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.

Date of Patent:
Apr. 28, 2020

Filed:

Aug. 22, 2017
Applicant:

Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc, Redmond, WA (US);

Inventors:

Raymond Kirk Price, Redmond, WA (US);

Kai Zang, Redmond, WA (US);

Assignee:
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H04N 3/00 (2006.01); G06F 3/01 (2006.01); H01L 27/144 (2006.01); H01L 31/028 (2006.01); H01L 31/107 (2006.01); H01L 31/02 (2006.01); G01J 1/44 (2006.01); G01J 1/46 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 3/013 (2013.01); G01J 1/44 (2013.01); G01J 1/46 (2013.01); H01L 27/1446 (2013.01); H01L 31/028 (2013.01); H01L 31/02027 (2013.01); H01L 31/107 (2013.01);
Abstract

A light sensing circuit includes a photomultiplier in electrical communication with an array of capacitors or resistors. Each capacitor or resistor in the array having an associated switch and having a capacitance or resistance different from every other capacitor or resistor in the array. Each switch has an open state and a closed state, thus enabling each capacitor or resistor to be placed in electrical communication with the photomultiplier or be isolated from the photomultiplier. The switchable array may be in electrical communication with an analog to digital converter (ADC) or a transimpedance amplifier (TIA). The switchable array allows the ADC or TIA to be sensitive to low value signals and operate at a large dynamic range and operate at a fast rate.


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