# US 10,502,622 B2 · Detector control and data acquisition with custom application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)

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- Number: US 10,502,622 B2
- Document ID: US10502622B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/629,297
- Filed: 2017-06-21
- Published: 2018-01-04
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-30
- Assignees: U.S.A. as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Applicants: U.S.A., as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Inventors: Brian S. Smith; Markus Loose; Atul Joshi; Greg T. Alkire; Daniel P. Kelly; Edward S. Cheng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502622B2

## CPC

- G01J 3/108: {for measurement in the infrared range}
- G01J 1/0252: {Constructional arrangements for compensating for fluctuations caused by, e.g. temperature, or using cooling or temperature stabilization of parts of the device; Controlling the atmosphere inside a photometer; Purge systems, cleaning devices (protection against electromagnetic interferences G01J2001/0276)}
- G01J 1/4228: {arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation}
- G01J 1/44: Electric circuits {(for command of an exposure part G03B7/02)}
- H04N 25/20: for transforming only infrared radiation into image signals
- H04N 25/76: Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors
- H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals}
- H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A custom application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) may provide strong signal integrity while reducing the load to a thermal system. Control and analog-to-digital conversion may be pushed into components close to the detector to maximize signal integrity. Processing functions may be performed at relatively high temperature, or the highest allowable temperatures, simplifying the system-level thermal design by not cooling components that do not require such cooling to function.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A detector system, the detector system comprising:
a detector comprising an array of diodes configured to detect photons;
a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) operably connected to the array of diodes and configured to multiplex and output analog signals from the array of diodes;
an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) configured to receive the output analog signals from the ROIC, convert the received analog signals to digital signals, and output the digital signals; and
processing circuitry configured to receive and process the digital signals output by the ASIC, wherein
the ASIC is connected to the ROIC and the processing circuitry via respective cables,
the cable connecting the ASIC to the ROIC is shorter than the cable connecting the ASIC to the processing circuitry, and
the cable connecting the ASIC to the ROIC has a lower impedance and less thermal insulation than the cable connecting the ASIC to the processing circuitry, and
wherein the ASIC includes a sequencer and a CMOS, the CMOS located proximate to the detector as compared to the processing circuitry and providing a reference voltage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein
the detector, ROIC, and ASIC are configured to operate at temperatures below 100K, and
the processing circuitry is configured to operate at a temperature of at least 290K.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein
the analog signals from the ROIC comprise a plurality of video channels, and
the ASIC is configured to provide analog biases, digital clocking, and analog-to-digital conversion functions for the plurality of video channels.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein the ROIC, ASIC, and processing circuitry are configured such that heat emitted therefrom does not degrade performance of the detector by more than 10%.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein the ASIC comprises an analog-to-digital chip, the analog-to-digital chip comprising:
a plurality of selectable resistive or capacitive preamplifiers configured to amplify the analog signals from the ROIC;
a sample and hold amplifier (SHA) configured to condition output from the plurality of preamplifiers and output a conditioned analog signal; and
an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to receive the conditioned analog signal from the SHA and convert it into a digital signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The detector system of claim 5, wherein the ADC comprises a multi-sample conversion architecture configured to use a 2-step 5-bit flash conversion, followed by an 8-bit successive approximation conversion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein the ASIC is configured to send master Serial Peripheral Interface (mSPI) serial status data to, and receive mSPI serial control data from, the processing circuitry, the mSPI serial control providing a primary control interface for the processing circuitry and providing ASIC memory and register access.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein the ASIC is configured to provide detector Serial Peripheral Interface (dSPI) serial control for configuration of the ROIC, clocking for digital control of the ROIC from a pattern generator, and quiet voltages to the ROIC.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein the sequencer comprises:
an execution unit and a pattern generator, wherein
the sequencer is configured to control a bank of biases and detector control (clock) outputs directly through configuration registers of the execution unit and the pattern generator, respectively.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein the ASIC comprises:
a microcontroller configured to provide control functions through its ability to read and write all configuration registers and memories of the ASIC using direct memory access (DMA).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The detector system of claim 1, wherein the ASIC comprises:
a plurality of preamplifiers configured to receive and amplify the analog signals output from the ROIC;
a plurality of analog-to-digital converter (ADCs) configured to convert the amplified analog signals from the plurality of preamplifiers to digital signals; and
a plurality of math blocks configured to perform configurable processing of the digital signals from the plurality of ADCs.

### Claim 12

An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the ASIC comprising:
a plurality of preamplifiers configured to receive and amplify analog signals from a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) of a detector, the analog signals comprising data pertaining to infrared or near-infrared photons detected by diodes of the detector;
a plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) configured to convert the amplified analog signals from the plurality of preamplifiers to digital signals; and
a plurality of math blocks configured to perform configurable processing of the digital signals from the plurality of ADCs to process the data pertaining to the infrared or near-infrared photons, and
wherein the ASIC includes a sequencer and a CMOS, the CMOS located proximate to the detector as compared to the processing circuitry and providing a reference voltage.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The ASIC of claim 12, wherein
the ASIC is connected to the read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) and processing circuitry via respective cables,
the cable connecting the ASIC to the ROIC is shorter than the cable connecting the ASIC to the processing circuitry, and
the cable connecting the ASIC to the ROIC has a higher impedance and better insulation than the cable connecting the ASIC to the processing circuitry.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The ASIC of claim 13, wherein
the ROIC is operably connected to a detector,
the detector, ROIC, and ASIC are configured to operate at temperatures below 100K, and
the processing circuitry is configured to operate at a temperature of at least 290K.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The ASIC of claim 12, wherein the ASIC is configured to provide analog biases, digital clocking, and analog-to-digital conversion functions for a plurality of video channels.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The ASIC of claim 12, wherein the ASIC is configured to send master Serial Peripheral Interface (mSPI) serial control data to, and receive mSPI serial control data from, the processing circuitry, the mSPI serial control providing a primary control interface for the processing circuitry and providing ASIC memory and register access.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The ASIC of claim 12, wherein the ASIC is configured to provide detector Serial Peripheral Interface (dSPI) serial control for configuration of the ROIC, clocking for digital control of the ROIC from a pattern generator, and quiet voltages to the ROIC.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The ASIC of claim 12, wherein the ASIC further comprises:
a microcontroller configured to provide control functions through its ability to read and write all configuration registers and memories of the ASIC using direct memory access (DMA).

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The ASIC of claim 12, wherein the ASIC further comprises:
a sequencer comprising an execution unit and a pattern generator, wherein
the sequencer is configured to control a bank of biases and detector control (clock) outputs directly through configuration registers of the execution unit and the pattern generator, respectively.

### Claim 20

An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the ASIC comprising:
a plurality of preamplifiers configured to receive and amplify analog signals;
a plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) configured to convert the amplified analog signals from the plurality of preamplifiers to digital signals; and
a plurality of math blocks configured to perform configurable processing of the digital signals from the plurality of ADCs, wherein
the ASIC is connected to a read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) and processing circuitry via respective cables,
the cable connecting the ASIC to the ROIC is shorter than the cable connecting the ASIC to the processing circuitry, and
the cable connecting the ASIC to the ROIC has a lower impedance and less thermal insulation than the cable connecting the ASIC to the processing circuitry, and
wherein the ASIC includes a sequencer and a CMOS, the CMOS located proximate to the detector as compared to the processing circuitry and providing a reference voltage.