×

Device and method for collecting and encoding signals coming from photodetectors

  • US 6,680,750 B1
  • Filed: 06/01/1999
  • Issued: 01/20/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. Device for collection, digital encoding, and processing of signals from plural photo-detectors in a camera, comprising:

  • plural digital encoding units, each digital encoding unit of the plural encoding units being associated with an individual photo-detector in the plural photo-detectors, and each encoding unit comprising, in order starting from an associated photo-detector, an analog-digital converter with a resolution equal to or greater than 7 bits, configured to convert an analog detection signal output by the associated photo-detector into a digital detection signal, a deconvolution unit, a digital adder configured to summate the digital detection signal and to output a sum signal to a common digital processing unit connected individually to each encoding unit, and a gate controlled by a control unit to direct a sliding sum of samples to the common digital processing unit each time that a given number of samples of a pulse is summated, the control unit comprising a signal comparator configured to compare the digital detection signal with a noise threshold, a sample comparator configured to compare a value of sample N+1 with a value of a previous sample N while the signal is above the noise threshold, and a counter configured to verify that a duration of detected pulses corresponds to a determined standard physical shape.

View all claims
  • 2 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×