Method for converting an analog signal into a digital signal and electromagnetic radiation sensor using same
US6850176B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 12, 2001 |
| Grant date | Feb 1, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 12, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/772
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Device converts an analogue signal representing charges resulting from the photo-detection of electromagnetic radiation into a digital signal. Device includes (a) a number of photo-detectors connected in rows and columns through of buses, the photo-detectors in one column sharing the same column bus, itself connected to an output stage by through a row bus, and between each photo-detector and the column bus, (b) an integrator, to integrate the charges arriving from the photo-detector, (c) means for resetting the integrator, and (d) a comparator to compare the voltage Vp from the integrator with an internally predefined threshold voltage Vs, characterized in that it also includes a processing device, a clock, the clock controlling the processing device and the processing device receiving a binary value present at the output of the comparator at each signal from the clock.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.