CCD charge splitter
AssigneeQ-Dot, Inc.
InventorsThomas E. Linnenbrink, Mark Wadsworth, Stephen D. Gaalema
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method of equalizing a first and second charge packet. The apparatus includes a charge splitter for splitting the first charge packet into a third charge packet on the first side of the charge splitter and a fourth charge packet on the second side of the charge splitter. The second charge component is split into a fifth charge component on the first side of the charge splitter and a sixth charge component on the second side of the charge splitter. The apparatus includes a charge combinet for adding the third and sixth charge packets and the fourth and fifth charge packets.
Claims10
Apparatus for equalizing a first and a second charge packet comprising:
- a) a charge splitter which splits the first charge packet into a third charge packet on a first side of the charge splitter and a fourth charge packet on a second side of the charge splitter and which splits the second charge packet into a fifth charge packet on the first side of the charge splitter and a sixth charge packet on the second side of the charge splitter;
- b) a charge combinet which provides the equalized first and second charge packets by adding the third and sixth charge packets and the fourth and fifth charge packets;
- c) first and second charge transfer paths which concurrently deliver the third and sixth charge packets to the charge combiner;
- and
- d) third and fourth charge transfer paths which concurrently deliver the fourth and fifth charge packets to the charge combiner.
A charge coupled device for splitting a charge comprising:
- a) a first charge splitter for splitting the charge into first and second charge components;
- b) a second charge splitter having first and second sides for splitting the first charge component into a third charge component on the first side of the second charge splitter and into a fourth charge component on the second side of the charge splitter;
- c) a third charge splitter having first and second sides for splitting the second charge component into a fifth charge component on the first side of the third charge splitter and a sixth charge component on the second side of the third charge splitter;
- d) a charge adder for adding the third component and sixth component to produce a first split charge and the fourth and fifth components to produce a second split charge;
- and
- e) a transfer channel for outputting the first and second split charges.
A charge coupled device for splitting a charge packet comprising:
- a charge splitter having first and second sides for splitting the charge into first and second charge components;
- a first charge transfer channel for transferring the first and second charge components out of the charge splitter;
- a second charge transfer channel for transferring the first charge component back to the charge splitter and splitting the first charge component into a third charge component on the first side of the charge splitter and a fourth charge component on the second side of the charge splitter;
- a third charge transfer channel for transferring the second charge component back to the charge splitter and splitting the second charge component into a fifth charge component on the first side of the charge splitter and a sixth charge component on the second side of the charge splitter;
- an adder for adding the third component and sixth component to produce a first split charge and the fourth and fifth components to produce a second split charge;
- and
- an output buffer for outputting the first and second split charges as a charge splitter output.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.