Abstract: A circuit for calculating the fused sum of an addend and product of two multiplication operands, the addend and multiplication operands being binary floating-point numbers represented in a standardized format as a mantissa and an exponent is provided. The multiplication operands are in a lower precision format than the addend, with q>2p, where p and q are the mantissa size of the multiplication operand and addend precision formats. The circuit includes a p-bit multiplier receiving the mantissas of the multiplication operands; a shift circuit aligning the mantissa of the addend with the product output by the multiplier based on the exponent values of the addend and multiplication operands; and an adder processing q-bit mantissas, receiving the aligned mantissa of the addend and the product, the input lines of the adder corresponding to the product being completed to the right by lines at 0 to form a q-bit mantissa.

Abstract: A method and device of driving a radiation sensor pixel is disclosed. The sensor pixel comprises a sensing element capable of charge generation as a response to impinging radiation, a floating diffusion node, a transfer gate between the sensing element and the floating diffusion node, and a charge storage device connected to the floating diffusion node via a switch. The method comprises biasing the transfer gate to three or more bias voltages OFF, ON and an intermediate bias between OFF and ON. During the period in which the transfer gate is biased to the intermediate bias, if the sensor reaches saturation, the overflown charges may be collected and part of them stored in the charge storage device, for further analysis and merging.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rapid fixation means for a passenger conveyor. More specifically speaking, the present invention relates to a rapid fixation means for mounting into a fixed channel in a base of a lateral structure of a passenger conveyor, the rapid fixation means comprising a connector (4) and a buckle (5) assembly in coordination with one another, the connector (4) having supports capable of elastic deformation, the buckle (5) having a feature of forming a coordination with the supports of the connector (4), the coordination enabling the connector (4) and the buckle (5) to be rapidly joined and detached.

Abstract: A method for detecting infrared radiation by using an array of bolometers. The following steps are used to read a bolometer of the array of bolometers: biasing the bolometer at a predetermined voltage in order to make current flow through the bolometer; subtracting a common-mode current from the current that flows through the bolometers; and producing a voltage by integrating the difference between the current that flows through the bolometers and the common-mode current.

Abstract: The invention relates to a processor comprising, in its instruction set, a bit matrix multiplication instruction (sbmm) having a first double precision operand (A) representing a first matrix to multiply, a second operand (B) explicitly designating any two single precision registers whose joint contents represent a second matrix to multiply, and a destination parameter (C) explicitly designating any two single precision registers for jointly containing a matrix representing the result of the multiplication.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing multiple processing units, comprises the steps of configuring a synchronization register in a target processing unit so that its content is overwritten only by bits that are set in words written in the synchronization register; assigning a distinct bit position of the synchronization register to each processing unit; and executing a program thread in each processing unit. When the program thread of a current processing unit reaches a synchronization point, the method comprises writing in the synchronization register of the target processing unit a word in which the bit position assigned to the current processing unit is set, and suspending the program thread. When all the bits assigned to the processing units are set in the synchronization register, the suspended program threads are resumed.

Abstract: An inter-processor synchronization method using point-to-point links, comprises the steps of defining a point-to-point synchronization channel between a source processor and a target processor; executing in the source processor a wait command expecting a notification associated with the synchronization channel, wherein the wait command is designed to stop the source processor until the notification is received; executing in the target processor a notification command designed to transmit through the point-to-point link the notification expected by the source processor; executing in the target processor a wait command expecting a notification associated with the synchronization channel, wherein the wait command is designed to stop the target processor until the notification is received; and executing in the source processor a notification command designed to transmit through the point-to-point link the notification expected by the target processor.

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor having one or more pixels, e.g. in an array, whereby each of the pixels having two or more sub-pixel elements for generating charge according to incident light intensity as well as a common charge sensitive device such as an amplifier coupled to two or more sub-pixel elements of a respective pixel. Charges generated by the two or more sub-pixel elements are added and integrated over respective integration time periods, to provide a signal representing the integrated charges. The circuit can be configured so that the two or more sub-pixel elements have different integration time periods. By combining charges at the charge sensitive device rather than combining outputs of multiple such devices, the amount of read noise can be reduced.

Abstract: A credit-based data flow control method between a consumer device and a producer device. The method includes the steps of decrementing a credit counter for each transmission of a sequence of data by the producer device, arresting data transmission when the credit counter reaches zero, sending a credit each time the consumer device has consumed a data sequence and incrementing the credit counter upon receipt of each credit.

Abstract: A method for detecting infrared radiation by using an array of bolometers. The following steps are used to read a bolometer of the array of bolometers: biasing the bolometer at a predetermined voltage in order to make current flow through the bolometer; subtracting a common-mode current from the current that flows through the bolometers; and producing a voltage by integrating the difference between the current that flows through the bolometers and the common-mode current.

Abstract: An infrared radiation detection device comprising: a substrate; a matrix of at least one line of elements for detecting the radiation, each comprising a resistive imaging bolometer, the matrix being formed above the substrate; a bolometer reading circuit, a temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature in at least one point of the substrate; and a compensation circuit and data processing device for correcting the signal formed from each bolometer as a function of the temperature measured in at least one point of the substrate. The compensation circuit and data processing device capable of correcting the signal formed from the imaging bolometer by using a predetermined physical model of the temperature behavior of the signal.

Abstract: A circuit for calculating the fused sum of an addend and product of two multiplicands, the addend and multiplicands being binary floating-point numbers represented in a standardized format as a mantissa and an exponent is provided. The multiplicands are in a lower precision format than the addend, with q>2p, where p and q are respectively the mantissa size of the multiplicand precision format and the addend precision format. The circuit includes a p-bit multiplier receiving the mantissas of the multiplicands; a shift circuit that aligns the mantissa of the addend with the product output by the multiplier based on the exponent values of the addend and multiplicands; and an adder that processes q-bit mantissas, receiving the aligned mantissa of the addend and the product, the input lines of the adder corresponding to the product being completed to the right by lines at 0 to form a q-bit mantissa.

Abstract: A device for detecting infrared radiation comprising an array of bolometers for detecting radiation; and in order to read each bolometer, a signal shaping circuitry comprising: a circuitry capable of biasing the bolometer at a predetermined voltage in order to make current flow therethrough; a circuitry capable of generating a common-mode current; and a circuitry capable of integrating the difference between the current that flows through the bolometer and the common-mode current. According to the invention, the device comprises a circuitry capable of injecting current into each bolometer in order to shift its resistance by a predetermined quantity that depends on its offset, current injection being performed prior to readout biasing of the bolometer and the shift being performed according to the direction in which the bolometer's resistance varies as a function of temperature. In addition, correction circuitry is capable of shifting the resistances of bolometers towards a common value.

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor having one or more pixels, e.g. in an array, whereby each of the pixels having two or more sub-pixel elements for generating charge according to incident light intensity as well as a common charge sensitive device such as an amplifier coupled to two or more sub-pixel elements of a respective pixel. Charges generated by the two or more sub-pixel elements are added and integrated over respective integration time periods, to provide a signal representing the integrated charges. The circuit can be configured so that the two or more sub-pixel elements have different integration time periods. By combining charges at the charge sensitive device rather than combining outputs of multiple such devices, the amount of read noise can be reduced.

Abstract: An infrared radiation detection device comprising: a substrate; a matrix of at least one line of elements for detecting said radiation, each comprising a resistive imaging bolometer, said matrix being formed above the substrate; means for reading the bolometers of the matrix, means for measuring the temperature in at least one point of the substrate; and means for correcting the signal formed from each bolometer as a function of the temperature measured in at least one point of the substrate. The correcting means are capable of correcting the signal formed from the imaging bolometer by means of a predetermined physical model of the temperature behaviour of said signal.

Abstract: A device for detecting infrared radiation including a matrix of resistive imaging bolometers above a substrate, a read circuit forming an analog electrical signal constituting an image of the infrared radiation impinging on the matrix, a probe for measuring the temperature of the substrate, an ADC for converting the analogue electrical signals from the read circuit and probe, and a data processing unit for correcting the signal formed by the read circuit according digital values NC(i,j) corresponding to electrical signals from the bolometers exposed to a uniform scene at the measured temperature of the substrate. The data processing unit including a unit for computing the digital values NC(i,j) based on a single set of parameters of a predetermined physical model of the read circuit electrical signals and corresponding to the exposure of the matrix of imaging bolometers to a temperature substantially equal to the measured substrate temperature.

Abstract: A device for detecting infrared radiation comprising an array of bolometers for detecting radiation; and in order to read each bolometer, a signal shaping circuitry comprising: a circuitry capable of biasing the bolometer at a predetermined voltage in order to make current flow therethrough; a circuitry capable of generating a common-mode current; and a circuitry capable of integrating the difference between the current that flows through the bolometer and the common-mode current. According to the invention, the device comprises a circuitry capable of injecting current into each bolometer in order to shift its resistance by a predetermined quantity that depends on its offset, current injection being performed prior to readout biasing of the bolometer and the shift being performed according to the direction in which the bolometer's resistance varies as a function of temperature. In addition, correction circuitry is capable of shifting the resistances of bolometers towards a common value.

Abstract: A device for detecting infrared radiation including a resistive imaging bolometer intended to be electrically connected to a circuit for measuring a resistance of the imagine bolometer, whereby the device initially controls and adjusts the resistance of the imaging bolometer by injecting current into the imaging bolometer.

Abstract: A device for detecting infrared radiation comprising an array of bolometric detectors which are sensitive to incident radiation and are referred to as “active” and a bolometer which is insensitive to said radiation and is referred to as “blind” formed on a substrate in which a read circuit is produced for sequentially addressing each of the rows of detectors of the array, each of the active bolometers in a single row being biased simultaneously. The read circuit also comprises means of producing a reference current (Iref) based on the blind bolometer; means of simultaneously copying the reference current (Iref) for each column of the array; and a plurality of current integrators, each associated with one column of the array and each designed to integrate the difference between the current flowing through the active bolometer of the row which is currently being read and said thus copied reference current.

Abstract: An infrared radiation detection device comprising: a substrate; a matrix of at least one line of elements for detecting said radiation, each comprising a resistive imaging bolometer, said matrix being formed above the substrate; means for reading the bolometers of the matrix, means for measuring the temperature in at least one point of the substrate; and means for correcting the signal formed from each bolometer as a function of the temperature measured in at least one point of the substrate. The correcting means are capable of correcting the signal formed from the imaging bolometer by means of a predetermined physical model of the temperature behaviour of said signal.