SHIPBORNE AND AIRBORNE TARGET EXTRACTION SENSOR

IN THE PHASE I PROGRAM ISC WILL DESIGN THE READOUT ELECTRONICS NECESSARY TO PERFORM SIGNAL PROCESSING FUNCTIONS ON THE FOCAL PLANE APPLICABLE FOR IRST MISSIONS. THE SIGNAL PROCESSING FUNCTIONS INCLUDE: PREAMPLIFICATION, SPATIAL FILTERING, ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERSION, GAIN AND OFFSET CONTROL, AND THRESHOLDING. THE INNOVATION WHICH IS PROPOED IS THE INCREASE IN BANDWIDTH OF THESE FUNCTIONS FROM THE STATE-OF-THE-ART AT 1000 HZ TO THE REQUIRED 20 KHZ. THIS REQUIRES A NEW APPROACH TO THE TECHNOLOGY AND SINGLE SLOPE A TO D CONVERTER TECHNOLOGY. THIS PROPOSAL DISCUSSES A NOVEL AMPLIFIER DESIGN, COMPARATOR CIRCUIT, AND INCORPORATION OF ADDITIONAL CONTROL ELECTRONICS NECESSARY FOR A 20 KHZ SINGLE SLOPE A TO D CONVERTER. THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL BE APPLICABLE TO MILITARY APPLICATIONS OTHER THAN THE IRST MISSION. WHERE EVER HIGH FRAME RATE OR SCAN RATE IS REQUIRED AND A COMPENSATED DIGITAL OUTPUT IS DESIRABLE THIS TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. THIS HOLDS FOR MILITARY OR COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS.