Patent ID: 11867651
Assignee: AMS SENSORS ASIA PTE. LTD.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G

Claim 9:
10. An apparatus comprising:
a light emitter operable to produce light having a particular wavelength;
a transmissive cover disposed so as to intersect a path of light emitted by the light emitter, wherein the transmissive cover is substantially transparent to the wavelength of light produced by the light emitter;
a first electrically conductive structure disposed on a surface of the transmissive cover, wherein the surface intersects a path of the light produced by the light emitter;
a second electrically conductive structure disposed on a same side of the transmissive cover as the first electrically conductive structure and separated from the first electrically conductive structure by an insulating layer; and
a controller;
wherein:
each of the first and second electrically conductive structures is coupled electrically to the controller, and
the controller is operable to monitor a respective electrical characteristic of each of the first and second electrically conductive structures such that if the monitored characteristic for a particular one of the first or second electrically conductive structures changes by more than a respective predetermined amount, the controller regulates an optical output produced by the light source;

wherein the controller is operable to monitor signals from the first electrically conductive structure for a change in resistance, and wherein the controller is operable to monitor signals from the second electrically conductive structure for a change in capacitance.