IP Library Granted Patent US 12710372
Granted Patent B2
US 12710372 · App. 18/644,439 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Detection device

Inventors: Akihiko Fujisawa (Tokyo, JP); Takanori Tsunashima (Tokyo, JP); Kaoru Ito (Tokyo, JP); Shiori Tezen (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Magnolia White Corporation
G01N21/84
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12710372
App. No.
18/644,439
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an aspect, a detection device includes: a planar detection device including photodetection elements arranged in a planar configuration; a light source device disposed so as to face the planar detection device; and a light-transmitting placement substrate that is disposed between the planar detection device and the light source device and configured to allow objects to be placed thereon. The planar detection device includes: a detection area where sensor pixels including the photodetection elements are arranged in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a drive circuit configured to simultaneously supply drive signals to the sensor pixels arranged in the first direction; and a selection circuit configured to select a detection signal for each of the sensor pixels arranged in the second direction. The detection area is divided in the second direction into detection blocks. The drive circuit is provided for each detection block.

Claims (33)

1 . A detection device comprising:

a planar detection device comprising a plurality of photodetection elements arranged in a planar configuration;

a light source device disposed so as to face the planar detection device; and

a light-transmitting placement substrate that is disposed between the planar detection device and the light source device and configured to allow a plurality of objects to be detected to be placed thereon,

wherein the planar detection device comprises:

a detection area in which a plurality of sensor pixels comprising the photodetection elements are arranged in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;

a drive circuit configured to simultaneously supply drive signals to the sensor pixels arranged in the first direction; and

a selection circuit configured to select a detection signal for each of the sensor pixels arranged in the second direction; and

a detection circuit configured to control the drive circuit and the selection circuit to acquire a sensor value for each of the sensor pixels,

wherein the detection circuit is configured to acquire the sensor values by time-dividing one frame period into block selection periods corresponding to the detection blocks,

wherein the detection area is divided in the second direction into a plurality of detection blocks,

wherein the drive circuit is provided for each of the detection blocks,

wherein each of the detection blocks are divided in the first direction into a plurality of middle blocks,

wherein each of the middle blocks is divided in the first direction into a plurality of pixel column blocks each having the sensor pixels arranged in the second direction,

wherein the selection circuit is configured to simultaneously select one pixel column block in each of the middle blocks of one of the detection blocks,

wherein the detection circuit is configured to acquire sensor values by time-dividing each of a plurality of block selection periods into signal selection periods corresponding to the pixel column blocks simultaneously selected by the selection circuit,

wherein the simultaneously selected pixel column blocks are selected sequentially starting from one of the pixel column blocks at one end to the other end of each of the middle blocks in the one of the detection blocks, and

wherein the one of the detection blocks is sequentially selected starting from one of the detection blocks disposed at one end of the detection blocks to one of the detection blocks disposed at other end in the second direction, among the detection blocks in the detection area.

2 . The detection device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the drive circuit is configured to sequentially supply the drive signals to the sensor pixels arranged in the second direction based on a start pulse signal supplied from the detection circuit in each of the signal selection periods.

3 . The detection device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the detection circuit is configured to:

supply the start pulse signal, which is common to a plurality of the drive circuits, to the drive circuits, and

supply a selection signal to enable any one of the drive circuits in each of the block selection periods.

4 . The detection device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the detection circuit is configured to select one of the drive circuits and supply the start pulse signal to the selected circuit in each of the block selection periods.

5 . The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein

the detection circuit is configured as a readout integrated circuit (ROIC), and

the number of terminals of the ROIC that are capable of receiving signals from the sensor pixels is larger than the number of the detection signals simultaneously selected by the selection circuit and smaller than the number of the sensor pixels arranged in the first direction in the detection area.

6 . The detection device according to claim 5 ,

wherein the number of buffers of the ROIC is larger than the number of the sensor values acquired in each of the signal selection periods and smaller than the number of the sensor values acquired in each of the block selection periods.

7 . The detection device according to claim 6 ,

wherein the sensor values are acquired from the ROIC in each of the signal selection periods, and an image in the detection area is generated by combining the sensor values acquired in the respective signal selection periods in the one frame period.