Patent · US Active

Low noise readout apparatus and method with snapshot shutter and correlated double sampling

US7952635B2 · kind B2 · utility

41Cited by
9References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 19, 2007
Grant dateMay 31, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 27, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N25/771
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A low noise readout apparatus and method for CMOS image sensors having a photosensitive element configured to collect charge when light strikes the photosensitive element, a reset gate adjacent the photosensitive element and configured to drain excess charge from the photosensitive element, a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode, in series and adjacent the photosensitive element, the first electrode actuated to transfer a signal charge from the photosensitive element to the first electrode, the second electrode actuated to transfer the signal charge from the first electrode to the second electrode, the third electrode actuated to transfer the signal charge from the second electrode to the third electrode and onto a sense node, and a readout circuit coupled to the sense node, the readout circuit measures a voltage corresponding to the signal charge transferred to the sense node.

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