Image sensor with flexible interconnect capabilities
US9013615B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 22, 2012 |
| Grant date | Apr 21, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 15, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/79
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Electronic devices may include image sensors having configurable image sensor pixel interconnections. Image sensors may include image sensor pixels coupled to analog circuitry via configurable interconnect circuitry. The analog circuitry may include many analog circuit blocks. The analog circuit blocks may control and read out signals from associated image sensor pixels. The configurable interconnect circuitry may be controlled to reroute the connections between the analog circuit blocks and specific groups of image sensor pixels. Digital circuitry may be coupled to the analog circuitry via configurable interconnect circuitry. The digital circuitry may include digital circuit blocks. There may be significantly more image pixels controlled by a small number of analog circuit blocks, which are in turn controlled by a smaller number of digital circuit blocks. The image sensor pixel array, the configurable interconnect circuitry, the analog circuitry, and the digital circuitry may be vertically stacked.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.