iC-Haus GmbH has released its new iC-LO, an optical triangulation position sensor with ambient light suppression for up to 13.9kHz switching frequencies. The device is an integrated laser/LED-optical position sensing system for measuring and classifying distances via switching output. Designed specifically as a system-on-chip for the assembly of diffuse reflective photoelectric sensors with switching outputs, the overall system is extremely small, thanks to the high integration of its functions. These functions include the system's photodiodes, LED driver, microcontroller interface, signal conditioning circuitry, and signal filter unit. Besides the iC-LO, all that is needed to create a triangulation measurement setup are a transmitting LED and a low-cost microcontroller.

The specially-designed optical array is divided into one near diode, 127 middle diodes, and one far diode. Two AC amplifiers are integrated together with the optical array to enable high interference and ambient light suppression and a dynamic range of up to 100 dB. Using a filter glass, an ambient light suppression of up to 100 kLux can be obtained.

Using the system, the number of averaged measurements can be set to digitally filter the signals with measurement rates of up to 13.9kHz. The integrated lowside LED driver generates transmitting pulse currents of up to 1.2 A. An external laser diode driver can also be activated for laser triangulation. The pulse duration of the illumination signal can be set through the SPI interface.

Data is output through two antivalent switching outputs and an additional output for the weak received light alarm. Alternatively, the SPI interface implemented for the configuration of the device can be used to output sensor results and states to a field bus interface via a microcontroller.

iC-Haus' iC-LO operates from 4.5 V to 5.5 V in an operating temperature range of -40°C to +85°C. The 15-pin optoBGA package can be used with SMDs and requires just approximately 4 x 9 mm of board space. The design-in process is supported by ready-to-operate demo boards and software for evaluation with a PC.

Samples are available from stock and production quantity can be ordered at $9.72 per unit in 1,000pcs.