Low power ADC for imaging arrays

Details Low power ADC for imaging arrays Low power ADC for imaging arrays

2006-08-22

2006-08-22

Wamsley, Patrick (Department: 2819)

Coded data generation or conversion

Analog to or from digital conversion

Analog to digital conversion

C341S172000, C250S208100

Reexamination Certificate

active

07095355

ABSTRACT:
An analog to digital converter ADC is adapted for low power for use in an imaging array. The ADC is a digital inverter with feedback to convert an asynchronous ramp voltage to an output count at each crossing of a voltage threshold. A separate circuit generates a voltage ramp that is coupled through a capacitor to a photocurrent from a detector, generating an integrating voltage that is raised at a source follower circuit. The integrating voltage from the source follower circuit is converted to another voltage ramp and inverted at the ADC. A global count from an array of such ADCs is stored in a grey counter. The ADC is sufficiently power-efficient that each unit cell of an array of photo detectors can have its own ADC. Circuit and device-level embodiments are disclosed.

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