Quiescent signal compensated photodetector system for large dynamic range and high linearity
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A photodetector system comprising:
- a plurality of photosensitive devices which exhibit a condition-dependent quiescent output signal;
a plurality of output circuits each connected to receive the output signal from a different one of said photosensitive devices;
a quiescent signal monitor device having a condition-dependent quiescent output signal which is proportional to that of said photosensitive devices;
means for shielding said monitor device from the light to be sensed by said photosensitive devices, whereby the output signal from said monitor device is proportional to the condition-dependent-quiescent-output-signal contributions to the output signals of said photosensitive devices;
current mirror means responsive to the output signal from said monitor device for applying quiescent output signal compensating signals to a plurality of said output circuits to compensate for the condition-dependent-quiescent-output-signal contribution to the output signal of each of said photosensitive devices, whereby the output from each of said output circuits is substantially independent of the condition-dependent quiescent output signal of the one of said photosensitive devices to which it is coupled.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The linearity and dynamic range of a photodetector system is enhanced by providing real time cancellation of condition-dependent quiescent output signals from the photosensitive devices by provision of a condition-dependent output signal monitoring device which drives the input section of a current mirror having output sections connected to the active photosensitive devices to zero out the condition-dependent quiescent output signals of those photosensitive devices during system operation. Multiple output sections may be run from a single input section of the current mirror.
58 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A photodetector system comprising:
-
a plurality of photosensitive devices which exhibit a condition-dependent quiescent output signal; a plurality of output circuits each connected to receive the output signal from a different one of said photosensitive devices; a quiescent signal monitor device having a condition-dependent quiescent output signal which is proportional to that of said photosensitive devices; means for shielding said monitor device from the light to be sensed by said photosensitive devices, whereby the output signal from said monitor device is proportional to the condition-dependent-quiescent-output-signal contributions to the output signals of said photosensitive devices; current mirror means responsive to the output signal from said monitor device for applying quiescent output signal compensating signals to a plurality of said output circuits to compensate for the condition-dependent-quiescent-output-signal contribution to the output signal of each of said photosensitive devices, whereby the output from each of said output circuits is substantially independent of the condition-dependent quiescent output signal of the one of said photosensitive devices to which it is coupled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A photodetector system comprising:
-
a photosensitive device which exhibits a condition-dependent quiescent output signal; an output circuit connected to receive the output signal from said photosensitive device; a quiescent output signal monitor device having a condition-dependent-quiescent-output-signal response which is proportional to that of said photosensitive device; means for shielding said monitor device from the light to be sensed by said photosensitive device, whereby the output signal from said monitor device is proportional to the condition-dependent-quiescent-output-signal contribution to the output signal from said photosensitive device; current mirror means responsive to said monitor device for applying a condition-dependent-quiescent-output-signal-compensating signal to said output circuit to compensate for the condition-dependent quiescent output signal from said photosensitive device whereby the output from said output circuit is substantially independent of the condition-dependent quiescent output signal of said photosensitive device.
-
-
13. A photodetector system comprising:
-
a continuous output photosensitive device which exhibits a condition-dependent quiescent current; an output circuit connected to receive the output current from said photosensitive device; a quiescent current monitor device having a condition-dependent quiescent current response which is proportional to that of said photosensitive device; means for shielding said monitor device from the light to be sensed by said photosensitive device, whereby the output of said monitor device is proportional to the condition-dependent quiescent current contribution to the output signal from said photosensitive device; current mirror means responsive to said monitor device for applying a condition-dependent-quiescent-current-compensating signal to said output circuit to compensate for the condition-dependent quiescent current from said photosensitive device whereby the output from said output circuit is substantially independent of the condition-dependent quiescent current of said photosensitive device.
-
-
14. A photodetector system comprising:
-
a plurality of continuous output photosensitive devices which exhibit condition-dependent quiescent output signals; a plurality of output circuits each connected to receive the output signal from a different one of said photosensitive devices; a quiescent output signal monitor device having a condition-dependent quiescent output which is proportional to that of said photosensitive devices; means for shielding said monitor device from the light to be sensed by said photosensitive devices, whereby the output signal from said monitor device is proportional to the condition-dependent-quiescent-output-signal contributions to the output signals from said photosensitive devices; and current mirror means responsive to the output signal from said monitor device for applying condition-dependent-quiescent-output-signal-compensating signals to a plurality of said output circuits to compensate for the condition-dependent quiescent output from each of said photosensitive devices, whereby the output from each of said output circuits is substantially independent of the condition-dependent quiescent output of the one of said photosensitive devices to which it is coupled. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A photodetector system comprising:
-
a continuous output photosensitive device which exhibits a condition-dependent quiescent current; an output circuit connected to receive the output current from said photosensitive device; a condition-dependent quiescent current monitor device having a condition-dependent-quiescent-current response which is proportional to that of said photosensitive device; means for shielding said monitor device from the light to be sensed by said photosensitive device, whereby the output of said monitor device is proportional to the condition-dependent-quiescent-current contribution to the output signal from said photosensitive device; current mirror means responsive to said monitor device for applying a condition-dependent-quiescent-current-signal compensating signal to said output circuit to compensate for the condition-dependent quiescent current from said photosensitive device whereby the output from said output circuit is substantially independent of the condition-dependent quiescent current of said photosensitive device.
-
-
22. A current mirror comprising:
-
an input section including a monitor device and an input control device connected to in a manner in which a reference output signal from said monitor device biases said input control device to provide said output signal; a plurality of output sections each including; an output control device, and a compensated device connected to said output control device in a manner corresponding to the connection of said monitor device to said input control device; said monitor and compensated devices having corresponding characteristics whereby, said current mirror conducts the reference portions of the output signals of said compensated devices. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
Specification