Multiplexed and pipelined column buffer for use with an array of photo sensors
US7154548B2 · kind B2 · utility
16Cited by
13References
2Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 29, 2001 |
| Grant date | Dec 26, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 26, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F39/803
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electronic imaging chip containing an array of photodiodes includes a multiplexed column buffer. The multiplexed column buffer serves a plurality of columns in the photodiode array. By multiplexing active amplifier elements, such as the differential gain amplifiers and the bus driver amplifiers, a wider area than one column width is available on the semiconductor chip for layout of the column buffer. In the disclosed embodiment, 4 columns share a common multiplexed column buffer. The area available for layout of the multiplexed column buffer is 4 times as wide as compared to that for a non-multiplexed column buffer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.