X-y addressable CMOS APS with compact pixel pitch
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An active pixel sensor that is X-Y addressable comprising:
- an X-Y addressable imager arranged in a series of rows and columns having signal lines in both first and second directions for enabling readout of selected rows and columns;
only one pair of serial shift registers operatively connected to the X-Y imager;
only one serial shift register in the first direction and only one serial shift register in the second direction to select signal lines to be applied to the X-Y imager;
means for reading out selected locations from the X-Y addressable imager; and
a loading mechanism operatively coupled to the shift registers that is capable of placing programmable, real-time, user-defined bit patterns into the shift registers that identify any individual selected row and column by placement of a pair of start addresses to a subset of the X-Y addressable imager and subsequently causes the shift registers to scan only and directly through any individual selected row and column for skipping the non-selected rows and columns;
wherein the shift register starts and stops on any individual selected row and column in which output is enabled at the first clock cycle of the shift register in the first direction without waiting for an enable signal to propagate through non-selected columns.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An X-Y addressable active pixel sensor that uses serial shift registers to select image windows resulting in less semiconductor area being employed compared with prior art address decoding techniques comprising: an X-Y addressable imager having signal lines in both X and Y directions; at least one pair of serial shift registers operatively connected to the X-Y imager such that there is at least one serial shift register in each x and y directions to select signal lines to be applied to the X-Y imager; and loading circuitry that provides the capability for selectively addressing imaging sub-windows by placing bit patterns into the shift registers.
-
Citations
10 Claims
-
1. An active pixel sensor that is X-Y addressable comprising:
-
an X-Y addressable imager arranged in a series of rows and columns having signal lines in both first and second directions for enabling readout of selected rows and columns;
only one pair of serial shift registers operatively connected to the X-Y imager;
only one serial shift register in the first direction and only one serial shift register in the second direction to select signal lines to be applied to the X-Y imager;
means for reading out selected locations from the X-Y addressable imager; and
a loading mechanism operatively coupled to the shift registers that is capable of placing programmable, real-time, user-defined bit patterns into the shift registers that identify any individual selected row and column by placement of a pair of start addresses to a subset of the X-Y addressable imager and subsequently causes the shift registers to scan only and directly through any individual selected row and column for skipping the non-selected rows and columns;
wherein the shift register starts and stops on any individual selected row and column in which output is enabled at the first clock cycle of the shift register in the first direction without waiting for an enable signal to propagate through non-selected columns. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method of making an active pixel sensor that is X-Y addressable comprising the steps of:
-
providing an X-Y addressable imager in a series of rows and columns having signal lines in both first and second directions for enabling readout of selected rows and columns;
providing only one pair of serial shift registers operatively connected to the X-Y imager;
providing only one serial shift register in the first direction and only one in the second direction to select signal lines to be applied to the X-Y imager and means for reading out selected location from the X-Y imager; and
providing registers and control circuits for placing arbitrary, realtime, user-defined bit patterns into the shift registers that identify a pair of initial addresses for any individual selected row and column of a subset of the X-Y addressable imager exclusive of addresses that are not in the subset and for subsequently causing the shift register to scan only and directly through any individual selected row and column for skipping the non-selected rows and columns;
wherein the shift register starts and stops on any individual selected row and column in which output is enabled at the first clock cycle of the shift register in the first direction without waiting for an enable signal to propagate through non-selected columns. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
Specification