Patent · US Expired

Methods and devices for reading out an image sensor with reduced delay time between lines

US7106915B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by
9References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 16, 2001
Grant dateSep 12, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 8, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N25/767
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention describes methods and devices for reading out an image sensor with reduced delay times between the reading out of different lines. The method of a first embodiment reads out each line of an image sensor in at least two overlapping sequences, whereby each sequence comprises a succession of blanking times and pixel readout periods. The timing of the sequences is such that the readout periods of different sequences are interleaved. The method of a second embodiment provides a high-speed column readout by discharging a column bus by a load current modulated in amplitude and time. The method of a third embodiment provides a high-speed column readout by pre-charging a column bus by a load current provided by connecting the column bus to a DC potential. Devices corresponding to each of the methods are also provided.

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