Patent · US Expired

CMOS image sensor with testing circuit for verifying operation thereof

US6633335B1 · kind B1 · utility

31Cited by
17References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 26, 1999
Grant dateOct 14, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 26, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03M1/56
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention relates to a picture display using CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor; and, more particularly, to a CMOS image sensor having a testing circuit embedded therein and a method for verifying operation of the CMOS image sensor using the testing circuit. The CMOS image sensor according to the present invention includes a control/interface unit for controlling its operation sensor using a state machine and for interfacing the CMOS image sensor with an external system; a pixel array including a plurality of pixels sensing images from an object and generating analogue signals according to an amount of incident light; a converter for converting the analogue signals into digital signals to be processed in a digital logic circuit; and a testing circuit for verifying operations of the converter and the control/interface unit, by controlling the converter.

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