The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 14, 2018
Filed:
Jun. 24, 2015
Flir Systems, Inc., Wilsonville, OR (US);
Mark Nussmeier, Goleta, CA (US);
Eric A. Kurth, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Nicholas Högasten, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Theodore R. Hoelter, Goleta, CA (US);
Katrin Strandemar, Rimbo, SE;
Pierre Boulanger, Goleta, CA (US);
Barbara Sharp, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
FLIR Systems, Inc., Wilsonville, OR (US);
Abstract
Various techniques are provided for binning (e.g., clustering or grouping) two or more infrared sensors of a focal plane array (FPA) to permit configuration of the FPA to various dimensions and/or pixel sizes. For example, according to one or more embodiments, switchable interconnects may be implemented within the FPA, wherein the switchable interconnects comprise a plurality of switches adapted to selectively connect or disconnect infrared sensors of the FPA to/from column lines, row lines, and between each other. The switchable interconnects may also comprise another set of switches adapted to selectively connect adjacent column lines together. By selectively opening and closing appropriate switches of the switchable interconnects, two or more neighboring infrared sensors may be binned together to form a binned detector. Advantageously, the binned detector, along with the array and associated circuitry, may provide increased sensitivity, reduced power consumption, and/or increased frame rate.