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:
Sep. 17, 2013
Filed:
Nov. 04, 2009
Olivier Daigle, Verdun, CA;
Olivier Daigle, Verdun, CA;
Photon Etc, Inc., Montreal, Quebec, CA;
Abstract
An apparatus and method for low noise imaging uses an image sensor, such as an EMCCD in which charges are accumulated and shifted out using analog clock signals. A sensor controller generates the clock signals from digital waveforms stored in memory units that provide outputs to digital-to-analog converters that, in turn, convert the signals to analog form. The analog signals are then amplified and applied to the sensor. The specific waveforms are determined by a digital signal processor and stored in the memories, and the desired waveforms are read out the memories using addressing provided by a field-programmable gate array. The clock signals may be sinusoids, or may be more complex waveform shapes, and the waveform shapes may be varied by a user. The clock signal rise times may be made gradual so as to minimize noise contributions.