Tdi imaging system with variable voltage readout clock signals

• Main Authors: CHERN, JEHN HUAR, SATHY, BINU BALAKRISHNAN, ZHENG, GUOWU
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 11.11.2017
• Subjects: ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PHYSICS; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION; TESTING

A Time Delay and Integration (TDI) imaging system utilizing variable voltage readout clock signals having progressively increasing amplitudes defined as a function of pixel row location, where pixel rows positioned to receive/collect/transfer image-related charges at the start of the TDI imaging process are controlled using lower amplitude readout clock signals than pixel rows positioned to receive/collect/transfer image-related charges near the end of the TDI process. The clock signal amplitude for each pixel row is determined by the expected maximum amplitude needed to hold and transfer image charges by the pixels of that row. Multiple (e.g., three) primary phase signals are generated that are passed through splitters to provide multiple identical secondary phase signals, and then drivers having gain control circuitry are utilized to produce voltage readout clock signals having the same phases as the primary phase signals, but having two or more different voltage amplitudes.