System and method for generating signals representing infrared radiation

A system for generating signals representing infrared radiation, comprising:

• means for detecting infrared radiation, the means being biased so that it produces signals even when no infrared radiation is impinging thereon, the means operable to receive infrared radiation from a reference scene and an actual scene;
• and
• means for determining the output of the means for detecting, comprising:
• means for receiving a first signal representing the reference scene from the means for detecting and a second signal representing the actual scene from the means for detecting and removing the bias signal from the second signal,
• means for attenuating the remaining second signal,
• means for integrating the attenuated signal, and
• means for sampling the integrated signal.

A method for generating signals representing infrared radiation, comprising:

• providing a reference scene and an actual scene to a plurality of infrared detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, the detector elements being biased so that they produce a signal even when no infrared radiation is impinging thereon;
• receiving a first signal representing the reference scene from one of the detector elements;
• receiving a second signal representing the actual scene signal from the detector element;
• removing the bias signal from the second signal;
• attenuating the remaining second signal;
• integrating the attenuated signal;
• and
• sampling the integrated signal.

A system for generating signals representing infrared radiation, comprising:

• a plurality of infrared detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, the detector elements being biased so that they produce a signal even when no infrared radiation is impinging thereon, the pitch between the infrared detector elements being less than approximately thirty microns;
• a chopper operable to provide a reference scene and an actual scene to the detector elements;
• and
• a system for determining the output of the detector elements, the system comprising:
• a detector element biaser operable to adjust the bias signal to one of the detector elements,
• a bias signal remover coupled to the detector element biaser, the bias signal remover operable to receive a first signal representing the reference scene from the detector element and a second signal representing the actual scene from the detector element and remove the bias signal from the second signal,
• a signal attenuator coupled to the bias signal remover, the signal attenuator operable to attenuate the remaining second signal,
• a signal integrator coupled to the signal attenuator, the signal integrator operable to integrate the attenuated signal,
• a signal sampler coupled to the signal integrator, the signal sampler operable to sample the integrated signal, and
• a signal driver coupled to the signal sampler, the signal driver operable to insert the sampled signal onto a multiplexed line;
• wherein the detector elements are monolithically formed on a chip containing the system for determining the output.

A system for generating signals representing infrared radiation, comprising:

• a system for determining the output of a plurality of infrared detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional array, the detector elements to be biased so that they produce a signal even when no infrared radiation is impinging thereon, the detector elements operable to receive infrared radiation from a reference scene and an actual scene, the system comprising:
• a bias signal remover operable to receive a first signal representing the reference scene from one of the detector elements and a second signal representing the actual scene from the detector element and remove the bias signal from the second signal,
• a signal attenuator coupled to the bias signal remover, the signal attenuator operable to attenuate the remaining second signal,
• a signal integrator coupled to the signal attenuator, the signal integrator operable to integrate the attenuated signal, and
• a signal sampler coupled to the signal integrator, the signal sampler operable to sample the integrated signal.