Image sensor with interleaved image output

• US 20030128405A1
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hiok-Nam Tay
• Original Assignee: Candela Microsystems Incorporated
• Inventors: Tay, Hiok Nam
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32475 Changing the format of the data, e.g. parallel to serial or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32491 alternate storage in and retrieval from two parallel memories, e.g. using ping-pong buffers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40 Picture signal circuits H04N1/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3292 of one or two complete lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/84 for processing colour signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/587 acquired sequentially, e.g. using the combination of odd and even image fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/616 involving a correlated sampling function, e.g. correlated double sampling [CDS] or triple sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/64 Circuits for processing colour signals H04N9/77 takes precedence; camera processing pipelines for processing colour signals H04N23/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/642 Multi-standard receivers

Abstract

An image sensor with a light reader circuit coupled to a pixel array. The light reader circuit retrieves a first image and a second image generated by the pixel array. The image sensor may also include a memory controller and/or data interface that transfers the first and second images to an external device in an interleaving manner.

Claims

1. An image sensor that is connected to an external device, comprising:

a pixel array;

a light reader circuit coupled to said pixel array; and

,

a memory controller that is coupled to said light reader circuit and transfers data to the external device in an interleaving manner.

2. The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising a first buffer and a second buffer that are coupled to said light reader circuit and said memory controller.

3. The image sensor of claim 2, further comprising a combiner coupled to said memory controller and said second image buffer.

4. The image sensor of claim 2, further comprising a data interface coupled to said first and second buffers and which transmits data from said first and second buffers in an interleaving manner.

5. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein said memory controller is connected to a bus and provides arbitration between an external processor and an external memory.

6. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein said memory controller is connected to a first bus that is coupled to an external processor and a second bus that is coupled to an external memory.

7. The image sensor of claim 4, wherein said data interface is connected to a bus that is coupled to an external processor.

8. The image sensor of claim 2, wherein said first and second buffers convert a resolution of a first image and a second image retrieved from said pixel array.

9. The image sensor of claim 1, wherein said memory controller transfers data when said light reader circuit is not retrieving an output signal.

10. A method for transferring a first image and a second image, comprising:

generating a first image from a pixel array of an image sensor;

generating a second image from the pixel array; and

,

transferring the first and second images from the image sensor to an external device in an interleaving manner.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transferring the first and second images from an external memory to the image sensor, combining the first and second images and transferring the combined first and second images to an external processor.

12. An image sensor, comprising:

a pixel array;

a light reader circuit coupled to said pixel array; and

,

a resolution conversion circuit coupled to said light reader circuit.

13. The image sensor of claim 12, wherein said resolution conversion circuit includes a buffer.

14. The image sensor of claim 12, further comprising a memory controller coupled to said resolution conversion circuit.

15. The image sensor of claim 14, further comprising a combiner coupled to said memory controller.

16. The image sensor of claim 12, further comprising a data interface coupled to said resolution conversion circuit and which transmits data in an interleaving manner.

17. The image sensor of claim 14, wherein said memory controller is connected to a bus and provides arbitration between an external processor and an external memory.

18. The image sensor of claim 14, wherein said memory controller is connected to a first bus that is coupled to an external processor and a second bus that is coupled to an external memory.

19. The image sensor of claim 16, wherein said data interface is connected to a bus that is coupled to an external processor.

20. The image sensor of claim 14, wherein said memory controller transfers data when said light reader circuit is not retrieving an output signal.