# US 12,007,137 B2 · Infrared imaging element comprising temperature detection pixels, drive lines, signal lines, vertical scanning circuit, signal line selection circuit, and one or more read circuits, and air conditioner equipped with the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,137 B2 - Document ID: US12007137B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/981,674 - Filed: 2019-01-28 - Published: 2021-06-24 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-06 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Inventors: Tomohiro Maegawa; Daisuke Fujisawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007137B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/88: Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - G01J 5/0025: {Living bodies (ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00)} - G01J 5/064: {Ambient temperature sensor; Housing temperature sensor; Constructional details thereof} - G01J 5/0853: {having infrared absorbers other than the usual absorber layers deposited on infrared detectors like bolometers, wherein the heat propagation between the absorber and the detecting element occurs within a solid} - G01J 5/10: using electric radiation detectors - G01J 5/20: using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices - H04N 23/20: for generating image signals from infrared radiation only - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - F24F 2120/10: Occupancy - F24F 2120/12: Position of occupants - G01J 2005/0077: {Imaging} - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - 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 thermal infrared imaging element includes: a pixel array unit (100) that includes a plurality of temperature detection pixels (3) each of which includes a diode (1) and generates an electric signal in accordance with infrared rays received from an outside, the temperature detection pixels being arrayed in a two-dimensional fashion in a row and column directions; a plurality of drive lines (12) that are provided in rows and that commonly connect one ends of the temperature detection pixels (3) in units of the rows; a plurality of signal lines (13) that are provided in columns and that commonly connect the other ends of the temperature detection pixels (3) in units of the columns; a vertical scanning circuit (4) that sequentially selects the drive lines; a signal line selection circuit (6) that sequentially selects the signal lines; and one or more read circuits (7) that amplify an electric signal from a temperature detection pixel connected to both one of the drive lines which is selected by the vertical scanning circuit and one of the signal lines which is selected by the signal line selection circuit. The number of the read circuits (7) is smaller than the number of the signal lines provided in the respective columns. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An infrared imaging element comprising: a pixel array unit that includes a plurality of temperature detection pixels each of which includes a diode and generates an electric signal in accordance with infrared rays received from an outside, the temperature detection pixels being arrayed in a two-dimensional fashion in rows and columns; a plurality of drive lines that are provided in rows, each of the drive lines commonly connecting first ends of the temperature detection pixels in one of the rows of the temperature detection pixels; a plurality of signal lines that are provided in columns, each of the signal lines commonly connecting second ends of the temperature detection pixels in one of the columns of the temperature detection pixels; a vertical scanning circuit that sequentially selects the drive lines; a signal line selection circuit that sequentially selects the signal lines; and one or more read circuits that amplify an electric signal from one of the temperature detection pixels connected to both one of the drive lines selected by the vertical scanning circuit and one of the signal lines that is selected by the signal line selection circuit, a total number of the read circuits being smaller than a total number of the signal lines connected to the columns of the temperature detection pixels. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The infrared imaging element according to claim 1, further comprising: a variable clock output unit that outputs a control signal configured to control sequential selection of the signal lines by the signal line selection circuit; and an image calculation unit that generates an output signal by adjusting an array of pixels in the output signal, based on signals from the read circuits. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The infrared imaging element according to claim 2, wherein the variable clock output unit and the signal line selection circuit are configured to switch any column of the temperature detection pixels to be read. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The infrared imaging element according to claim 2, wherein the vertical scanning circuit, the variable clock output unit, and the signal line selection circuit can switch any pixel to be read. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The infrared imaging element according to claim 1, wherein the signal line selection circuit that sequentially selects the signal lines is disposed between the pixel array unit arrayed in the two-dimensional fashion and each of the read circuits. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The infrared imaging element according to claim 1, further comprising a current source connected to cathode sides of the diodes, wherein the vertical scanning circuit is connected to anode sides of the diodes via the drive lines, and the vertical scanning circuit selects the drive lines in such a way that conduction periods of the temperature detection pixels become constant. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The infrared imaging element according to claim 1, further comprising a current source connected to a node at which the signal line selection circuit is connected to the read circuits, wherein the vertical scanning circuit is connected to anode sides of the diodes via the drive lines, the signal line selection circuit is connected to cathode sides of the diodes via the signal lines, and the signal line selection circuit selects the signal lines at regular intervals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The infrared imaging element according to claim 1, wherein an N number of read circuits are provided, N being an integer of two or more, the plurality of signal lines are divided into N number of groups, and the signal line selection circuit selects one signal line in each of the groups and connects the selected signal line to a corresponding one of the read circuits. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The infrared imaging element according to claim 8, further comprising a horizontal scanning circuit that receives a plurality of output signals from the read circuits, sequentially selects one of the plurality of output signals, and outputs the selected output signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The infrared imaging element according to claim 1, wherein the signal line selection circuit continues to select the same column of the temperature detection pixels over a period in which the vertical scanning circuit repeats, an M number of times, scanning from a first row to a last row of a pixel array in the pixel array unit, M being an integer of two or more, and the infrared imaging element further comprises an image calculation unit that averages an M number of output signals obtained from the same temperature detection pixel to determine an output signal of the same temperature detection pixel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The infrared imaging element according to claim 1, wherein the pixel array unit includes one or more columns of the temperature detection pixels and one or more columns of reference pixels that are insensitive to the infrared rays coming from the outside, the vertical scanning circuit further sequentially selects first ends of the reference pixels, the read circuits are connected to second ends of the reference pixels and read signals from the reference pixels, and the read circuits calculate differences between signals from the temperature detection pixels and signals from the reference pixels. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The infrared imaging element according to claim 11, wherein each of the reference pixels further includes an infrared shielding film that blocks entry of infrared rays in addition to a configuration of each of the temperature detection pixels. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The infrared imaging element according to claim 12, wherein the columns of the reference pixels are arranged at both ends of the drive lines in the pixel array unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The infrared imaging element according to claim 12, wherein differences between signals from the temperature detection pixels in one of the rows of the temperature detection pixels and signals from reference pixels connected to the drive lines connecting the one of the rows of the temperature detection pixels are calculated and output. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The infrared imaging element according to claim 11, wherein the columns of the reference pixels are arranged at both ends of the drive lines in the pixel array unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The infrared imaging element according to claim 15, wherein differences between signals from the temperature detection pixels in one of the rows of the temperature detection pixels and signals from reference pixels connected to the drive lines connecting the one of the rows of the temperature detection pixels are calculated and output. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The infrared imaging element according to claim 11, wherein differences between signals from the temperature detection pixels in one of the rows of the temperature detection pixels and signals from reference pixels connected to the drive lines connecting the one of the rows of the temperature detection pixels are calculated and output. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) An air conditioner comprising: the infrared imaging element according to claim 11; and a blade configured to change a wind direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An air conditioner comprising: the infrared imaging element according to claim 1; and a blade configured to change a wind direction.