TAOS' new ambient light and proximity detection sensors deliver enhanced technology for next generation smartphones

PLANO, USA: Texas Advanced Optoelectronic Solutions Inc. (TAOS), the world’s leading supplier of digital ambient light sensors to the smartphone, tablet and HDTV markets, announced its 5th generation sensor family, the TSL2x72 Series, that delivers improved digital ambient light sensing (ALS) and proximity detection technology. The TSL2x72 Series is especially designed to create the widest dynamic range of operation necessary for mobile products to adapt to all lighting conditions.

The TSL2x72 Series includes the following device families:
TSL2572 – Digital Ambient Light Sensing Family.
TSL2672 – Proximity Detection Sensing Family.
TSL2772 – Integrated Digital Ambient Light and Proximity Detection Sensing Family.

The TSL2x72 Series enhances mobile products by providing ALS and proximity detection operation in environments over 60,000 lux (sunlight). The improved dynamic range is enabled by the device’s new programmable gain modes, including a reduced gain mode. Proximity detection enhancements consist of increased signal-to-noise performance and a programmable register which allows compensation for optical signal crosstalk. Power management is improved with an automatic power-down mode after interrupt, which provides a ‘run-once’ capability, and further reduces system power consumption.

The TSL2x72 Series is based on the patented TAOS dual-diode architecture which enables the devices to produce accurate ALS and proximity detection results when operating behind spectrally distorting glass regardless of the lighting sources (e.g. sunlight, fluorescent) and intensity. These combined features enable optimum smartphone ALS and proximity detection implementations which increase energy efficiency, extend battery life and improve the end-user experience.

The TSL2x72 Series of devices are register set, footprint, and pin compatible with the widely-adopted prior generation of TAOS devices, the TSL2x71 Series. This compatibility enables existing TSL2x71 designs to rapidly migrate to the TSL2x72 while minimizing hardware and software design and development efforts.

The TSL2x72 Series of devices incorporate an IR LED current-limited driver, analog-to-digital conversion (ADC), interrupt capability, multiple I2C interface voltage options (3.0V or 1.8V) and flexible programming allowing it to be configured into many different applications.

“Mobile device vendors are continually striving to deliver more compelling products with an improved user experience; therefore, they demand ALS and proximity detection solutions capable of operating in a very wide range of lighting conditions,” said Jerry Koontz, TAOS's director of Marketing. “The ALS and proximity detection technology enhancements provided by these new devices deliver both increased performance and system design flexibility. These new devices extend the TAOS leadership position in delivering technology supporting the global ‘green’ movement by delivering products which reduce overall system power consumption and thus increase energy conservation.”

The TSL2x72 Series is ideally suited for mobile devices but also has applications in HDTVs, computers, and other consumer electronic products. Proximity detection is well-suited for notebook and desktop computers to automatically turn off the display to conserve energy and maintain information privacy when a user is not present.

Other emerging applications for proximity sensing technology include touchless display controls for netbooks, tablets, HDTVs, toys, office equipment, industrial controls, and many other products. In addition, the TSL2x72 Series “light-to-digital” sensor family can be used in any general non-display application where a high-sensitivity light sensor is required using an I2C interface.

To accelerate time-to-market and reduce design-in effort, TAOS provides Evaluation Modules (EVMs) and software support for device drivers and/or C-reference code (including support for Android and Chrome OS). Designed for the compact space requirements of mobile products, the devices are packaged in a cost-effective 2 x 2 mm Dual Flat No-Lead (FN) package. Samples are available now with production quantities available in Q4 2011. Pricing for the TSL25721FN, TSL26721FN and TSL27721FN is $0.67, $0.70 and $1.07, respectively, in quantities of 1,000.