Method for acquiring data with an image sensor
US8817148B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 5, 2012 |
| Grant date | Aug 26, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 16, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F39/12
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
To avoid reset noise in a CMOS chip for direct particle counting, it is known to use Correlative Double Sampling: for each signal value, the pixel is sampled twice: once directly after reset and once after an integration time. The signal is then determined by subtracting the reset value from the later acquired value, and the pixel is reset again. In some embodiments of the invention, the pixel is reset only after a large number of read-outs. Applicants realized that typically a large number of events, typically approximately 10, are needed to cause a full pixel. By either resetting after a large number of images, or when one pixel of the image shows a signal above a predetermined value (for example 0.8 × the full-well capacity), the image speed can be almost doubled compared to the prior art method, using a reset after acquiring a signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.