Patent US5459319A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5459319A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Radiation detector circuit having a 1-bit quantized output
Assignee: Boeing Co
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Filing: 1988-02-23
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Granted: 1995-10-17
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Expires: 2008-02-23
Abstract
Abstract Radiation detectors are mounted in an optic focal plane of an infrared radiation sensor system. The radiation detectors produce output signals indicating detected radiation. The output signals are sampled by a sample-and-hold circuit and passed to a 1-bit comparator. The comparator produces a 1-bit signal at a high voltage level for samples of the output signal that are greater than a reference voltage and at a low voltage level for samples of the output signal that are less than the reference voltage. In this manner, the comparator reduces the effects of any gamma spikes on the measurement of intensity of radiation. The 1-bit signal is less susceptible to effects of interference than analog signals in conventional systems and the 1-bit comparator produces this 1-bit signal without consuming a great deal of electrical power. A multiplexor carries such 1-bit signals from the focal plane to a processor over less wires than in conventional systems. The processor receives and integrates the 1-bit signals and produces an output that indicates intensity and angle of detected radiation.
Inventors
- 👤 Keith H. Norsworthy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:10
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01J; G01J1/00; G01J1/42; G01J1/44; H; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N25/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
58 words
An apparatus for detecting radiation comprising: a means responsive to infrared radiation for producing a first output signal comprising a gamma spike and having a magnitude related to intensity of the radiation and; a means for quantizing the gamma spike of the first output signal into a 1-bit signal related to the magnitude of the first output signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
58 words
An apparatus for detecting radiation comprising: a means responsive to infrared radiation for producing a first output signal comprising a gamma spike and having a magnitude related to intensity of the radiation and; a means for quantizing the gamma spike of the first output signal into a 1-bit signal related to the magnitude of the first output signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a means for producing samples of the first output signal, wherein the means for quantizing quantizes each sample into a 1-bit signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 2, the means for quantizing comprising a means for producing a reference voltage, the means for quantizing also producing the 1-bit signal based on a comparison of the first output signal with the reference voltage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 3, the means responsive to radiation comprising at least one radiation detector, the means for quantizing comprising at least one 1-bit comparator which produces the 1-bit signal, the at least one 1-bit comparator having a first input connected to receive the first output signal from the at least one radiation detector and a second input connected to receive the reference voltage.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for detecting radiation comprising: at least one radiation detector responsive to infrared radiation for producing a first output signal having a magnitude related to intensity of the radiation; a means for producing samples of the first output signal; a means comprising at least one 1-bit comparator having a first input connected to receive a sample of the first output signal and a second input connected to receive a reference voltage, for quantizing each sample of the first output signal into a 1-bit signal based on a comparison between the magnitude of the sample of the first output signal with the reference voltage; and a means for receiving the 1-bit signal from the 1-bit comparator and producing the reference voltage to the second input of the 1-bit comparator based on the 1-bit signal.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for detecting radiation comprising: at least one radiation detector responsive to infrared radiation for producing a first output signal having a magnitude related to intensity of the radiation; a means for producing samples of the first output signal; a means comprising at least one 1-bit comparator having a first input connected to receive a sample of the first output signal and a second input connected to receive a reference voltage, for quantizing each sample of the first output signal into a 1-bit signal based on a comparison between the magnitude of the sample of the first output signal with the reference voltage; and a means for receiving the 1-bit signal from the 1-bit comparator and producing the reference voltage to the second input of the 1-bit comparator based on the 1-bit signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus of claim 5, the at least one radiation detector comprising an array of radiation detectors, the at least one 1-bit comparator comprising a plurality of 1-bit comparators connected at first inputs to receive first output signals from the array of radiation detectors, the apparatus comprising a means for multiplexing 1-bit signals from the plurality of 1-bit comparators and for generating a second output signal which indicates the detected radiation based on the 1-bit signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 6, comprising a differencing means for receiving third and fourth output signals from at least one pair of radiation detectors and producing a differencing signal to the first input of one of the plurality of 1-bit comparators based on a difference between the third and fourth output signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 7, the means for producing a reference voltage comprising a digital counter circuit that tabulates the 1-bit signals and produces a first reference
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 8, the means for producing a reference voltage comprising an analog integrating means for receiving the first reference voltage and for producing a second reference voltage related to a responsivity of at least one radiation detector.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 9, the differencing means comprising a differential amplifier.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
86 words
The apparatus of claim 5, comprising; a second 1-bit comparator; a means for storing a first value and producing a second reference voltage to the second 1-bit comparator based on the first value; a means for deriving a second value from the first value; and a means for receiving a 1-bit signals from the second 1-bit comparator as a sign signal, for summing the first value with the second value according to the 1-bit signals, and for producing a third value to the means for storing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 11, comprising a means for receiving the second value and producing a signal having at least a minimum value to the means for receiving 1-bit signals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 12, comprising a differencing means for producing a difference signal to the second 1-bit comparator based on the first output and the first reference voltage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 13, the means for deriving comprising a shift register means for shifting the first value to derive the second value.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
58 words
An apparatus for detecting radiation comprising: a means responsive to visible radiation for producing a first output signal comprising a gamma spike and having a magnitude related to intensity of the radiation and; a means for quantizing the gamma spike of the first output signal into a 1-bit signal related to the magnitude of the first output signal.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
58 words
An apparatus for detecting radiation comprising: a means responsive to visible radiation for producing a first output signal comprising a gamma spike and having a magnitude related to intensity of the radiation and; a means for quantizing the gamma spike of the first output signal into a 1-bit signal related to the magnitude of the first output signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 15 comprising a means for producing samples of the first output signal, wherein the means for quantizing quantizes each sample into a 1-bit signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 16, the means for quantizing comprising a means for producing a reference voltage, the means for quantizing also producing the 1-bit signal based on a comparison of the first output signal with the reference voltage.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 17, the means responsive to radiation comprising at least one radiation detector, the means for quantizing comprising at least one 1-bit comparator which produces the 1-bit signal, the at least one 1-bit comparator having a first input connected to receive the first output signal from the at least one radiation detector and a second input connected to receive the reference voltage.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for detecting radiation comprising: at least one radiation detector responsive to visible radiation for producing a first output signal having a magnitude related to intensity of the radiation; a means for producing samples of the first output signal; a means comprising at least one 1-bit comparator having a first input connected to receive a sample of the first output signal and a second input connected to receive a reference voltage, for quantizing each sample of the first output signal into a 1-bit signal based on a comparison between the magnitude of the sample of the first output signal with the reference voltage; and a means for receiving the 1-bit signal from the 1-bit comparator and producing the reference voltage to the second input of the 1-bit comparator based on the 1-bit signal.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for detecting radiation comprising: at least one radiation detector responsive to visible radiation for producing a first output signal having a magnitude related to intensity of the radiation; a means for producing samples of the first output signal; a means comprising at least one 1-bit comparator having a first input connected to receive a sample of the first output signal and a second input connected to receive a reference voltage, for quantizing each sample of the first output signal into a 1-bit signal based on a comparison between the magnitude of the sample of the first output signal with the reference voltage; and a means for receiving the 1-bit signal from the 1-bit comparator and producing the reference voltage to the second input of the 1-bit comparator based on the 1-bit signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus of claim 19, the at least one radiation detector comprising an array of radiation detectors, the at least one 1-bit comparator comprising a plurality of 1-bit comparators connected at first inputs to receive first output signals from the array of radiation detectors, the apparatus comprising a means for multiplexing 1-bit signals from the plurality of 1-bit comparators and for generating a second output signal which indicates the detected radiation based on the 1-bit signals.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 20, comprising a differencing means for receiving third and fourth output signals from at least one pair of radiation detectors and producing a differencing signal to the first input of one of the plurality of 1-bit comparators based on a difference between the third and fourth output signals.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 21, the means for producing a reference voltage comprising a digital counter circuit that tabulates the 1-bit signals and produces a first reference voltage.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 22, the means for producing a reference voltage comprising an analog integrating means for receiving the first reference voltage and for producing a second reference voltage related to a responsivity of at least one radiation detector.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 23, the differencing means comprising a differential amplifier.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
86 words
The apparatus of claim 19, comprising; a second 1-bit comparator; a means for storing a first value and producing a second reference voltage to the second 1-bit comparator based on the first value; a means for deriving a second value from the first value; and a means for receiving a 1-bit signal from the second 1-bit comparator as a sign signal, for summing the first value with the second value according to the 1-bit signals, and for producing a third value to the means for storing.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 25, comprising a means for receiving the second value and producing a signal having at least a minimum value to the means for receiving 1-bit signals.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 26, comprising a differencing means for producing a difference signal to the second 1-bit comparator based on the first output and the first reference voltage.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 27, the means for deriving comprising a shift register means for shifting the first value to derive the second value.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-10-16 | 1999-04-17 | 1999-10-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-10-16 | 2003-04-17 | 2003-10-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-10-16 | 2007-04-17 | 2007-10-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |