Patent ID: 8426799

Claim:
An optical control system comprising: a plurality of optical emitters and a detection system comprising a plurality of optical detectors, the optical emitters and the optical detectors defining therebetween an area of optical paths whereby the transmission of energy between an emitter and a detector may be modulated by an optical interaction occurring in the vicinity of said area, wherein the detection system comprises an integrator operable to receive and integrate an output of one or more of said optical detectors over time; a switch operable to control the operation of said detection system, wherein said switch is operable to control the operation of said integrator and/or its associated detector(s); an analogue to digital converter (ADC) configured to receive and convert an output of said detection system to a digital value; and a feedback mechanism for receiving said digital value from said ADC and for controlling the switch in response thereto, to thereby adjust the dynamic range of the integrated output relative to the operational input range of said ADC.