公开(公告)号：US06326603B1

公开(公告)日：2001-12-04

申请号：US09392281

申请日：1999-09-09

Applicant: Hubert Kuderer

Inventor： Hubert Kuderer

IPC: H01J4014

CPC classification number: H04N5/217 ,  G01J1/46 ,  H04N5/365

Abstract: In order to improve the noise performance of a charge balance type photodiode array by reducing error influences, e.g. due to offset voltages, flicker and/or thermal noise, on a desired signal a compensation circuit is inserted in each channel of this array. The basic concept under lying this compensation circuit is to effect a correlated double sampling method without any significant increase in space or power demand for the silicon chip of at least one channel of said photodiode array. Because the wanted signal is primarily an amount of charge, the compensating circuit comprises a switchable compensating capacitor to compensate an error contribution of the desired signal. In a first “calibration period” the compensating capacitor is charged or discharged in dependence on the actual noise contribution. In a second compensation period the compensation capacitor provides a voltage which is used to correct a predetermined reference voltage to insure compensation of the error contribution. These periods are synchronized to the charge balance technique used in connection with the photodiode array.

Abstract translation: 为了通过减少误差影响来改善电荷平衡型光电二极管阵列的噪声性能。 由于偏移电压，闪烁和/或热噪声，在所需信号上，补偿电路插入该阵列的每个通道中。 在该补偿电路下面的基本概念是实现相关的双重采样方法，而不会对所述光电二极管阵列的至少一个通道的硅芯片的空间或功率需求没有显着增加。 由于有用信号主要是一定量的电荷，所以补偿电路包括一个可切换的补偿电容器来补偿所需信号的误差贡献。 在第一个“校准周期”中，补偿电容器根据实际噪声贡献进行充电或放电。 在第二补偿周期中，补偿电容器提供用于校正预定参考电压以确保误差贡献的补偿的电压。 这些周期与与光电二极管阵列结合使用的电荷平衡技术同步。

公开(公告)号：US06300613B1

公开(公告)日：2001-10-09

申请号：US09315571

申请日：1999-05-20

Applicant: Hubert Kuderer

Inventor： Hubert Kuderer

IPC: G01J142

CPC classification number: G01J1/46 ,  H04N5/37455

Abstract: A charge balance type of photodiode array uses parallel A/D conversion in each channel of the photodiode array. The charge caused by the photocurrent of a photodiode in each channel is removed in predetermined charge packets provided by a dumping circuit and the binary encoded number of delivered charge packets corresponds to the actual photocurrent. Charge balance photodiode arrays have a wide variety of applications. It is therefore useful to adapt photodiode arrays to the specific requirements of an individual application. The intention therefore provides a photodiode array having at least one switching circuit to vary signal processing parameters such as a gain factor g or an attenuation factor k. This improvement facilitates a multifunctional photodiode array for a plurality of different applications.

Abstract translation: 光电二极管阵列的电荷平衡类型在光电二极管阵列的每个通道中使用并行A / D转换。 在由倾倒电路提供的预定电荷包中除去每个通道中的光电二极管的光电流引起的电荷，并且传送的电荷包的二进制编码数对应于实际的光电流。 电荷平衡光电二极管阵列具有广泛的应用。 因此，将光电二极管阵列适应于单个应用的特定要求是有用的。 因此，本发明提供了具有至少一个开关电路以改变诸如增益因子g或衰减系数k的信号处理参数的光电二极管阵列。 这种改进便于用于多个不同应用的多功能光电二极管阵列。

公开(公告)号：US06194703B1

公开(公告)日：2001-02-27

申请号：US09315282

申请日：1999-05-20

Applicant: Hubert Kuderer

Inventor： Hubert Kuderer

IPC: H01J4014

CPC classification number: H04N5/3745

Abstract: Spectrometers often use a so called charge balance photodiode array. This type of photodiode array uses parallel AID conversion in each channel of said photodiode array, whereby a charge provided by a photocurrent is accumulated at an integrator circuit, and a dumping circuit removes this charge by well defined charge packets to keep the system in balance. In order to expand the field of application of these photodiode arrays, a storage circuit is inserted to buffer a possible charge overflow caused by a light beam of high intensity, as often occurs when flash light lamps are used in the spectrometers. The storage circuit includes a capacitor, and a current limiter which linearly conducts the photocurrent below a process limit defined by the saturation limit of the dumping circuitry and which, above this limit, converts a photocurrent pulse into a constant overflow current having a duration corresponding to the amplitude of the photocurrent pulse.

Abstract translation: 光谱仪通常使用所谓的电荷平衡光电二极管阵列。 这种类型的光电二极管阵列在所述光电二极管阵列的每个通道中使用并行AID转换，由此在积分器电路处累积由光电流提供的电荷，并且倾倒电路通过明确定义的电荷分组去除该电荷，以保持系统平衡。 为了扩大这些光电二极管阵列的应用领域，插入存储电路以缓冲由高强度的光束引起的可能的电荷溢出，这在光谱仪中使用闪光灯时经常发生。 存储电路包括电容器和电流限制器，其将光电流线性地导通到由倾倒电路的饱和极限限定的过程限制之下，并且在该极限以上，将光电流脉冲转换成具有对应于 光电流脉冲的幅度。