Detector control and data acquisition with custom application specific integrated circuit (asic)
AssigneeU.S.A. as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsBRIAN S. SMITH, MARKUS LOOSE, ATUL JOSHI, GREG T. ALKIRE, DANIEL P. KELLY, EDWARD S. CHENG
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims20
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.
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.
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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.