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Application US20190341918


Published 2019-11-07

Arrangement For A Photodetector Circuit For Low Power Applications, And A Corresponding Method And A Computer Program Product

The present invention introduces an arrangement for enhancing the performance of an electronic circuit comprising a phototransistor (Q). Either a common-collector or a common-emitter connected phototransistor (Q) has a main resistor (RL), and at least one external bias resistors (RL2, RL3, RL4), each in parallel to one another. The microcontroller may directly control the voltage outputs or act via respective switches (S1, S2) regarding each respective resistor. When the electronic circuit with the phototransistor (Q) is switched on, at least one of the external bias resistors (RL2, RL3, RL4) are switched on. The voltage output rise time is short, and when the bias has been set, the external bias resistor(s) are disconnected functionally. This means that during the actual measurement with the electric circuit, only the main resistor (RL) is used in the connection.



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3 Independent Claims

  • 1. An arrangement for controlling performance of a photodetector in an electronic circuit, where the photodetector is configured to be sensitive to light, the arrangement comprising: a positive supply voltage (Vcc) port and a ground (GND) port where the photodetector is connected in the electronic circuit between these ports directly or indirectly, the photodetector is connected via a main resistor (RL) to the positive supply voltage (Vcc) port or to the ground (GND) port, wherein the arrangement further comprises an external bias resistor (RL2) to be connectable in parallel to the main resistor (RL), a microcontroller which is configured to switch on at least one resistor (RL, RL2) at a time by an output signal of the microcontroller, so that when the electronic circuit is configured to be switched on, the microcontroller connects the external bias resistor (RL2) on between the photodetector and the positive supply voltage (Vcc) port, or between the photodetector and the ground (GND) port, for a time period enabling a bias to set for the photodetector, and when the bias has been set, the microcontroller is configured to disconnect functionally the external bias resistor (RL2) from the electronic circuit.

  • 13. A method for controlling performance of a photodetector in an electronic circuit, where the photodetector is configured to be sensitive to light, the method comprising the steps of: connecting the photodetector in the electronic circuit between a positive supply voltage (Vcc) port and a ground (GND) port directly or indirectly, connecting the photodetector via a main resistor (RL) to the positive supply voltage (Vcc) port or to the ground (GND) port, wherein the method further comprises the steps of connecting an external bias resistor (RL2) in parallel to the main resistor (RL), switching on at least one resistor (RL, RL2) at a time by an output signal of a microcontroller, so that when the electronic circuit is configured to be switched on, the microcontroller connects the external bias resistor (RL2) on between the photodetector and the positive supply voltage (Vcc) port, or between the photodetector and the ground (GND) port, for a time period enabling a bias to set for the photodetector, and when the bias has been set, disconnecting functionally the external bias resistor (RL2) from the electronic circuit by the microcontroller.

  • 14. A computer program product for controlling performance of a photodetector in an electronic circuit, where the photodetector is configured to be sensitive to light, wherein the computer program product comprises program code storable on a computer readable storage medium, the program code being configured to execute the following steps when the program code is run in a microcontroller or in an external processor: connecting the photodetector in the electronic circuit between a positive supply voltage (Vcc) port and a ground (GND) port directly or indirectly, connecting the photodetector via a main resistor (RL) to the positive supply voltage (Vcc) port or to the ground (GND) port, wherein the program code is further configured to execute the following steps connecting an external bias resistor (RL2) in parallel to the main resistor (RL), switching on at least one resistor (RL, RL2) at a time by an output signal of the microcontroller, so that when the electronic circuit is configured to be switched on, the microcontroller connects the external bias resistor (RL2) on between the photodetector and the positive supply voltage (Vcc) port, or between the photodetector and the ground (GND) port, for a time period enabling a bias to set for the photodetector, and when the bias has been set, disconnecting functionally the external bias resistor (RL2) from the electronic circuit by the microcontroller.