Active-passive imager pixel array with small groups of pixels having short common bus lines
US6750912B1 · kind B1 · utility
31Cited by
21References
20Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 15, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 30, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F39/803
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A shared output visible imager pixel array combines a high optical fill factor with low read noise. A relatively small group of pixels are connected to a relatively short common bus line. An amplifier located in close proximity with the pixels is connected to the common bus line and shared among the pixels. By reducing the amount of amplifier circuitry associated with each pixel, the optical fill factor is increased. Also, since the bus line is relatively short, the bus capacitance is much lower relative to the traditional passive-pixel designs. On average, the transistor count per pixel can be less than two, for large arrays.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.