Apparatus and method for channel-specific configuration in a readout ASIC

A method of manufacturing an ASIC comprising:

• providing a plurality of channels, each channel having a time discrimination circuit and an energy discrimination circuit;
• configuring a plurality of programmable registers to provide configuration parameters;
• configuring a configuration-select register to identify the programmable register to be used for channel configuration;
• configuring a channel select register to identify the channel to be configured;
• and
• configuring the plurality of channels to individually receive configuration parameters based on the contents of the channel-select and configuration-select registers.

A data acquisition system comprising:

• a sensor array having a plurality of outputs;
• a controller;
• and
• an ASIC comprising;
• a plurality of channels configured to receive a plurality of signals from the sensor array outputs;
• a plurality of programmable registers, each programmable register configured to output at least one program parameter to the plurality of channels;
• a channel-select register configured to identify a channel of the plurality of channels to be programmed;
• a configuration-select register configured to identify a programmable register of the plurality of programmable registers to be used for channel programming;
• and
• a communications interface configured to receive instructions from the controller and transmit those instructions to one of the channel-select register, the configuration-select register, and the plurality of programmable registers;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to instruct the ASIC to uniquely program each of the plurality of channels.