Abstract: A sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter comprises a sigma-delta modulator; and an ADC filter that receives a segment of L binary samples from the sigma-delta modulator, L being a positive integer. The ADC filter includes a predictor circuit that determines whether a power consumption of a first summing method would be higher than a power consumption of a second summing method, based on a content of the segment, and an accumulator circuit that calculates an output using the first summing method in a case where the power consumption of the first summing method would be lower than the power consumption of the second summing method, and using the second summing method in a case where the power consumption of the first summing method would be higher than the power consumption of the second summing method.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a photoelectric conversion element suitable for generating photocharges corresponding to incident light, a transfer transistor suitable for transferring the generated photocharges to a floating diffusion node based on a transfer signal, and a reset transistor suitable for resetting the floating diffusion node based on a reset signal and including a memory gate.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter comprises a sensor management component (SMC) that facilitates accurately determining a desired switching state of a sensor and controlling the switching state of the sensor to reduce unwanted effects of ambient noise. The SMC samples pre-pulses, pulses, and post-pulses of a signal transmitted from a transmitter of the sensor, determines level of ambient noise associated with the signal based on levels of the pre-pulse sample and the post-pulse sample, and determines the pulse amplitude as a function of the pulse level and the levels of the pre-pulse and post-pulse samples to facilitate accurate state determinations for the sensor. The SMC can determine the state the sensor is to be in at a given time based on the number of good pulses received. The SMC can employ linear or non-linear filtering to remove spike or random noise to further facilitate accurate state determinations for the sensor.

Abstract: An encoder system includes a disc coupled to a hub, the disc including a sensible member. The encoder system also includes a sensor operable to cooperate with the sensible member to sense an operating parameter of the disc, and a base assembly movable relative to the hub. A portion of the sensor is coupled for co-movement with the base assembly and movable between a first position in which the portion of the sensor is a first axial distance from the disc and a second position in which the portion of the sensor is a second axial distance from the disc, the second axial distance falling within a desired operating range.

Abstract: There is provided an absolute encoder advantageous in accuracy of an output thereof against a defect in a scale thereof. In the absolute encoder, a detector detects a part of an array of marks of the scale, and outputs a data sequence corresponding to the part. A processor stores information indicating a correspondence between each of a plurality of code sequences and an absolute coordinate of motion of the scale, and outputs information of the absolute coordinate based on the data sequence and the information. The processor detects an error of the data sequence, and performs rewriting of the information based on the detected error.

Abstract: Silicon photomultiplier circuitry is provided that comprises at least one silicon photomultiplier pixel, each pixel comprising a plurality of silicon photomultiplier microcells. The silicon photomultiplier circuitry comprises control circuitry adapted to maintain a substantially constant voltage on a connection node between microcells of the pixel. The control circuitry is adapted to minimize the onset and recovery time of an output signal by maintaining a substantially constant voltage on the connection node.

Abstract: The invention concerns a detector arrangement for detection of radiation, in particular particle radiation or electromagnetic radiation, with a semi-conductor detector with several pixels for detection of the radiation. It is proposed that the individual pixels each have a first subpixel (1) and a second subpixel (2). The semi-conductor detector can be switched between a first collection state, in which the first subpixel (1) is sensitive and the second subpixel (2) is insensitive so that radiation-generated signal charge carriers are substantially collected only in the first subpixel (1), and a second collection state in which the second subpixel (2) is sensitive and the first subpixel (1) is insensitive so that the radiation-generated signal charge carriers are collected substantially only in the second subpixel (2). The invention furthermore concerns a corresponding operating method and detector arrangements based on the same concept with a higher number of subpixels per pixel.

Abstract: A light curtain controller is provided that serially tunes or optimizes the operating margin of each channel during an initialization sequence. The controller measures and adjusts the operating margin for each emitter-receiver pair individually, such that the margin for each channel satisfies a defined optimization criterion. In this way, the light curtain's unique environmental and installation conditions are taken into account when tuning each channel. By individually tuning each emitter-receiver pair, the operating margin of each channel is set sufficiently high to ensure accurate object detection, while excessive margin is limited to prevent signal processing errors, such as those associated with adjacent-channel signal bleed-through, susceptibility to internal and external noise, etc.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus 100a comprises: photoelectric conversion elements PD1 and PD2 formed within a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate 100; and transfer transistors Tt1 and Tt2 formed on a first main surface of the semiconductor substrate 100, for transferring the signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion elements outside the photoelectric conversion elements. The gate electrode 107 of each of the transfer transistors is configured to be disposed over a surface of a first main surface side of an electric charge accumulating region 102, which configures each of the photoelectric conversion elements PD1 and PD2. As a result, a high-resolution image can be achieved, in which noises and afterimages are further suppressed.

Abstract: A method forms an image with a reconfigurable array of mirrors. The method includes configuring the array by translating some of the mirrors such that distances of the mirrors of the array from a reference plane have a non-uniform spatial distribution. The method includes illuminating the configured array with a coherent light beam such that part of the light beam is reflected off the array and is projected on a planar viewing screen.

Abstract: Optical proximity sensors, methods for use therewith, and systems including optical proximity sensor are described herein. Such an optical proximity sensor includes a light source and a light detector, wherein the light detector includes a plurality of individually selectable photodiodes (PDs). During a calibration mode, individual PDs of the plurality of PDs of the light detector are tested to identify which PDs are crosstalk dominated. During an operation mode, the PDs of the light detector that were not identified as being crosstalk dominated are used to produce a light detection value or signal that is useful for detecting the presence, proximity and/or motion of an object within the sense region of the optical proximity sensor. By not using the PDs that were identified as being crosstalk dominated, the signal-to-noise ratio of the light detection value or signal is improved compared to if the crosstalk dominated PDs were also used.

Abstract: A device and method for selectively illuminating and designating multiple targets in the air or on the ground simultaneously. The device comprises a light source, a switching array and a ball lens. Light from the light source is routed through the switching array, which can addressably output multiple light beams simultaneously. The light beams from the switching array illuminate the backside of a low F-number ball lens. The ball lens creates highly collimated output beams independently (and simultaneously) from any of the output source points of the switching array. These output beams can be used to simultaneously designate multiple targets. When the target illuminating device includes an optional detector array, light scattered from targets can be refracted by the balls lens to impinge on the detector array. Signals from the detector array representing the received light beams can be used for target imaging.

Abstract: The encoder includes a scale and a sensor relatively movable in a first direction. The sensor includes first and second readers reading a first pattern. The encoder acquires a first position in a first direction by using an output signal from the first reader and acquires a second position in the first direction by using an output signal from the second reader. The encoder acquires a period of the first pattern by using the first and second positions, and acquires first and second shift amounts between the scale and the first and second readers in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The encoder produces position information by using the first and second positions, the period and the first and second shift amounts.

Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes: a first transistor and a second transistor of which collectors/drains are coupled to a first power-source via a first load-impedance-element and the first power-source via a second load-impedance-element, respectively; a gain-adjustment-resistance-element that is connected to an emitter/source of the first transistor and an emitter/source of the second transistor; a first current-source and a second current-source that are connected to the emitters/the sources of the first transistor and the second transistor respectively, and a second power-source; a third transistor and a fourth transistor of which collectors/drains are connected to the first power-source and bases/gates are connected to the first load-impedance-element and the second load-impedance-element, respectively; a first feedback-resistance-element that is connected to a base/gate of the first transistor and an emitter/source of the third transistor; and a second feedback-resistance-element that is connected to a base

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system (10) comprises a laser source (20), one or more optical elements (24), a monitoring device (28), and a control computer (30). The laser source (20) emits one or more laser pulses. The optical elements (24) change a pulse length of the laser pulses, and the monitoring device (28) measures the pulse length of the laser pulses to detect the change in the pulse length. The control computer (30) receives the measured pulse length from the monitoring device (28), determines one or more laser parameters that compensate for the change in the pulse length, and controls the laser source (20) according to the laser parameters.

Abstract: An edge detection apparatus for detecting an edge of a recording medium to be conveyed includes a light source, a plurality of photoelectric conversion element pixels, and a detection unit. The light source irradiates the recording medium with light. The plurality of photoelectric conversion element pixels are placed in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the recording medium and convert light reflected by the recording medium into an electrical signal. The detection unit detects the edge of the recording medium on the basis of a plurality of electrical signals that constitute an n-th (n?1) electrical signal group obtained by dividing the plurality of electrical signals corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of photoelectric conversion element pixels, and a specified number of the electrical signals counted from a top of the plurality of electrical signals that constitute an n+1st electrical signal group.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for charge transfer in image sensors are disclosed. One example of an image sensor pixel may include a first charge storage node and a second charge storage node. A transfer circuit may be coupled between the first and second charge storage nodes, and the transfer circuit may have a first region proximate the first charge storage node and configured to have a first potential. The transfer circuit may also have a second region proximate the second charge storage node configured to have a second, higher potential. An input node may be configured to control the first and second potentials based on a transfer signal provided to the input node.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus comprising: a first gain-adjustable amplifier receiving the first input signal and generating a first output signal according to a gain; a first magnitude detector receiving the first output signal and generating a first magnitude signal; a first adder for subtracting the first magnitude signal from a reference value, thereby generating a first sampling signal; and a first weighting integrator receiving the first input signal, the second input signal and the first sampling signal, and generating the first integrated signal to control the gain of the first gain-adjustable amplifier.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus receiving a first input signal and the first input signal being directly used as a first output signal. The signal processing apparatus comprising: a first gain-adjustable amplifier receiving the first input signal and generating a gain-adjusted first input signal according to a gain; a first adder for subtracting the gain-adjusted first input signal from the second input signal, thereby generating a second output signal; and a weighting correlator receiving the first output signal and the second output signal, and generating the first integrated signal to control the gain.

Abstract: A light sensing device includes a substrate, a light sensing area on the substrate, and a light shielding layer over the substrate. The light shielding layer does not cover the light sensing area. At least one outgassing hole is formed through the light shielding layer.