing module in which the object is close to the object.

At this time, the optical sensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may be configured such that the controller irradiates an optical signal of a faster period or an optical signal of a higher intensity than the optical signal examined when the light emitting unit is close, The pulse can be measured according to the signal.

Further, in the light sensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the central control unit converts the light sensing module, which is not adjacent to the object, into the sleep mode, and supplies only the power necessary for determining whether the converted light sensing module is close .

In the optical sensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the proximity order pattern of the photo sensing module in which the object is close to the object is a predetermined touch pattern, the central control unit may generate a control signal corresponding to the touch pattern .

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of detecting proximity of a photo-sensing device, the method comprising the steps of: (a) (B) receiving the optical signal reflected from the object or an external optical signal; (c) receiving the optical signal reflected from the object or an external optical signal; and (c) (D) determining whether the object is proximate to the light sensing module based on the electrical signal, and (d) determining whether the object is proximate to the light sensing module based on the electrical signal. e) the control unit transmits the electrical signal to the central control unit, and f) if the central control unit determines that the object is proximate to the plurality of photo- It may comprise the step of analyzing the electrical signal from the module.

The light sensing device and the proximity sensing method of the light sensing device of the present invention can accurately measure the heart rate at all times without being restricted by the driver's behavior during driving the vehicle.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a proximity sensing method of a light sensing device and a light sensing device, wherein only a light sensing module to be worn among a plurality of light sensing modules is activated and only a minimum power supply is maintained, Can be saved.

In addition, the proximity sensing method of the light sensing device and the light sensing device of the present invention can grasp the overall pattern of the light sensing module being worn and correctly correct the steering wheel gripping habit during operation of the user.

In addition, the optical sensing device and the proximity sensing method of the optical sensing device of the present invention can utilize the entire optical sensing module disposed on the steering wheel as a touch input device, It is possible to control the in-vehicle apparatus according to the order pattern.

FIG. 1A is a configuration in which a light sensing module according to an embodiment of the present invention is disposed on a steering wheel.
FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which a light sensing module according to an embodiment of the present invention is disposed on a steering wheel.
FIG. 1C illustrates the spacing of the light sensing module in the steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2A is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a plurality of light sensing modules and a central control unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2B illustrates a proximity sensing method of a light sensing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG.
3 is a block diagram of a light sensing module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of detecting proximity of a light sensing module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, the matters described in the attached drawings may be different from those actually implemented by the schematic drawings to easily describe the embodiments of the present invention.

In the meantime, each constituent unit described below is only an example for implementing the present invention. Thus, in other implementations of the present invention, other components may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Also, the expression " comprising " is intended to merely denote that such elements are present as an expression of " open ", and should not be understood to exclude additional elements.

Also, the expressions such as 'first, second', etc. are used only to distinguish between plural configurations, and do not limit the order or other features among the configurations.

In the description of the embodiments, it is to be understood that each layer (film), area, pattern or structure may be referred to as being "on" or "under / under" Quot; includes all that is formed directly or through another layer. The criteria for top / bottom or bottom / bottom of each layer are described with reference to the drawings.

 When a part is "connected" to another part, it includes not only "directly connected" but also "indirectly connected" with another part in between. Also, when an element is referred to as "comprising ", it means that it can include other elements, not excluding other elements unless specifically stated otherwise.

FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which a light sensing module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is disposed on a steering wheel, FIG. 1B is a view illustrating a structure in which a light sensing module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is disposed on a steering wheel, FIG. 1C illustrates the spacing of the light sensing module in the steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the light sensing device of the present invention, a sensor for measuring the pulse of the wrist irradiates light to a blood vessel located in a human body, and detects movement of the blood vessel according to the degree of reflected light to confirm heartbeat motion. At this time, the light sensing device of the present invention may include a PPG (Photoplethysmograph) sensor.

The pulse sensor can measure a biological signal such as a heartbeat to the body, and can receive a light signal that is absorbed or reflected by a blood vessel, and can measure the pulse period or pulse rate.

In the present invention, the light sensing module may determine the proximity of the object, and the control unit or the central control unit may measure the pulse of the object based on the electrical signal in the light sensing module in which the object is close.

In addition, in the optical sensing device of the present invention, a plurality of light sensing modules may be disposed on the steering wheel as a whole or in the handle portion of the steering wheel in order to always measure the heart rate of the driver during operation. Since the steering wheel corresponds to a device that must be in contact with the user to drive the vehicle, the driver always keeps the steering wheel in contact with the driver during driving.

Accordingly, when the light sensing module is disposed on the steering wheel, the user can sense the biometric information in real time through the optical sensing module adjacent to the object even during the operation of the user. Therefore, It is possible to quickly cope with the problem.

In the following detailed description, the light sensing module which is in contact with the palm or body is referred to as 'wearing', 'close to the object' or 'in contact' Quot; non-proximate " or " noncontact ".

On the other hand, when the driver holds the steering wheel, the front or rear surface of the steering wheel comes into contact with the palm of the hand. However, since the light sensing module can be clearly distinguished from the steering wheel, a plurality of light sensing modules may be disposed on the front surface of the steering wheel.

Accordingly, referring to FIG. 1B, at least one light sensing module of the plurality of light sensing modules of the present invention may be disposed at the rear side of the handle portion of the steering wheel so as to sense a user touch. When the light sensing module is disposed on the rear side of the handle portion of the steering wheel, the driver or the passenger can directly detect the state of the driver without looking at the light sensing module. Thus, the aesthetics and practicality of the entire light sensing device and the steering wheel Can be secured.

In addition, referring to FIG. 1C, the photo-sensing module of the present invention may be disposed at predetermined intervals. At this time, they may be arranged on the steering wheel with a constant or irregular spacing. For example, a light sensing module may be closely arranged at a portion where the user grasps frequently, and a light sensing module may be widely disposed at a portion where the user does not grasp the light sensing module.

In particular, the photodetector module of the present invention may be placed in an interval of 6 cm to 10 cm to be in a wear state to detect user contact. Although the length of the adult palm varies depending on the person, it has a width of approximately 6 to 10 cm. Therefore, when the light sensing module is disposed on the steering wheel according to the interval, Or two photo-sensing modules may be in contact with the driver's palm and in a state of being worn. Therefore, as long as the driver grasps the steering wheel, the light sensing module can sense the driver's biometric information, so that the heart rate of the driver can be measured continuously without interruption.

At this time, the light sensing module can be arranged considering the cover design so that the sensor is not covered by the handle cover. In addition, the light sensing module can be disposed in an auxiliary mechanism such as a power handle disposed on the steering wheel.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a light sensing device including a plurality of light sensing modules and a central control unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2A, the light sensing device of the present invention may include a plurality of light sensing modules 100 and a central control unit 300.

The light sensing module 100 may include a light emitting unit 130, a light receiving unit 140, and a controller 150 to determine whether the object is proximate to the light sensing module. Since the plurality of light sensing modules may be in proximity or non-proximity respectively, the light sensing module may transmit a proximity electrical signal, including its current proximity / non-proximity state, to the central control .

Details of the components that the light sensing module includes will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG.

The central control unit 300 may analyze the electrical signals from the light sensing modules determined to be close to the object among the plurality of photo sensing modules and may integrally manage the proximity electrical signals in the central control unit. In the light sensing module in which object proximity is detected, biometric information is detected, and the central control unit can analyze biometric information. More specifically, the biometric information detected by the light sensing module can be transmitted to a central control unit of itself or a central control unit installed in the vehicle, and can be analyzed by the central control unit.

The central control unit 300 may be configured as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) of an automobile. At this time, since the ECU corresponds to the central control device of the vehicle and is an essential device for controlling the electronic devices in the vehicle, it is possible to analyze the information by an ECU already installed in the vehicle, install a separate ECU device It is also possible to transmit and receive information through wired / wireless communication such as CAN ECU of vehicle and analysis.

A detailed method of the proximity detection by the light sensing module and the central control unit of the light sensing device will be described later.

FIG. 2B illustrates a proximity sensing method of a light sensing device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG.

Referring to FIG. 2B, the proximity sensing method of the light sensing device of the present invention includes the steps of: (a) irradiating the object with light signals periodically or aperiodically, (b) (C) converting the electrical signal into an electrical signal proportional to the intensity of the received optical signal and transmitting the electrical signal to the control unit, (d) Determining whether the object is proximate to the light sensing module based on the electrical signal, (e) transmitting the electrical signal to the central control unit by the control unit, (f) Analyzing the electrical signal from the light sensing module determined that the object of interest is proximate.

First, the light emitting unit 130 irradiates an optical signal periodically or aperiodically to determine whether or not the object is close to the light sensing module, and the control unit memorizes the ON / OFF state of the light emitting unit. The controller can determine whether the light sensing module is proximate to the light sensing module in accordance with the difference between the optical signal received by the light emitting portion in the ON state of the ON / OFF light emitting portion and the light signal received in the OFF state of the light emitting portion.

In addition, the light emitting portion may be formed of an LED (Light Emitting Diode). The LED basically functions to illuminate light in all directions, and the light thus irradiated is reflected by an object existing on the cover substrate. In this case, the LED may include at least one of an organic light emitting diode (OLED), an infrared light emitting diode (LED), and a laser diode.

Further, the light emitting unit 130 can receive the power from the electronic device including the optical sensor module or the automobile equipped with the electronic device, and can release the energy received as light of a specific wavelength.

In particular, the light emitting portion of the present invention may be constituted by an IR LED. The light emitting portion irradiates an infrared (IR) optical signal, and the cover substrate can be applied to enable the transmission of an infrared optical signal.

In the case of a photodetector module for heart rate measurement in the palm of a hand, the IR wavelength band can be used instead of the green wavelength band, which is widely used for the wrist. This is because the internal structure is complicated and the palms are relatively simple in structure and the bones are located close to the skin.

In addition, when the IR wavelength band is used, the light sensing module of the present invention installed in a vehicle in particular does not interfere with the driver's view because it is outside the visible light range.

In addition, the control of the light emitting unit 130 may be controlled by the light emitting unit driver 131. In this case, when the light emitting portion is an LED, the light emitting portion driver may be constituted by an LED driver.

LED is a semiconductor light emitting device that converts electric energy into light energy and emits light. However, an LED driver is needed to maintain the LED with stable brightness and high efficiency from a low voltage to a large input voltage fluctuation. The LED driver can control the output voltage of the power supply circuit by sensing the voltage applied to the load transistor of the constant current source circuit, thereby maintaining the load current constant.

The light receiving unit 140 receives an optical signal reflected from an object or an external optical signal. This is because, in the case of an optical signal received by the light receiving unit, it can receive not only the optical signal of the light emitting unit reflected by the object but also the entire optical signal of the peripheral portion where the optical detecting module is located.

In addition, the light receiving unit may be implemented by at least one of a photodiode, an optical amplifier, and a phototransistor.

In particular, the photodiode is preferably formed of an organic photodiode. Organic photodiodes are based on organic materials and can replace photodetectors. Such an organic photodiode improves the light sensitivity of electronic devices such as cameras and can be used to investigate whether a display can be made with a uniform color composition. In addition, organic photodiodes are advantageous in that they are very light compared to inorganic materials, are less expensive to produce, and can be used in flexible applications.

Organic materials can be sensitive only to specific wavelength regions (ex. Red light, green light, blue light, etc.) depending on the material of the organic material, so that the spectral sensitivity of the optical sensor can be adjusted by selecting an appropriate material have. In addition, it has many advantages such as good absorption spectrum from UV to IR, high photogeneration yield, ability to accommodate almost all substrate processes through relatively low temperature processing ability as compared with inorganic materials.

Then, the light receiving unit converts the electrical signal into an electrical signal proportional to the received optical signal, and can transmit an electrical signal to the control unit. At this time, an electric signal generated in the light-receiving unit can be filtered by signals of only a certain band through the filter 141. [

On the other hand, although the optical signal received by the light receiving unit may be sufficient for proximity detection, only a small amount of light may be received and used for proximity detection. When the optical signal is too small, amplification is possible using the amplifier 160.

The controller may adjust the gain of the amplifier 160 to adjust the magnitude of the electrical signal of the optical signal when the electrical signal is less than a preset value. Ambient light is dark when in parking lot or evening / night depending on driving time, and bright when driving in daylight. At this time, since the electrical signal generated in the light receiving unit 140 is small in the dark ambient light, the TIA gain is compared with a predetermined value (High T / H) to measure the electrical signal.

The ADC 170 converts an optical signal, which is an analog value, into an electrical signal, and converts the optical signal into an electrical signal required for analysis in the controller 150.

The control unit may determine whether the light emitting module is in proximity to the light sensing module according to the received electrical signal according to the ON or OFF state of the light emitting unit.

At this time, the control unit may be configured as an MCU (Microcontroller unit). Further, the control unit may be constituted by a control unit included in the chip, and the control unit can perform an appropriate analysis for the purpose of the electronic signal according to the purpose and the method of use of the electronic device including the sensor. In particular, the controller can control the on / off state of the light emitting portion or adjust the degree of light emission, thereby efficiently raising the performance of the light sensing module.

As described above, the light emitting portion irradiates an optical signal while repeating on / off periodically or aperiodically. At this time, the control unit can control ON / OFF of the light emitting unit, and it is possible to determine whether the light sensing module is close or not according to the received electric signal.

More specifically, when the difference between the electrical signal received in the light emitting section ON state and the electrical signal received in the light emitting section OFF state is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the control section of the present invention can determine that the light sensing module is worn. Also, when the difference between the electrical signal received in the light emitting section ON state and the electrical signal received in the light emitting section OFF state is less than a preset value, the control section can determine that the corresponding light sensing module is not worn.

When the driver is in contact with the light sensing module, the optical signal emitted from the light emitting portion in the light emitting portion is reflected on the body part (wrist, palm, etc.) of the driver and the reflected light signal is received by the light receiving portion. On the other hand, in the off state of the light emitting portion, the light sensing module is covered by the body, so that the light signal received by the light receiving portion is very small. Therefore, when the driver grasps the steering wheel, there is a difference between the light-emitting section ON state and the light-emitting section OFF state.

When the driver does not touch the light sensing module, the light signal irradiated by the light emitting portion in the light emitting portion on state is not reflected by the object, so that the external light signal is directly received by the light receiving portion. Likewise, even when the light emitting portion is off, the ambient light is directly received by the light receiving portion. Therefore, when the driver does not grasp the steering wheel, there is no light signal difference between the light-emitting section ON state and the light-emitting section OFF state.

Accordingly, the control unit converts the light-emitting unit ON state and the light-emitting unit OFF state according to a predetermined period or an arbitrary interval, compares the optical signal or the electrical signal corresponding to the light-emitting unit on / off, It is possible to judge whether or not it is wearing. More specifically, it can be judged that the wearer is wearing when the difference exists over a certain period of time, or not wear when there is no difference.

The controller 150 of the light sensing module may transmit an electrical signal to the central controller. The central control unit analyzes the received electrical signal, grasps the current state of the light sensing module worn by the user, and can assist the driver through various analyzes.

More specifically, the central control unit of the present invention can classify a light sensing module being worn and a light sensing module not worn, among a plurality of light sensing modules. By utilizing the proximity detection information of the plurality of photo-sensing modules, it is possible to analyze which sensor portion of the steering wheel the driver holds while driving.

 Therefore, this information can be used for grasping and correcting the steering wheel gripping habit of the driver. In addition, it can be used to analyze the cause of accident in connection with ODB / EDR, since it is possible to know whether the driver grasped the steering wheel properly in case of an accident. More specifically, if the driver grasps the steering wheel properly at the time of the accident, it can be assumed that there is no fault of the driver. However, if the driver does not grasp the steering wheel properly, it is confirmed that a traffic accident .

For example, if a driver drives only one hand, the probability of an accident can increase exponentially. The central control unit of the present invention may be configured to provide a vehicle speaker, a mobile phone message, a car navigation system, and the like by a guide such as " hold the handle with two hands " , Navigation, black box voice, HUD, and the like. In addition, the driver can grip the handle too narrowly or hold the handle too wide. The control unit of the present invention can check the contact state of the light sensing module of the steering wheel and provide a guidance message such as " correct steering wheel "

In addition, the central control unit of the present invention may generate a control signal corresponding to the touch pattern when the user touch patterns of the plurality of photo-sensing modules are predetermined touch patterns. The steering wheel gripping form of the driver can be confirmed by the central control unit, and the touch input information can be utilized according to the wearing order.

For example, by performing operations such as sweeping up / down the handle edge without turning the steering wheel, it is possible to form a pattern in which the light sensing modules of a certain section are sequentially recognized as proximity sensing. The central control unit may store the pattern in advance and repeat the same operation on the steering wheel during operation, thereby performing an operation desired by the driver, such as increasing or decreasing the vehicle volume. Therefore, since the driver can precisely perform the control operation without moving the sight line to the steering wheel, the device inside the vehicle can be controlled while maintaining the forward gaze, thereby assisting safe driving.

When the proximity detection is completed, the user needs to detect the biometric information of the user (driver) in the light sensing module being worn, so that the central control unit can irradiate the optical sensing module with the optical signal required for sensing the biometric information.

At this time, the light emitting unit irradiates an optical signal of a higher cycle or an optical signal of a higher intensity than the optical signal examined when the proximity is determined, and the pulse can be measured according to the electrical signal received by the control unit. For example, the optical signal of the light emitting unit used for proximity sensing may be a size 1 optical signal of 1 to 5 Hz, but the optical signal of the light emitting unit used for sensing biometric information after proximity detection is completed may be a size 3 optical signal of 25 Hz. This is to increase the sensitivity and accuracy of biometric information detection.

In addition, the light sensing module can measure the user's pulse.

For example, in the case of a heartbeat sensor, when the optical signal is absorbed / reflected by the finger / wrist / cuff located on the cover substrate, the light receiving unit receives the absorbed / reflected optical signal, . At this time, since the electrical signal generated in the case of the heartbeat signal sensing repeats the strength / weakness according to the pulse, the control unit can measure the pulse according to the strength period. Such a controller may be implemented in the form of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) provided on a substrate.

In addition, the central control unit of the present invention may convert a light sensing module that is not worn out of a plurality of light sensing modules into a sleep mode, and may supply only the power necessary for determining whether the converted light sensing module is nearby.

Although a plurality of light sensing modules are disposed in the light sensing device, the light sensing module to be utilized for actual heart rate measurement is a light sensing module to be worn by the palm of the hand. Since the non-wearing optical sensing module may cause noise that generates unnecessary input, there is a need to block the signal.

Therefore, the central control unit 150 of the present invention recognizes only the light sensing module that is hidden by the palm of the wearer, and only the light sensing module that is recognized as the wear state by recognizing the uncovered sensor. More specifically, it is possible to convert the light sensing module into a sleep mode, and supply only the power necessary for user contact to the light sensing module.

In addition, the light sensing module, which is recognized as a non-stick state, activates only the minimum configuration required for proximity detection and the rest of the configuration enters the sleep mode, thereby reducing the overall power consumed by the entire light sensing module, the light sensing device and the steering wheel including it can do.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a light sensing module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and includes components that the light sensing module 100 of FIG. 2A can include.

3, the photo sensing module 100 of the present invention may include a substrate 110, a cover substrate 120, a light emitting unit 130, a light receiving unit 140, and a controller 150.

The substrate 110 may be provided with various devices including the light sensing module. At this time, the substrate 110 may be composed of a substrate or the like, and may be a printed circuit board, a printed circuit board, or an insulating substrate, which is made of an insulating material capable of forming an electric circuit capable of changing a wiring, Substrate may be included.

The cover substrate may receive various input signals such as a user's touch signal or a heartbeat signal. The cover substrate 120 may be directly formed on the substrate 110, but may be supported and fixed by a separate barrier formed on the substrate 110. At this time, the barrier may block the light emitted by the light emitting portion (light emitting portion) from reaching the light receiving portion directly, and as another use, the barrier may be located between the substrate and the cover substrate such that the light emitting portion or the chip It is possible to form a recess which is a space that can be disposed.

Further, the cover substrate 120 corresponds to a portion where the user touches. At this time, the cover substrate may immediately sense the user's touch signal, and an additional layer may be formed on the cover substrate to sense the user's touch signal through the additional layer.

The substrate 110 or the cover substrate 120 may be rigid or flexible. For example, the substrate or cover substrate may comprise glass or plastic. In detail, the substrate or the cover substrate may include chemically reinforced / semi-tempered glass such as soda lime glass or aluminosilicate glass, or may include polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) , Propylene glycol (PPG) polycarbonate (PC), or the like, or may include sapphire.

Further, the substrate or the cover substrate may comprise an optically isotropic film. For example, the substrate or the cover substrate may include Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC), Cyclic Olefin Polymer (COP), polycarbonate (PC) or light polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA).

Meanwhile, the substrate 110 of the present invention may be formed of a PCB (printed circuit board) or a ceramic substrate. At this time, the PCB board expresses the electric wiring connecting the circuit parts based on the circuit design with the wiring diagram, and the electric conductor can be reproduced on the insulating material. Further, it is possible to form wiring for mounting electric components and connecting them in a circuit, and mechanically fixing components other than the electrical connection function of the components.

The light emitting portion 130 may be disposed on the substrate 110 and may irradiate an optical signal toward the cover substrate 120.

The light receiving unit 140 is disposed on the substrate 110 so that the light emitting unit can receive the reflected optical signal or the external optical signal. In particular, in the light receiving unit 140 of the present invention, the optical signal irradiated by the light emitting unit 130 may receive the optical signal absorbed or reflected by the object on the cover substrate and generate the photocurrent signal, And generate a photocurrent signal corresponding to the ambient light.

Also, since the IR penetration depth is longer than the green wavelength range, it is necessary to maintain the distance between the LED and the PD to 4 to 8 mm in order to improve the SNR. Therefore, the barrier can be positioned between the light emitting unit 130 and the light receiving unit 140, and the gap can be set to a predetermined distance.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of determining proximity detection by one light sensing module according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the light sensing module and the steering wheel control method including the light sensing module include steps of turning on the power of the light sensing module, receiving the ambient light, Determining whether the light sensing module is in contact with the user when the light receiving amount in the light emitting portion on state and the light receiving amount difference in the light emitting portion off state are equal to or greater than a predetermined value, .

The features and technical features related to the configuration of the light sensing module and the steering wheel including the light sensing module described above can be directly applied to the control method of the light sensing module and the steering wheel including the light sensing module.

The embodiments of the present invention described above are disclosed for the purpose of illustration, and the present invention is not limited thereto. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

100: Light sensing module
110: substrate
120: cover substrate
130:
131:
140:
150:
160: Amplifier
170: ADC
200: Steering wheel
300:

Claims (16)

A plurality of light sensing modules;
A central control unit;
Lt; / RTI >
Wherein the light sensing module includes a light emitting portion, a light receiving portion, and a control portion,
The light emitting unit irradiates an optical signal to the object periodically or aperiodically,
Wherein the light receiving unit receives the optical signal reflected from the object or an external optical signal and converts the optical signal into an electrical signal proportional to the intensity of the received optical signal to transmit the electrical signal to the control unit,
Wherein the control unit determines whether the object is close to the light sensing module based on the electrical signal, and transmits the electrical signal to the central control unit,
Wherein the central control unit analyzes the electrical signal from the optical sensing module determined that the object among the plurality of optical sensing modules is close to the optical sensing module.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the plurality of light sensing modules include:
Wherein the light source is disposed at a predetermined interval.
3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the plurality of light sensing modules include:
Wherein the light sensing device is disposed at an interval of 6 cm to 10 cm.
The method according to claim 1,
The light sensing device includes:
A light sensing device disposed on a steering wheel of a vehicle.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein,
When the difference between the electric signal received in the on state of the light emitting unit and the electric signal received in the off state of the light emitting unit is equal to or greater than a preset value, the controller determines that the object is close to the corresponding photo detecting module Light sensing device.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein,
If the difference between the electrical signal received in the on state of the light emitting unit and the electrical signal received in the off state of the light emitting unit is less than a predetermined value, The light sensing device.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the light emitting unit is an LED.
8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the light emitting unit is an IR LED.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the light receiving unit is a photodiode.
The method according to claim 1,
Each of the plurality of light sensing modules further includes an amplifier,
Wherein,
And amplifies the electrical signal of the received optical signal by adjusting a gain of the amplifier when the electrical signal is less than a preset value.
The method according to claim 1,
The central control unit,
A light sensing device for sorting a plurality of light sensing modules, the object proximate to the light sensing module and the light sensing module not close to the object.
12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein,
A light sensing device for measuring a pulse of an object in a light sensing module in proximity to an object.
13. The method of claim 12,
Wherein,
Wherein the light emitting unit irradiates an optical signal of a faster period or an optical signal of a higher intensity than that of the optical signal examined when the light emitting unit is close, and measures the pulse according to the received electrical signal.
12. The method of claim 11,
The central control unit,
Wherein the light sensing module converts the light sensing module not in proximity to an object into a sleep mode and supplies only the power necessary for determining whether the converted light sensing module is in proximity to the object.
12. The method of claim 11,
The central control unit,
And generates a control signal corresponding to the touch pattern when the proximity order pattern of the light sensing module in which the object is close is a preset touch pattern.
A method for detecting wear of a light sensing device in a plurality of light sensing modules including a light emitting portion, a light receiving portion, and a control portion,
(a) irradiating the object with the light signal periodically or aperiodically;
(b) receiving the optical signal reflected from the object or an external optical signal;
(c) converting the electrical signal into electrical signals proportional to the intensity of the received optical signal, and transmitting the electrical signal to the control unit;
(d) determining whether the object is close to the light sensing module based on the electrical signal;
(e) the control unit transmitting the electrical signal to a central control unit;
(f) analyzing the electrical signal from the optical sensing module in which the central controller determines that an object among the plurality of optical sensing modules is close;
And detecting the proximity of the light sensing device.

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