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:
May. 28, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 25, 2000
Abstract
An optical detector has at least one image sensor element that generates an image sensor element output signal according to the illumination incident on the element. A readout amplifier for the one or each image sensor element is switchable between a plurality of amplification stages for amplifying the respective image sensor element output signal. An amplification switch is provided for comparing the image sensor element output signal with at least one given threshold value before the signal is amplified by the readout amplifier and for switching between the amplification stages of the readout amplifier depending on the result of the comparison. The optical detector has a first output signal indicating the amplified image sensor element output signal and a second output signal indicating the amplification stage to which the amplifier is switched.