Method and apparatus for controlling integration time on multiplexing staring arrays

In a staring array system having a staring detector array having a plurality of rows of detecting elements for generating signals corresponding to an object detected, integrating capacitors coupled to said detector array for receiving said signals to generate charge-carrier patterns, and row selection circuit for selectively causing rows of said detector array to be connected to said integrating capacitors, a method for controlling the time all or any of portion of each row is connected to said integrating capacitors, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a row ON selection signal;
• providing a clocking signal having controllable on and off states corresponding to a portion of the time each row is to be connected to said integrating capacitors;
• and
• nanding said row ON selection signal and its corresponding clocking signal to controllably connect said row to said integrating capacitors.

In a multiplexing staring array system having a staring detector array, integrating capacitors coupled to said detector array for generating charge-carrier patterns responsive to an object detected by said detector array, and row selection circuit for selectively causing rows of said detector array to be connected to said integrating capacitors, an improved method for permitting controllable connection time between each row and said integrating capacitors, comprising the steps of:

• establishing a first signal generator for selecting the respective rows of said detector array to be connected to said integrating capacitors for a predetermined period of time;
• establishing a second signal generator, synchronized to sai first signal generator, for determining the portion of said predetermined period of time that the selected row is actually connected to said integrating capacitors;
• and
• nanding the outputs of said first and second signal generators to modify the period of time of row connection.

A staring sensor array for detecting an object, comprising:

• a staring detector array having a plurality of rows of detecting elements, for generating signals corresponding to said object detected;
• a plurality of integrating capacitors coupled to said detector array for integrating said signals to generate charge-carrier patterns;
• row select means, for selectively causing rows of said detector array to be connected to said integrating capacitors by generating a row ON selection signal;
• control logic means coupled to said row select means for controlling the period of time all or any of a portion of each row from said detector array is connected to said integrating capacitors, said control means comprising:
• means for receiving said row ON selection signal from said row select means;
• means generating an external signal having controllable on and off states to correspond to all or a portion of the time each row is to be connected to said integrating capacitors;
• means for nanding the row ON signal and the corresponding external signal to control the time each row is connected to said integrating capacitors.

In a multiplexing staring array system having a staring detector array for generating signals corresponding to said object detected, integrating capacitors coupled to said array for integrating said signals to generate charge-carrier patterns, and row select circuit for selectively causing rows of said detector array to be connected to said integrating capacitors, an improvement for controlling the time all or any portion of each row is connected to said integrating capacitors, comprising:

• first signal generator means for selecting the respective rows of the array to be connected to said integrating capacitors;
• second signal generator means, synchronized to said first signal generator means, for providing controllable ON and OFF states corresponding to when the selected row is to be connected to said integrating capacitors;
• and
• means for nanding the outputs of the first and second signal generator means to control the time the selected row is connected to said integrating capacitors.