Patent ID: 7626704

Claim:
A system for monitoring optical signals, comprising: a substrate having at least a first source of optical signals disposed thereon; an optical train positioned to receive optical signals from the at least first source of optical signals and image the optical signals onto an imaging detector; an imaging detector comprising a plurality of pixels, the detector positioned to receive the image of the optical signals on a first set of pixels in the plurality of pixels; and a processor programmed to process signal data from the detector to monitor the optical signals; wherein at least one of the detector or processor are configured to process signal data from the first set of pixels in a first data process and data from a second set of pixels in the plurality of pixels different from the first set of pixels in a second data process different from the first data process; and wherein the first data process comprises subjecting the signal data from the first set of pixels to a gain protocol to amplify the signal data and wherein the second data process does not include subjecting signal data from the second set of pixels to the gain protocol to amplify the signal data.