Patent ID: 7515082

Claim:
A system for detecting light comprising: means for obstructing a first predefined portion of at least one defined wavelength of light incident upon a first photo-detector array; means for detecting the at least one defined wavelength of light incident upon a second photo-detector array; and means for receiving at least one signal representative of the at least one defined wavelength of light, said means for receiving providing functions analogous to at least one cascade of N gain elements operably coupled with at least one of the first photo-detector away and the second photo-detector array, the at least one cascade having at least: N greater than or equal to a positive integer sufficient to provide said at least one cascade with a gain such that a predetermined operable signal at an input of said at least one cascade generates a signal at an output of said at least one cascade that is larger than a predetermined operable threshold value; an input of a gain element of said at least one cascade operably couplable with the at least one of the first photo-detector array and the second photo-detector array; and a gain element of the at least one cascade having a gain larger than one by an amount such that a noise factor of said at least one cascade operating on the predetermined operable signal at the input of said at least one cascade is substantially minimized.