High-speed analog photon counter and method
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- accumulating an electric charge in a capacitor of a circuit electrically coupled to a current source of the circuit;
comparing the electric charge accumulated in the capacitor of the circuit with a reference voltage through a comparator of the circuit electrically coupled to an output of the capacitor to enable accumulation of the electrical charge until an output voltage of the capacitor matches the reference voltage;
generating a reset pulse at an output of the comparator when the output voltage of the capacitor matches the reference voltage;
resetting the capacitor through a first reset transistor of the circuit electrically coupled to the output of the comparator;
clearing the circuit through a second reset transistor configured to receive a signal external to the circuit to clear the circuit; and
implementing the circuit inside a pixel circuit to increase a speed of operation of a measurement device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high speed analog photon counter and method is provided. In one aspect, the method includes delivering an electric charge to a circuit of the high speed analog photon counter through a current source of the circuit. The method also includes accumulating the electric charge in a capacitor of the circuit electrically coupled to the current source. The method further includes comparing the electric charge accumulated in the capacitor of the circuit with a reference voltage through a comparator of the circuit electrically coupled to an output of the capacitor. The output of the capacitor of the circuit is coupled to an input of the comparator of the circuit, and the reference voltage is coupled to another input of the comparator of the circuit. The method furthermore includes resetting the capacitor of the circuit when the electric charge accumulated in the capacitor of the circuit matches the reference voltage.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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accumulating an electric charge in a capacitor of a circuit electrically coupled to a current source of the circuit; comparing the electric charge accumulated in the capacitor of the circuit with a reference voltage through a comparator of the circuit electrically coupled to an output of the capacitor to enable accumulation of the electrical charge until an output voltage of the capacitor matches the reference voltage; generating a reset pulse at an output of the comparator when the output voltage of the capacitor matches the reference voltage; resetting the capacitor through a first reset transistor of the circuit electrically coupled to the output of the comparator; clearing the circuit through a second reset transistor configured to receive a signal external to the circuit to clear the circuit; and implementing the circuit inside a pixel circuit to increase a speed of operation of a measurement device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An image sensor device comprising:
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a pixel circuit; and an intensity measurement circuit implemented in the pixel circuitto measure an intensity of light and to increase a speed of operation of the image sensor device, the intensity measurement circuit further comprising; a first circuit to deliver an electric charge to the intensity measurement circuit through a current source; a second circuit to accumulate the electric charge in a capacitor of the intensity measurement circuit electrically coupled to the current source; and a third circuit to compare the electric charge accumulated in the capacitor of the intensity measurement circuit with a reference voltage through a comparator of the intensity measurement circuit electrically coupled to an output of the capacitor, wherein the capacitor is configured to reset when the electric charge accumulated therein matches the reference voltage, wherein the comparator is configured to generate a reset pulse at an output of the comparator when the output of the capacitor matches the reference voltage, wherein the capacitor is configured to reset through a first reset transistor of the intensity measurement circuit electrically coupled to the output of the comparator, wherein the intensity measurement circuit is configured to reset through a second reset transistor, and wherein the second reset transistor is configured to receive a signal external to the circuit to clear the circuit. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification