DETECTION DEVICE AND METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a detection device and method that allow an amount of arbitrary detection object to be optimally detected (in other words, without saturating an amplifier).SOLUTION: A detection device 1 comprises: detection means 10 that detects an amount of desired detection object; amplification means 30 that amplifies the amount of detection object in accordance with a reference voltage Vref for offset adjustment; control means 20 and 50 that control the detection means so as to change over an operation state of the detection means between (i) a first state where an operation power source Vdd is supplied to the detection means, and thereby the detection means detects the amount of detection object and (ii) a second state where the operation power source is not supplied to the detection means, and thereby the detection means does not detect the amount of detection object; and supply means 40 an 50 that supply a prescribed first voltage as the reference voltage to the amplification means (i) when the operation state of the detection means is in the first state, and supply a prescribed second voltage as the reference voltage to the amplification means (ii) when the operation state of the detection means is in the second state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1 【課題】任意の検出対象量をより好適に（言い換えれば、増幅器を飽和させることなく）検出することが可能な検出装置及び方法を提供する。【解決手段】検出装置１は、所望の検出対象量を検出する検出手段１０と、検出対象量を、オフセット調整用の基準電圧Ｖｒｅｆに応じて増幅する増幅手段３０と、検出手段の動作状態を、(i)検出手段に動作電源Ｖｄｄが供給されることで、検出手段が検出対象量を検出する第１状態と、(ii)検出手段に動作電源が供給されないことで、検出手段が検出対象量を検出しない第２状態との間で切り替えるように、検出手段を制御する制御手段２０、５０と、(i)検出手段の動作状態が第１状態にある場合に、所定の第１電圧を基準電圧として増幅手段に供給すると共に、(ii)検出手段の動作状態が第２状態にある場合に、所定の第２電圧を基準電圧として増幅手段に供給する供給手段４０、５０とを備える。【選択図】図１