Patent · US Active

Calibration in multiple slope column parallel analog-to-digital conversion for image sensors

US8994832B1 · kind B1 · utility

4Cited by
9References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 17, 2014
Grant dateMar 31, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 17, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N25/77
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus includes analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion circuitry coupled to a pixel array. The A/D conversion circuitry includes a voltage ramp generator and a set of column A/D conversion circuits. The voltage ramp generator generates a single slope voltage ramp in a first state and a multiple slope voltage ramp in a second state. The set of column A/D conversion circuits is coupled with the voltage ramp generator. The apparatus further includes calibration circuitry coupled with the set of column A/D conversion circuits and operable to determine digital calibration data to adjust digital image data. The calibration circuitry provides analog calibration data that spans a calibration range to the set of column A/D conversion circuits instead of the analog image data from the pixel array being provided to the set of column A/D conversion circuits.

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