US 11,750,945 B2
Imager with integrated asynchronous laser pulse detection having a signal component along a second electrical pathway passes through an ALPD readout integrated circuit to an imaging readout integrated circuit
Adam M. Kennedy, Santa Barbara, CA (US); Michael J. Batinica, Ventura, CA (US); Scott M. Taylor, Goleta, CA (US); Sean P. Kilcoyne, Lompoc, CA (US); and Paul Bryant, Santa Barbara, CA (US)
Assigned to RAYTHEON COMPANY, Waltham, MA (US)
Filed by RAYTHEON COMPANY, Waltham, MA (US)
Filed on Jan. 22, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/749,004.
Prior Publication US 2021/0227158 A1, Jul. 22, 2021
Int. Cl. G01J 1/44 (2006.01); H04N 25/702 (2023.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/702 (2023.01) [G01J 1/44 (2013.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of obtaining an image, comprising:
receiving an optical signal at a detector;
generating, at the detector, an electrical signal in response to receiving the optical signal, wherein a frequency of the electrical signal is indicative of a frequency of the optical signal;
receiving the electrical signal at a first detection/readout circuit and at a second detection/readout circuit, wherein the first detection/readout circuit is sensitive to a first frequency signal range of a laser and the second detection/readout circuit is sensitive to a second frequency signal range of an imaging signal;
filtering the electrical signal at a high pass filter contained in the first detection/readout circuit to pass an asynchronous signal component within the first frequency signal range to an asynchronous laser pulse detector (ALPD) readout integrated circuit of the first detection-readout circuit;
reading the signal component within the first frequency signal range at the ALPD readout integrated circuit;
filtering the electrical signal at a low pass filter of contained in the second detection/readout circuit to pass a signal component within the second frequency signal range to an imaging readout integrated circuit of the second detection/readout circuit; and
reading the signal component within the second frequency signal range at the imaging readout integrated circuit,
wherein the first detection/readout circuit resides on top of the second detection/readout circuit and wherein the electrical signal passes along a first electrical pathway that leads from the detector to the first detection/readout circuit and the signal component within the second frequency signal range passes along a second electrical pathway that passes through the ALPD readout intergrated circuit to the imaging readout integrated circuit.