公开(公告)号：US06759975B1

公开(公告)日：2004-07-06

申请号：US10600222

申请日：2003-06-19

申请人： Bumha Lee ,  Brian D. Segerstedt

发明人： Bumha Lee ,  Brian D. Segerstedt

IPC分类号： H03M166

CPC分类号： H03M1/0607 ,  H03M1/745

摘要： A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) comprises a current DAC, first and second resistance circuits, and an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA). The first resistance circuit is coupled between a first node and an output of the OTA. The second resistance circuit is coupled between the first node and a power supply node. The current DAC is arranged to provide an analog current to a first node in response to a digital input signal. The OTA has a first input that receives a stable DC reference voltage signal, and a second input that is coupled to the first node. A charge pump provides the local supply voltage of the OTA to improve the system dynamic range. The output voltage corresponds to the sum of the voltages across the first and second resistance circuits. An increase in the current produced by the current DAC causes a decrease in the output voltage.

摘要翻译： 数模转换器（DAC）包括电流DAC，第一和第二电阻电路以及运算跨导放大器（OTA）。 第一电阻电路耦合在第一节点和OTA的输出端之间。 第二电阻电路耦合在第一节点和电源节点之间。 当前DAC被布置为响应于数字输入信号向第一节点提供模拟电流。 OTA具有接收稳定的DC参考电压信号的第一输入端和耦合到第一节点的第二输入端。 电荷泵提供OTA的本地电源电压，以提高系统动态范围。 输出电压对应于第一和第二电阻电路两端的电压之和。 电流DAC产生的电流的增加导致输出电压的降低。

公开(公告)号：US06791484B1

公开(公告)日：2004-09-14

申请号：US10623149

申请日：2003-07-18

申请人： Bumha Lee ,  Brian D. Segerstedt ,  Christina P. Phan

发明人： Bumha Lee ,  Brian D. Segerstedt ,  Christina P. Phan

IPC分类号： H03M106

CPC分类号： H03M1/1019 ,  H03M1/0695 ,  H03M1/44

摘要： A method and apparatus for system offset calibration using an overranging ADC is provided. The overranging ADC is configured to convert an analog signal into an intermediary digital signal. The conversion range of the overranging ADC is extended beyond the full dynamic range of the ADC system. The intermediary digital signal has more bits than the digital output signal. A digital fine offset adjustment circuit is configured to provide the digital output signal by digitally subtracting a fine offset from the intermediary digital signal and decoding the intermediary digital signal. The digital output signal has approximately no offset, and has approximately no loss in dynamic range.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种使用超频ADC进行系统偏移校准的方法和装置。 超频ADC被配置为将模拟信号转换为中间数字信号。 超频ADC的转换范围扩展到ADC系统的完整动态范围之外。 中间数字信号具有比数字输出信号更多的位。 数字精细偏移调整电路被配置为通过从中间数字信号数字减去精细偏移并解码中间数字信号来提供数字输出信号。 数字输出信号几乎没有偏移，在动态范围内几乎没有损耗。

公开(公告)号：US20060077269A1

公开(公告)日：2006-04-13

申请号：US10098235

申请日：2002-03-15

申请人： Willem Kindt ,  Brian D. Segerstedt

发明人： Willem Kindt ,  Brian D. Segerstedt

IPC分类号： H04N5/335

CPC分类号： H04N5/3765 ,  H04N5/347 ,  H04N5/374

摘要： An image sensor is disclosed that contains pixel cells that can individually provide a photocharge that is proportional to the magnitude of incident radiation upon each pixel cell. The individual photocharges can be used to construct an electronic image. Additionally, the photocharges of groups of adjacent pixel cells of the image sensor can be combined such that the combined photocharge is proportional to the magnitude of incident radiation upon the group of adjacent pixel cells. The combined photocharge can be read by a converter such as a charge amplifier. The sensitivity of the image sensor is increased at the expense of resolution by iteratively grouping adjacent pixel cells and converting combined photocharges for each group of adjacent pixel cells. Increased sensitivity of the image sensor increases the signal-to-noise ratio of the image sensor in very low light conditions.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种图像传感器，其包含可单独提供与每个像素单元上的入射辐射的大小成比例的光电荷的像素单元。 各种光电荷可用于构建电子图像。 另外，可以组合图像传感器的相邻像素单元组的光电荷，使得组合的光电荷与相邻像素单元组上的入射辐射的大小成比例。 组合的光电荷可以由诸如电荷放大器的转换器读取。 图像传感器的灵敏度以牺牲分辨率为代价，通过迭代地分组相邻像素单元并转换每组相邻像素单元的组合光电荷来增加。 图像传感器的增加的灵敏度在非常低的光照条件下增加了图像传感器的信噪比。

公开(公告)号：US06661500B1

公开(公告)日：2003-12-09

申请号：US10098230

申请日：2002-03-15

申请人： Willem J. Kindt ,  Brian D. Segerstedt

发明人： Willem J. Kindt ,  Brian D. Segerstedt

IPC分类号： G01C308

CPC分类号： G01S17/023 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S17/10 ,  G01S17/89

摘要： An image sensor is disclosed that contains pixel cells that can individually provide a real-time output signal that is proportional to the instantaneous magnitude of incident radiation upon each pixel cell. The individual real-time output signals can be used to construct an electronic image. Additionally, the pixel cells of the image sensor can be used to collectively provide an accumulated real-time output signal that is proportional to the instantaneous magnitude of incident radiation upon a plurality of selected pixel cells. A propagated signal from a source such as a laser can be used to illuminate a target in an image. A reflection from the target can be detected in the accumulated real-time output signal. The range to the target can be determined using the round-trip propagation time between the sensor and the target of a propagated signal.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种图像传感器，其包含可单独提供与每个像素单元上的入射辐射的瞬时幅度成比例的实时输出信号的像素单元。 各个实时输出信号可用于构建电子图像。 此外，图像传感器的像素单元可以用于共同提供与多个选择的像素单元上的入射辐射的瞬时幅度成比例的累积实时输出信号。 可以使用诸如激光源的传播信号来照亮图像中的目标。 可以在累积的实时输出信号中检测来自目标的反射。 可以使用传感器和传播信号的目标之间的往返传播时间来确定到目标​​的范围。