Microbolometer operating system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An infrared radiation sensor, comprising:
- a substrate;
a plurality of sensor elements fixed relative to the substrate;
at least one of the sensor elements being less thermally isolated from the substrate than another one of the sensor elements.
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Abstract
A microbolometer for the detection of infrared radiation that has a substrate and an array of sensor elements fixed relative to the substrate. In one embodiment, at least some of the sensor elements are less thermally isolated from the substrate than others. The less thermally isolated sensor elements are selected when transients are expected to exist within the sensor array. In another embodiment, all of the sensor elements are deselected when transients are expected.
40 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An infrared radiation sensor, comprising:
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a substrate;
a plurality of sensor elements fixed relative to the substrate;
at least one of the sensor elements being less thermally isolated from the substrate than another one of the sensor elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An infrared sensor array, comprising:
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a substrate;
a plurality of sensor elements fixed relative to the substrate and arranged into a number of rows and columns;
each row having a corresponding row read line;
each sensor element connected between a supply and a corresponding row read line through a column select switch, the column select switch being controlled by a corresponding column select signal;
a read output line;
each of the row read lines selectively connected to the read output line through a corresponding row select switch, each row select switch being controlled by a corresponding row select signal;
the readout line coupled to an amplifier; and
a controller for controlling the row select signals and the column select signals such that the sensor elements in a selected row are selected and read in succession from a first sensor element to a last sensor element before the sensor elements in a next row are selected and read, the controller selecting the first sensor element in each row for a longer period of time than another sensor element in the same row. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for reading an infrared sensor array having a number of infrared sensor elements that are arranged into a number of rows and columns, the method comprising:
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sequentially reading the sensor elements of a first selected row of the infrared sensor array from a first sensor element to a last sensor element, the first sensor element being read longer than a subsequent sensor element; and
sequentially reading the sensor elements of a second selected row of the infrared sensor array from a first sensor element to a last sensor element, the first sensor element being read longer than a subsequent sensor element. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. An infrared radiation sensor, comprising:
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a substrate;
a plurality of sensor elements fixed relative to the substrate;
at least one of the sensor elements being less thermally isolated from the substrate than another one of the sensor elements; and
a controller for selecting a sensor element that is less thermally isolated from the substrate when a transient is expected.
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21. An infrared radiation sensor, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor elements;
at least one of the sensor elements being less thermally isolated from the substrate than another one of the sensor elements; and
a controller for deselecting all sensor elements when a transient is expected.
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22. An infrared radiation sensor for providing an image, comprising:
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a substrate;
a plurality of image-forming thermally isolated sensor elements having substantially similar sensing characteristics fixed relative to the substrate, the plurality of image-forming thermally isolated sensor elements arranged into a number of rows and a number of columns;
at least one sensor element in each row being the sensor element that is initially selected and read in each row; and
the at least one sensor element in each row providing an output signal that is not used to form the image. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification