Patent ID: 7839450
Filing Date: 2010-11-23
Classification: G01J,H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for optical measurements, real-time imaging, sensing, detection, or controlling, comprising: a single or a plurality of image sensors, said image sensors comprising one or a plurality of image sensor devices; cooling means for cooling said image sensor devices, said cooling means comprising at least one package in which one or several image sensor devices are thermo-electrically cooled and sealed in a hermetic manner, said package configured to accommodate off-the-shelf non-cooled image sensors packaged in standard I.C. packages, and further allowing for the image sensor device to be removed or replaced; said at least one package comprising; digital logic means, to drive said image sensors as well as a direct I/O control; a processor mechanism for performing high-speed closed-loop digital control of said image sensors, the processor mechanism performing high-speed real-time control of image sensor parameters via direct interface to said digital logic means; and at least one signal optimization system, comprising at least one of a chemical, mechanical, opto-mechanical or opto-electronic component or process which affect any signals to be optimized, said digital logic means to drive at least one of said chemical, mechanical, opto-mechanical and opto-electronic components and processes; wherein said processor mechanism is placed directly at said image sensor such that output data from said image sensor is immediately processed and evaluated.