Patent ID: 11933669
Assignee: ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, LLC
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 28:
29. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one optical device is one optical device comprising a first diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the one optical device, the at least one optical transducer is a first optical transducer comprising a second diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the first optical transducer and a second optical transducer comprising a third diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the second optical transducer, the at least one electronic device is an ROIC having a first processing path, a second processing path that is redundant of the first processing path and comprising a fourth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the ROIC, a global pixel reference function block comprising a fifth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the global pixel reference function block, a global time-to-digital converter (TDC) references function block comprising a sixth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the global TDC references function block, a temperature sensor comprising a seventh diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the temperature sensor, a clock and timing synchronization function block comprising an eighth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the clock and timing synchronization function block, a digital converter comprising a comparator and a ninth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the comparator, and a data output channels function block comprising a tenth diagnostics function block configured to provide diagnostics on the data output channels function block,
wherein the one optical device is configured to receive the optical signal,
wherein the first optical transducer is configured to receive the optical signal from the one optical device and convert the optical signal to a first electrical signal,
wherein the second optical transducer is configured to receive the optical signal from the one optical device and convert the optical signal to a second electrical signal,
wherein the ROIC is configured to receive the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal, process the first electrical signal by the first processing path, process the second electrical by the second processing path, and compare the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal to determine if there is an error in either of the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal,, and further comprising:
an error criteria function block configured to provide error criteria concerning the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal;
wherein the comparator is configured to receive the error criteria, the processed first electrical signal, the processed second electrical signal, and diagnostics from the first through tenth diagnostic function blocks; determine if an error occurred in one of the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal; if no error occurred, the ROIC outputs at least one of the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal via the data output channels function block; and if an error occurred, the ROIC outputs an error flag and a function of the processed first electrical signal and the processed second electrical signal that is determined to be error free via the data output channels function block.