Appeal No. 2006-1049
Application No. 09/667,826
first input thereof coupled to said sample node and said second input thereof
coupled to a adjustable voltage source.
57. An infrared focal plane array as set out in claim 53 wherein said plurality of
detector elements and said readout circuit are formed as a single monolithic
integrated circuit wherein said readout circuit acts as a substrate for said detector
elements.
58. An infrared focal plane array, comprising:
a plurality of detector elements configured in a two dimensional array; and
a readout circuit electrically coupled to said plurality of detector elements
and structurally integrated therewith, said readout circuit comprising:
a sample and hold capacitor;
means for biasing the detector elements so as to provide an analog detection
signal from each detector element corresponding to the infrared radiation
incident thereon, wherein the analog detection signal is a voltage signal
provided at a sample node coupled to the sample and hold capacitor; and
means for correcting the analog detection signal from each detector element
by a discrete offset correction and providing a corrected analog detection
signal, wherein the discrete offset correction varies from detector element to
detector element and comprises an offset correction voltage added to, or
subtracted from, the voltage signal, wherein said means for correcting
subtracts or adds a variable amount of charge from said sample and hold
capacitor to provide a corrected voltage signal at said sample node, and
wherein said means for correcting comprises a plurality of constant current
sources connected between said sample node and a reference voltage and a
plurality of switches corresponding to said plurality of constant current
sources and respectively coupled in series therewith.
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