Digital pixel with extended dynamic range
US10834344B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 4, 2019 |
| Grant date | Nov 10, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 4, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/571
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In one example, an apparatus comprises: a comparator; a sampling capacitor having a first plate and a second plate. The first plate is coupled with an output of a charge sensing unit that senses charge generated by a photodiode, whereas the second plate is coupled with an input of the comparator. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to: at a first time, set a first voltage across the sampling capacitor based on an output voltage of the charge sensing unit; reset the charge sensing unit to set the first plate at a second voltage and to set the second plate at a third voltage based on the first voltage and the second voltage; compare, using the comparator, the third voltage against one or more thresholds; and generate, based on the comparison result, a quantization result of the output voltage of the charge sensing unit at the first time.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.