Methods and apparatus for improving resolution and reducing the effects of signal coupling in an electronic imager
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorJohn U. Beusch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic imager includes a detector array, a plurality of processing circuits, each responsive to an output signal from a respective detector element of the array and to a determination that signal coupling in general or charge sharing in particular occurred. The imager further includes a shared channel circuit coupled to at least two processing circuits for receiving an output signal from the processing circuits in response to a determination that signal coupling has occurred and for generating an output signal in response to the received signals. The shared channel circuit further directs the output signal to an image sub-pixel, wherein a plurality of sub-pixels are associated with each radiation sensitive element.
Claims19
An electronic imager comprising:
- a detector array comprising a plurality of radiation sensitive elements, each representing a pixel and generating a signal in response to incident energy;
- a plurality of processing circuits, each responsive to said signal from a respective radiation sensitive element for providing an output signal and to a signal present indicator from at least one other processing circuit associated with an adjacent radiation sensitive element for determining whether signal coupling has occurred;
- and
- a shared channel circuit coupled to at least two processing circuits for receiving said output signal from the at least two processing circuits in response to a determination that signal coupling has occurred, wherein said shared channel circuit is operative to generate an output signal in response to said received signals and to direct the output signal to a sub-pixel, wherein a plurality of sub-pixels are associated with a pixel.
An electronic imager comprising:
- a detector array comprising a plurality of radiation sensitive elements, each representing a pixel and generating a signal in response to incident energy;
- a plurality of processing circuits, each responsive to said signal from a respective radiation sensitive element for providing an output signal and associated with a sub-pixel to which said output signal is coupled in the absence of signal coupling;
- and
- a shared channel circuit coupled to at least two processing circuits for receiving said output signal from the at least two processing circuits in response to an occurrence of signal coupling, wherein said shared channel circuit is operative to generate an output signal in response to said received signals and to direct the output signal to a sub-pixel, wherein a plurality of sub-pixels are associated with a pixel.
A method for providing an image comprising the steps of:
- generating a signal in a detector element arranged in an array of detector elements in response to impact by a photon, wherein each detector element represents a pixel;
- determining if energy from said photon impacts more than one detector element;
- if energy from said photon impacts more than one detector element, generating in substantially real time an output signal in response to the signals generated in the more than one detector element;
- and
- directing said output signal to a sub-pixel, wherein a plurality of sub-pixels are associated with a pixel.
An electronic imager comprising:
- a detector array comprising a plurality of radiation sensitive elements, each representing a pixel and generating a signal in response to incident energy;
- a plurality of processing circuits, each responsive to said signal from a respective radiation sensitive element for providing an output signal and to a signal present indicator from at least one other processing circuit associated with an adjacent radiation sensitive element for determining whether signal coupling has occurred, wherein each processing circuit is associated with a sub-pixel to which said signal is coupled in response to a determination that signal coupling has not occurred;
- and
- a shared channel circuit coupled to at least two processing circuits for receiving said output signal from the at least two processing circuits in response to a determination that signal coupling has occurred, wherein said shared channel circuit is operative to generate an output signal in response to said received signals and to direct the output signal to a sub-pixel, wherein a plurality of sub-pixels are associated with a pixel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.