Patent ID: 7561090

Claim:
A dynamically reconfigurable focal plane array, the dynamically reconfigurable focal plane array comprising: a plurality of segments, wherein each segment comprises at least one pixel; a plurality of analog to digital converters with dynamically reconfigurable conversion resolution, wherein each analog to digital converter in the plurality of analog to digital converters is associated with a segment in the plurality of segments, and wherein the each analog to digital converter receives an analog voltage from a first selected pixel in the segment associated with the each analog to digital converter; a parallel to serial converter, wherein the parallel to serial converter receives an output bit from the each analog to digital converter in the plurality of analog to digital converters in parallel, and wherein the parallel to serial converter generates a serial data output signal; a controller, wherein the controller dynamically configures a selected conversion resolution of the each analog to digital converter; and an analog multiplexer, wherein the analog multiplexer selects a next pixel in the segment associated with the each analog to digital converter when a number of bits needed to generate digital output with the selected conversion resolution is generated for the first selected pixel.