Semiconductor circuit for compressing the dynamic range of a signal
US4499590A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 14, 1983 |
| Grant date | Feb 12, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 14, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F39/158
Abstract
A circuit for compressing the dynamic range of a signal is described incorporating a semiconductor substrate, a charge barrier formed in the substrate having an aperture, charge indicative of the signal is introduced on one side of the barrier, two conductive regions spaced apart from said aperture for attracting the charge through the aperture and to its region. The charge being divided between the two regions as a function of the potential of each region, one of which may be fixed and the other allowed to float. Two potential wells of a charge-coupled device may be substituted for the two conductive regions having gate electrodes to provide a predetermined potential well for attracting charge. Alternatively, one conductive region and one potential well may be spaced apart from said aperture for attracting the charge to the aperture. The circuit may be combined with a photodetector on a semiconductor substrate. The circuit overcomes the problem of transferring signals having a greater dynamic range than what conventional circuitry can handle such as a CCD shift register. The circuit further overcomes the problem of compressing a summed signal as additional signals are added to it.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.