Patent · US Active

Optical black pixel cell readout systems and methods

US8466991B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by

1References

19Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Aptina Imaging Corporation · KY

Inventors

Yaowu Mo · San Ramon, US
Chen Xu · New Providence, US
Yandong Chen · Longbeilingcun, CN

Key dates

Filing date	Jul 19, 2010
Grant date	Jun 18, 2013
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jun 22, 2031

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH04N25/78
WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

This is generally directed to systems and methods for reading optical black pixel cells. For example, in some embodiments, the columns of a pixel array can be shunted together during an optical black pixel readout phase of the imaging system. This may, for example, help improve correction of column fixed pattern noise or other noise. In some embodiments, the column may be shunted together during the optical black pixel readout phase of the imaging system and not shunted during other phases of the imaging system (e.g., when reading values from active pixel cells, barrier pixel cells, etc). In some embodiments, circuitry for providing the column shunting can be implemented as an independent block of the imaging system. In other embodiments, this circuitry can be implemented within other blocks of the imaging system. As an illustration, the shunting circuitry can be implemented within a VLN block of the imaging system.

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