Digital pixel sensor with reduced noise
US8779346B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 14, 2012 |
| Grant date | Jul 15, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 29, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/616
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and method for forming a digital image are disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of pixel sensors and a controller. Each sensor includes a photodiode, a floating diffusion node that can be selectively connected to said photodiode or a reset voltage, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) connected to the floating diffusion node, the ADC converting a voltage on the floating diffusion node to a digital value. Each pixel sensor also includes an output circuit that connects the ADC to a bus. The apparatus also includes a controller that causes the ADCs to operate in parallel to convert the voltages on the floating diffusion nodes to the digital values in a time that is less than the time needed for the floating diffusion node to acquire ten electron equivalents of noise. The optional apparatus includes circuitry that allows correlated double sampling to be performed in each sensor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.