An ambient light and proximity sensor from Avago has been integrated into an ultra-thin module for use in mobile phones. The compact APDS-9800 integrated sensor module is designed to help conserve power and extend battery life in mobile phones. It can also be used in other mobile electronic applications, such as PDAs, hand-held games and personal computers. Built in a surface-mountable package of 1.45x4.95x3mm, it offers features required by mobile-phone manufacturers, such as an extended detection range and a signal-conditioning circuitry that offers superior performance in bright sunlight conditions. The module is composed of four chips: an ambient-light sensor-IC, a proximity-sensor and signal-conditioning IC, an LED emitter, and a detector. The ambient-light sensor, which has a spectral response close to that of the human eye, is used to control display-backlighting brightness. The proximity-sensor and signal-conditioning IC consists of an LED driver and receiver circuit with an optimal ambient-light-cancellation capability. The built-in LED emitter and detector allow the sensor to assess the proximity of an object. A shutdown mode conserves power consumption and extends battery life.
