Thermal infrared image sensor

• US 5,952,659 A
• Filed: 10/22/1997
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Nomura, Hitoshi, Yoneyama, Toshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher, Constantine
• Application Number:
  US08/955,100
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 250/332, 250/338.4, 250/370.08
• US Class Current: 250/332
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/20 using resistors, thermistors or semiconductors sensitive to radiation, e.g. photoconductive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/22 Electrical features thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/671 for non-uniformity detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/673 by using reference sources

Abstract

A thermal type infrared image sensor is provided, the sensor including rows and columns of pixels forming a matrix, each pixel having a thermosensing element connected to a switch, vertical read lines connected to columns of pixels, a vertical reading circuit for extracting, in parallel, signals from rows of pixels in the matrix via the vertical read lines, an accumulator for accumulating signals output from the vertical reading circuit, a horizontal switching device and a horizontal scan circuit for sequentially and serially reading the accumulated signals.

Claims

1. A thermal infrared image sensor comprising:

(a) a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a thermosensing element for conducting current;

(b) a plurality of read lines each connected to a predetermined number of the thermosensing elements;

(c) each pixel further including a pixel switch connected to the respective thermosensing element and to a respective read line, the pixel switch allowing current to flow from the thermosensing element to the read line whenever the pixel switch is on, and the pixel switch preventing current from flowing from the thermosensing element to the read line whenever the pixel switch is off;

(d) a parallel read device connected to the read lines and operable to read current signals conducted by the thermosensing elements;

(e) a first accumulator operable to accumulate current signals read by the parallel read device; and

(f) a serial scan device operable to sequentially and serially read current signals accumulated by the first accumulator.

2. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pixels are arranged in rows and columns forming a two-dimensional matrix of pixels.

3. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 2, wherein the plurality of read lines comprises vertical read lines, and wherein each vertical read line is connected to a column of pixels.

4. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 3, wherein the parallel read device comprises a vertical reading circuit operable to extract, in parallel, current signals of rows of pixels from the vertical read lines, and to output current signals.

5. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 4, wherein the serial scanner comprises a horizontal scan device operable to sequentially and serially read current signals accumulated by the first accumulator.

6. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 5, wherein the vertical reading circuit comprises a current-voltage conversion circuit operable to convert current signals received from the thermosensing elements into corresponding voltage signals.

7. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 6, wherein the current-voltage conversion circuit comprises a resettable integration circuit operable to convert current signals received from the thermosensing elements into corresponding voltage signals, and to reset the potential of the current-voltage conversion circuit to a preselected potential.

8. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 7, wherein the current-voltage conversion circuit further comprises a second accumulator connected to a vertical read line, the second accumulator being operable to accumulate, in parallel, signals received from a next row of pixels while the horizontal scan device sequentially reads signals of a previous row of pixels from the first accumulator.

9. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 7, further comprising a transfer switch connected between the resettable integration circuit and the first accumulator, wherein the transfer switch is operable to cause the horizontal scan device to sequentially and serially read signals accumulated by the first accumulator.

10. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 6, wherein in the vertical reading circuit further comprises:

(a) a resettable integration circuit;

(b) a second accumulator operable to accumulate a row of pixel signals converted by the current-voltage conversion circuit while the horizontal scan device sequentially and serially reads a previous row of pixel signals from the first accumulator; and

(c) wherein the vertical reading circuit is operable to read, in parallel, a next row of pixels to the second accumulator while the horizontal scan device sequentially and serially reads a previous row of pixel signals from the first accumulator.

11. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of second accumulators connected to the vertical read lines, the plurality of second accumulators being operable to accumulate, in parallel, signals received from a next row of pixels while the horizontal scan device sequentially reads signals of a previous row of pixels from the first accumulator.

12. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 1, where in the current levels that flow through the thermosensing elements vary with changes in temperature caused by infrared irradiation.

13. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 1, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a bolometer.

14. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 1, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a diode.

15. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 1, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a bolometer and a diode.

16. A thermal infrared image sensor comprising:

(a) a plurality of pixels arranged in columns and rows, each pixel comprising a thermosensing element for conducting current, wherein current levels that flow through the thermosensing element vary with changes in temperature of the pixel;

(b) a plurality of vertical read lines each connected to a respective column of pixels;

(c) each pixel further including a first switch connected to the thermosensing element and to a respective vertical read line, the first switch allowing current to flow from the thermosensing element to the vertical read line whenever the first switch is on, and the first switch preventing current from flowing from the thermosensing element to the vertical read line whenever the first switch is off;

(d) a plurality of second switches each connected to a respective vertical read line;

(e) a vertical reading circuit for sequentially controlling the first switches by rows of pixels;

(f) a plurality of current-voltage conversion circuits, each current-voltage conversion circuit being connected to a respective vertical read line through the respective second switch, each current-voltage conversion circuit converting current signals of the respective row of pixels to corresponding voltage signals whenever the respective second switch is turned on;

(g) a plurality of first accumulators, each first accumulator being connected to a respective current-voltage conversion circuit to accumulate voltage signals output from the current-voltage conversion circuit;

(h) a plurality of transfer switches, each transfer switch being connected between a respective current-voltage conversion circuit and a respective first accumulator, wherein the transfer switch may be in an ON state to allow voltage signals to flow from the respective current-voltage conversion circuit to the respective first accumulator, and wherein the transfer switch may be in an OFF state to prevent voltage signals from flowing from the respective current-voltage conversion circuit to the respective first accumulator;

(i) horizontal read switches to sequentially and serially output the voltage signals accumulated in the first accumulators; and

(j) a horizontal scanning circuit to sequentially control the horizontal read switches.

17. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 16, wherein each current-voltage conversion circuit comprises a resettable integration circuit.

18. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 16, wherein each current-voltage conversion circuit comprises a second accumulator for accumulating the respective converted voltage signals, wherein the horizontal read switch sequentially and serially outputs signals from the first accumulator whenever the transfer switch is in an off state, and current signals of a next row of pixels are simultaneously converted into voltage signals and accumulated by each current-voltage conversion circuit.

19. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 18, wherein each current-voltage conversion circuit further comprises a resettable integration circuit.

20. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 16, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a bolometer.

21. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 16, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a diode.

22. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 16, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a bolometer and a diode.

23. A thermal infrared image sensor comprising:

(a) a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a thermosensing element to output current signals that vary with changes in temperature of the pixel;

(b) a plurality of read lines, each read line being connected to a predetermined number of respective pixels;

(c) a plurality of buffer amplifiers, each buffer amplifier being connected to a respective read line to output current signals received from the respective pixels;

(d) an offset compensator for compensating for offsets inherent in the buffer amplifiers;

(e) a plurality of integration circuits to integrate current signals received from the buffer amplifiers and to output voltage signals corresponding to the current signals; and

(f) a serial scanner to sequentially and serially read the voltage signals from the integration circuits.

24. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 23, wherein the plurality of pixels are arranged in rows and columns forming a two-dimensional matrix of pixels.

25. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 24, wherein the plurality of read lines comprises vertical read lines, and wherein each vertical read line is connected to a respective column of pixels.

26. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 25, wherein the serial scanner comprises a horizontal scan device operable to sequentially and serially read voltage signals obtained by the integration circuits.

27. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 26, further comprising a plurality of first accumulators to accumulate the voltage signals from the respective integration circuits.

28. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of transfer switches, each transfer switch being connected between a respective integration circuit and a respective first accumulator, wherein whenever a transfer switch is turned on, voltage signals from a respective integration circuit are accumulated in a respective first accumulator.

29. The thermal infrared image sensor according to claim 28, wherein each of the plurality of buffer amplifiers comprises a constant-current transistor comprising a main current path connected between a respective vertical read line and a respective integration circuit.

30. The thermal infrared image sensor according to claim 29, wherein each of the plurality of buffer amplifiers comprises an amplifier for inverting a signal from the vertical read line to supply the inverted signal to a control electrode of the constant-current transistor.

31. The thermal infrared image sensor according to claim 27, wherein the horizontal scan device sequentially and serially reads voltage signals accumulated in the first accumulator.

32. The thermal infrared image sensor according to claim 25, wherein the offset compensator comprises a reset switch to reset a potential of the vertical read line to a preselected potential.

33. The thermal infrared image sensor according to claim 25, further including a vertical reading circuit for sequentially selecting and scanning rows of pixels.

34. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 23, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a bolometer.

35. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 23, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a diode.

36. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 35, wherein the diodes are biased in a forward direction.

37. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 35, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a Schottky barrier diode.

38. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 23, wherein each thermosensing element further comprises a bolometer and a diode.

39. A thermal infrared image sensor comprising:

(a) a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a thermosensing element to output current signals that vary with changes in temperature;

(b) a plurality of read lines, each read line being connected to a predetermined number of respective pixels;

(c) a plurality of buffer amplifiers each being connected to a respective read line to output current signals received from the respective pixels;

(d) a plurality of current bias devices, each current bias device being operable to bias each pixel through the respective buffer amplifiers;

(e) a background-light removing device for removing current components of the pixel current signal that correspond to background light received by the respective pixel;

(f) a plurality of integration circuits for integrating currents output from the respective buffer amplifiers, after the respective current components corresponding to background light are removed, to output respective voltage signals; and

(g) a serial scanner for sequentially and serially reading the current signals output from the integration circuit.

40. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 39, wherein the current signals output from the thermosensing elements vary with temperature changes caused by infrared irradiation incident on the thermosensing elements, and wherein the pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix of rows and columns of pixels.

41. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 40, wherein the plurality of read lines comprises vertical read lines, and wherein each vertical read line is connected to a respective column of pixels.

42. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 41, wherein the pixels on at least one row of the matrix are dummy pixels that are shielded from infrared irradiation, wherein a row of the dummy pixels may be independently selected such that each of the plurality of current bias devices causes a predetermined bias current to flow in the dummy pixels such that current signals corresponding to the background-light components of the pixels in the selected pixel row are equal to the preselected bias current.

43. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 42, wherein each of the plurality of current bias devices includes a first current source connected to an output of each of the plurality of buffer amplifiers through a switch.

44. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 43, wherein the background light removing device includes a second current source connected to the output of the buffer amplifier through a switch operated with the switch of each of the plurality of current bias devices.

45. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 44, wherein current values of the first current source and the second current source are correlated with each other.

46. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 45, wherein the current value of the first current source and the current value of the second current source are equal, or wherein the current value of the first current source is greater than the current value of the second current source.

47. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 46, wherein each of the plurality of current bias devices also functions as the background-light removing device.

48. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 39, further comprising a plurality of first accumulators each being operable to accumulate the respective voltage signals from the respective integration circuit.

49. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 48, wherein the serial scanner comprises a horizontal scan device operable to sequentially and serially read current signals accumulated by the first accumulator.

50. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 39, further including a plurality of transfer switches each being connected between a respective integration circuit and a respective first accumulator, wherein whenever a transfer switch is turned on, voltage signals from a respective integration circuit are accumulated in a respective first accumulator.

51. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 39, wherein each buffer amplifier comprises a constant-current transistor comprising a main current path connected to a corresponding vertical read line and an amplifier for inverting a signal from the vertical read line to supply the inverted signal to a control electrode of the constant-current transistor.

52. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 39, further including a vertical reading circuit for sequentially selecting and scanning rows of pixels.

53. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 39, wherein each pixel further includes a pixel switch connected to a respective thermosensing element and to a respective read line, wherein the pixel switch allows current to flow from the respective thermosensing element to the respective read line whenever the pixel switch is on and wherein the pixel switch prevents current from flowing from the thermosensing element to the respective read line whenever the pixel switch is off.

54. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 39, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a bolometer.

55. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 39, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a diode.

56. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 55, wherein each diode is biased in a forward direction.

57. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 55, wherein each thermosensing element further comprises a bolometer and a diode.

58. The thermal infrared image sensor of claim 39, wherein each thermosensing element comprises a Schottky barrier diode.