Patent · US Active

Pixel sensor having shared readout structure

US11218660B1 · kind B1 · utility

6Cited by
39References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 25, 2020
Grant dateJan 4, 2022
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 25, 2040

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B2027/0178
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a first photodiode, a second photodiode, a charge sensing unit, a quantizer, a memory, and a controller configured to: set a first exposure period in which the first photodiode generates a first charge; set a second exposure period in which the second photodiode generates a second charge, the second exposure period being set based on the first exposure period and at least one of: a first time associated with a read out operation of the memory to a second apparatus, or a second time associated with a quantization operation by the quantizer; perform, using the quantizer, the first quantization operation of the first charge to generate a first digital output; store the first digital output in the memory; perform, using the quantizer, a second quantization operation of the second charge to generate a second digital output; and store the second digital output in the memory.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.