Patent ID: 8415606

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a controller; a front end electrically coupled to the controller; a light source configured to emit light, the light source electrically coupled to the controller, wherein a portion of the light is reflected from a surface; a first photo detector configured to receive the light directly from the light source and to convert the light received directly from the light source into first electrical signals; and a photo detector circuit including: a photo detector array including a plurality of second photo detectors each having outputs and configured to receive the portion of the light reflected from the surface and to convert the portion of the light reflected from the surface into second electrical signals; a switching matrix having a first plurality of inputs coupled to the outputs of the second photo detectors, a second plurality of inputs, and a plurality of matrix outputs; an output block having a plurality of inputs coupled to receive the plurality of matrix outputs and a plurality of outputs; wherein the outputs of the second photo detectors in the photo detector array are selectively directable to any of the plurality of matrix outputs based on the second plurality of inputs; wherein the second electrical signals from the plurality of second photo detectors are directed to respective ones of the plurality of outputs based on the switching matrix; wherein the controller is coupled to the second plurality of inputs of the switching matrix for configuring the switching matrix to a selected switch configuration; and wherein the controller is operable to receive commands for configuring the switching matrix; and wherein the controller is electrically and communicatively coupled to the light source; wherein the front end is electrically and communicatively coupled to the photo detector circuit; and wherein the front end is configured to receive an analog data signal from the photo detector circuit, convert the analog data signal into a digital data signal, and send the digital data signal to the controller.