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US 10,473,798 B2Granted
Counting and integrating pixels, detectors, and methods
AssigneesVarex Imaging Corporation, Trustees of Dartmouth College
InventorsDonald B. Hondongwa, Eric R. Fossum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments include a device, comprising: a column line; a plurality of pixels; each pixel coupled to the column line; a comparator having an input coupled to the column line and configured to compare a signal from the column line to a threshold; and control logic coupled to the pixels and configured to selectively couple each pixel to the column line after a sampling period for each pixel.
Claims20
A device, comprising:
- a first column line;
- a second column line;
- a plurality of pixels configured to capture energy from photons;
- each pixel coupled to the first column line and the second column line and comprising:
- a node;
- a first transistor;
- a photoelectric conversion device coupled to the node through the first transistor;
- a buffer coupled between the node and the first column line;
- and
- an integrator coupled between the node and the second column line;
- a comparator having an input coupled to the first column line and configured to compare a signal from the first column line to a threshold;
- and
- control logic coupled to the pixels and configured to selectively couple each pixel to the first column line after a sampling period for each pixel.
10 more elements
A method, comprising:
- acquiring a signal from a photoelectric conversion device of a pixel during a sampling time period;
- incrementing a counter based on the signal;
- resetting the acquiring of the signal after the sampling time period;
- and
- integrating the signal over multiple sampling time periods into a single integrated signal.
2 more elements
A device, comprising:
- means for integrating a signal from a photoelectric conversion device of a pixel over a first time period to generate a first integrated signal;
- means for integrating the first integrated signal over a second time period to generate a second integrated signal;
- and
- means for controlling the first and second time periods such the second time period spans multiple first time periods.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.