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:
Feb. 17, 1987
Filed:
Dec. 06, 1984
John K Michalik, Sloan, NY (US);
Warner Lambert Technologies, Inc., Morris Plains, NJ (US);
Abstract
A circuit and method for converting signals from a photoelectric image sensor into digital signals containing information as to a characteristic of the sensor signals. The photoelectric image sensor provides output pulses having characteristic determined by the manner in which light is incident thereon and this, in turn, is determined by a light influencing medium in an optical path between a light source and the image sensor. In particular, the peak amplitude of each signal from the sensor is determined and then converted into a digital signal containing information as to the peak amplitude. This is accomplished by detecting the rise of each sensor signal to a peak amplitude and then holding a signal level corresponding to the peak level of the sensor signal as the sensor signal falls in amplitude for a time at least equal to the time for acquiring or converting into the digital signal. In particular, there is provided a peak detector circuit operatively connected to the photoelectric image sensor for detecting the peak amplitudes of signals obtained from the sensor and an analog to digital converter connected to the peak detector circuit for providing digital signals containing information as to peak amplitudes of the sensor signals. The peak detector circuit comprises a portion responsive to the rise of each sensor signal to a peak amplitude and a portion for holding a signal level corresponding to the peak level of each sensor signal as the sensor signal falls in amplitude for a time at least equal to the acquisition time or conversion time of the analog-to-digital converter.