US 12,225,301 B2
Systems and methods for pixel on-off switching in focal plane arrays
Harold Hwang, Cranbury, NJ (US); Matthew T. O'Grady, Newtown, PA (US); Brian Edward Piccione, Yardley, PA (US); and Mark Itzler, Princeton, NJ (US)
Assigned to LG INNOTEK CO., LTD., Seoul (KR)
Filed by LG INNOTEK CO., LTD., Seoul (KR)
Filed on Jun. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/833,681.
Prior Publication US 2023/0396893 A1, Dec. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. H04N 25/42 (2023.01); G01S 17/931 (2020.01); H04N 25/60 (2023.01); H04N 25/709 (2023.01); H04N 25/767 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/42 (2023.01) [G01S 17/931 (2020.01); H04N 25/60 (2023.01); H04N 25/709 (2023.01); H04N 25/767 (2023.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a pixelated photodiode array (PDA), wherein each pixel in the PDA includes a radiation detector;
a read out integrated circuit (ROIC) comprising:
a plurality of switch elements each being connected to a respective radiation detector of each pixel, each switch element of the plurality of switch elements being switchable between an armed state for arming its corresponding radiation detector and receiving an output signal from its corresponding detector, and a disarmed state for disarming its corresponding radiation detector and blocking the output signal, wherein in the armed state, the PDA is configured to detect an incoming optical signal and in the disarmed state, the PDA is configured to disregard the incoming optical signal, and
a logic circuit configured to control a switch state of each switch element of the plurality of switch elements; and
a circuit fuse configured to electrically disengage each respective radiation detector,
wherein the circuit fuse comprises a pair of transistors configured to control a voltage across the circuit fuse, and
wherein the logic circuit is further configured to apply a predetermined voltage to the pair of transistors, and the predetermined voltage causes the fuse to burn out and create a permanent open circuit between the PDA and the ROIC.