Patent · US Expired

Optical sensor and a method of operating an optical sensor having an electronic switching circuit

US5563406A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
9References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 23, 1995
Grant dateOct 8, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 23, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N25/76
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An optical sensor and a method of operating an optical sensor. The sensor comprises a multitude of pixels, a multitude of optical detectors, an amplifier and a switching circuit. Each of the pixels includes an optical detector for generating an electric signal representing the intensity of light incident on the pixel. The switching circuit is electrically connected in series between the amplifier and the optical detectors for conducting the electric signals from the optical detectors to the amplifier in a predetermined manner. Preferably, the switching circuit includes a multitude of switches, and each switch is used to control the transmission of the signal from a respective one of the optical detectors to the amplifier.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.