Patent · US Active

Global shutter image sensor

US11595598B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
72References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 15, 2021
Grant dateFeb 28, 2023
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 15, 2041

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01J2001/4413
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In one example, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a photodiode, a charge sensing unit, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a controller. The controller is configured to: enable the photodiode to generate charge in response to incident light, accumulate at least a portion of the charge as residual charge until the photodiode becomes saturated by the residual charge, and transfer the remaining portion of the charge to the charge sensing unit as overflow charge if the photodiode becomes saturated by the residual charge. The controller is further configured to: generate, using the ADC, a first digital output based on the residual charge; after generating the first digital output, generate, using the ADC, a second digital output based on the overflow charge; and generate a digital representation of an intensity of the incident light based on at least one of the first digital output or the second digital output.

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