Charge mode active pixel sensor read-out circuit
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus such as an imager includes groups of sensors each of which includes subgroups of sensors. Subgroup select circuits are coupled to outputs from respective subgroups of sensors, and group select circuits are coupled to outputs from subgroup select circuits associated with respective ones of the groups. A bus is coupled to receive outputs from the group select circuits. A controller can provide control signals to the subgroup select circuits and the group select circuits to selectively enable the respective subgroup select circuits and group select circuits to pass signals from the sensors to the bus one sensor at a time.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1-23. -23. (canceled)
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24. An integrated circuit comprising:
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a plurality of first sets of pixels, each first set comprising a plurality of subsets of pixels;
a plurality of first circuits each coupled to an output from a respective subset;
a plurality of second circuits, each of which is coupled to outputs from the first circuits associated with a respective one of the first sets;
a first bus for each first set coupled to the outputs of the associated first circuits, each first circuit configured to selectively connect the respective subset to a respective first bus;
a second bus for receiving signals from each of the sets, each second circuit configured to selectively connect the respective set to the respective second bus;
a readout circuit for receiving signals from the first and second buses; and
a third circuit coupled to each first bus for selectively isolating each first set from the readout circuit, the third circuit comprising a first switch for selectively connecting the first bus to a predetermined voltage. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An image sensor comprising:
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an array of pixels arranged in columns and rows, the array comprising;
a plurality of first sets of pixels, each first set comprising a plurality of subsets of pixels, each subset comprising at least one column of pixels;
a plurality of first circuits each coupled to an output from a respective subset;
a plurality of second circuits, each of which is coupled to outputs from the first circuits associated with a respective one of the first sets;
a first bus for each first set coupled to the outputs of the associated first circuits, each first circuit configured to selectively connect the respective subset to a respective first bus;
a second bus for receiving signals from each of the sets, each second circuit configured to selectively connect the respective set to the respective second bus;
a readout circuit for receiving signals from the first and second buses; and
a third circuit coupled to each first bus for selectively isolating each first set from the readout circuit, the third circuit comprising a first switch for selectively connecting the first bus to a predetermined voltage. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. An image sensor comprising:
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an array of pixels arranged in columns and rows, the pixels of a column having commonly connected outputs;
a plurality of first selector circuits each respectfully associated with a column of pixels, the first selector circuits being arranged into a plurality of first groups of first selector circuits and each first selector circuit of a first group being selectively operable to connect a respective column of pixels to a first bus;
a plurality of second selector circuits each associated with a first bus for selectively connecting an associated first bus to a second bus;
a readout circuit for reading out pixel signals from the first and second buses; and
an isolation circuit for selectively connecting at least one first bus to a predetermined voltage. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of obtaining a readout of a pixel sensor array comprising:
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providing an array of pixels, the array comprising a plurality of sets of pixels, each set comprising a plurality of subsets of pixels;
selectively enabling a first circuit and a second circuit to allow a signal from each pixel in a subset to pass sequentially and in a charge mode manner to a readout circuit electrically connected to said first circuit, the first circuit connected to an output of each subset, the second circuit connected to an output of each set;
sensing a charge at the readout circuit; and
selectively isolating from the readout circuit the subsets and sets not associated with the selectively enabled first circuit by disabling the second circuits and first circuits not associated with the selectively enabled first circuit and applying a predetermined voltage to at least one first bus coupled to the disabled first circuits by operating a switch coupled to the at least one first bus. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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Specification