Proximity and ambient light sensor has I2C interface and interrupt function for gesture applications

Vishay’s VCNL4035X01 integrates a proximity sensor (PS), ambient light sensor (ALS), a muxx, and a driver for up to 3 external IREDs / LEDs into one small package. The device is available now from TTI Europe. It incorporates photodiodes, amplifiers, and analog to digital converting circuits into a single chip by CMOS process. The 16-bit high resolution ALS offers excellent sensing capabilities with sufficient selections to fulfill most applications whether dark or high transparency lens design. Both ALS and PS programmable interrupt features of individual high and low thresholds offers the best utilization of resource and power saving on the microcontroller. The proximity sensor features an intelligent cancellation scheme, so that cross talk phenomenon is eliminated effectively. To accelerate the PS response time, smart persistence prevents the misjudgment of proximity sensing but also keeps a fast response time. Active force mode, one time trigger by one instruction, is another good approach for more design flexibility to fulfill different kinds of applications with more power saving. The adoption of patented Filtron technology achieves the closest ambient light spectral sensitivity to real human eye responses and offers the best background light cancellation capability (including sunlight) without utilizing the microcontrollers’ resources. The device provides an excellent temperature compensation capability for keeping output stable under various temperature configurations. ALS and PS functions are easily operated via the simple command format of I2C (SMBus compatible) interface protocol. Operating voltage ranges from 2.5V to 3.6V. The device is packaged in a lead-free eight-pin QFN package.