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US 9,541,646 B2Granted
Apparatus for pulse shaping
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited
InventorsJohn Kevin Moore, Bruce Rae
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An array of photon sensitive devices is configured to provide outputs. Pulse shaping circuits operate to shape a respective output of the array in a normal mode of operation and shape a calibration signal in a calibration mode of operation.
Claims27
An apparatus, comprising:
- an array of photon sensitive devices, said array configured to provide a plurality of input pulses in response to light detection;
- a calibration circuit configured to generate a calibration signal;
- and
- a plurality of circuits, each circuit configured to operate in at least a normal mode of operation and a calibration mode of operation, and wherein the circuit in the normal mode of operation is configured to generate an output pulse having a beginning which coincides with a beginning of the input pulse from a respective photon sensitive device of said array, and wherein the circuit in the calibration mode of operation is configured to generate the output pulse having a beginning which coincides with a beginning of a calibration pulse of the calibration signal.
1 more element
An apparatus, comprising:
- a photon sensitive device having an output configured to generate a photon pulse in response to receipt of a photon;
- a calibration signal generator having a first output configured to generate a calibration pulse and a second output configured to generate a control signal;
- a pulse shaping circuit configured to generate an output pulse signal having a leading edge which coincides with a leading edge of a received input pulse signal;
- and
- a multiplexing circuit having a first input coupled to the output of the photon sensitive device and configured to receive the photon pulse and a second input coupled to the first output of the calibration signal generator and configured to receive the calibration pulse and a control input coupled to the second output of the calibration signal generator and configured to receive the control signal;
- wherein said multiplexing circuit couples the photon pulse as the input pulse signal to the pulse shaping circuit when the control signal is set in a normal operating state;
- and
- wherein said multiplexing circuit couples the calibration pulse as the input pulse signal to the pulse shaping circuit when the control signal is set in a calibration mode of operation.
5 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a photon sensitive device having an output configured to generate a photon pulse in response to receipt of a photon;
- a calibration signal generator having a first output configured to generate a calibration pulse and a second output configured to generate a control signal;
- a pulse shaping circuit configured to generate an output pulse signal having a leading edge which coincides with a leading edge of a received input pulse signal;
- and
- a logic circuit having a first input coupled to the output of the photon sensitive device and configured to receive the photon pulse and a second input coupled to the first output of the calibration signal generator and configured to receive the calibration pulse and a control input coupled to the second output of the calibration signal generator and configured to receive the control signal;
- wherein said logic circuit passes the photon pulse as the input pulse signal to the pulse shaping circuit when the control signal is set in a normal operating state;
- and
- wherein said logic circuit passes the calibration pulse as the input pulse signal to the pulse shaping circuit when the control signal is set in a calibration mode of operation.
5 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a photon sensitive device having an output configured to generate a photon pulse in response to receipt of a photon;
- a calibration signal generator having a first output configured to generate a calibration pulse and a second output configured to generate a control signal;
- and
- a multiplexing circuit having a first input coupled to the output of the photon sensitive device and configured to receive the photon pulse and a second input coupled to the first output of the calibration signal generator and configured to receive the calibration pulse and a control input coupled to the second output of the calibration signal generator and configured to receive the control signal;
- wherein said multiplexing circuit passes the photon pulse through for output as an output pulse when the control signal is set in a normal operating state;
- and
- wherein said multiplexing circuit passes the calibration pulse through for output as the output pulse when the control signal is set in a calibration mode of operation.
4 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a photon sensitive device configured to provide an input pulse in response to light detection;
- a calibration circuit configured to generate a calibration signal;
- and
- a pulse processing circuit having an input to receive the light pulse and an input to receive the calibration signal, said pulse processing circuit configured to operate in a normal mode of operation to generate an output pulse in response to said input pulse but having a shorter pulse length than said input pulse and further configured to operate in a calibration mode of operation to generate said output pulse in response to a calibration pulse of said calibration signal but having a shorter pulse length than said calibration pulse.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.