Method, apparatus and system providing suppression of noise in a digital imager
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An imager device comprising:
- a pixel array comprising;
a first section comprising active pixels; and
a second section comprising optically black reference pixels, the second section located horizontally adjacent the first section; and
a circuit for driving rows of the array, the circuit located at least partially above or below the second section in the columnar direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method, apparatus and systems are disclosed in which a digital imager has optically black reference pixels in at least one row of a pixel array. The signals from the reference pixels in one row of the array are used as reference signals to cancel out the row-wise noise from pixel signals readout from active pixels in other rows of the array. An arrangement for locating the array driving circuit relative to the reference pixels is also provided.
77 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An imager device comprising:
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a pixel array comprising; a first section comprising active pixels; and a second section comprising optically black reference pixels, the second section located horizontally adjacent the first section; and a circuit for driving rows of the array, the circuit located at least partially above or below the second section in the columnar direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An imager device comprising:
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a pixel array; a readout circuit for reading pixel values from active pixels in a first row of the array and pixel values from optically black reference pixels in one or more other rows of the array; and an adjustment circuit for adjusting pixel values read from the active pixels based on pixel values read from the optically black reference pixels. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. An imager device comprising:
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a pixel array comprising active pixels and optically black reference pixels, each comprising a photo sensor, a charge storage region, and a charge transfer transistor for transferring charge from the photo sensor to the storage region; and a circuit for; reading out active pixels in one row of the array and optically black reference pixels in another row of the array; and driving the transfer transistors of the active pixels in the one row with a first control signal which turns on the transfer transistors and for driving the transfer transistors of the optically black reference pixels with a second control signal which turns off the transfer transistors. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A camera comprising:
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a lens; a pixel array for capturing an image through the lens, the array comprising; a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns; a first set of rows and columns defining active pixels; and a second set of rows and columns defining reference pixels; and a circuit for driving rows of the array, the circuit located at least partially above or below at least one of the reference pixels in the columnar direction. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A camera comprising:
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a lens; a pixel array for sensing an image through the lens, the array comprising active pixels and optically black reference pixels, each comprising a photo sensor, a charge storage region, and a charge transfer transistor for transferring charge from the photo sensor to the storage region; and a circuit for; reading out active pixels in one row of the array and optically black reference pixels in another row of the array; driving the transfer transistors of the active pixels in the one row with a first control signal which turns on the transfer transistors and for driving the transfer transistors of the optically black reference pixels with a second control signal which turns off the transfer transistors; determining an adjustment value from the reference pixels; and adjusting pixel values read from the active pixels based on the adjusted value.
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18. A camera comprising:
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a lens; a pixel array for sensing an image through the lens; a readout circuit for reading pixel values from active pixels in a first row of the array and pixel values from optically black reference pixels in another row of the array; and a pixel processing circuit for adjusting pixel values read from the active pixels in the first row based on pixel values read from the optically black reference pixels in the another row.
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19. A processor system comprising:
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a processor; an imager device coupled to the processor, the imager device comprising; a pixel array comprising; a first section comprising active pixels; and a second section comprising optically black reference pixels, the second section located horizontally adjacent the first section; and a circuit for driving rows of the array, the circuit located at least partially above or below the second section in the columnar direction. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A processor system comprising:
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a processor; and an imager device coupled to the processor, the imager device comprising; a pixel array; a readout circuit for reading pixel values from active pixels in a first row of the array and pixel values from optically black reference pixels in one or more other rows of the array; and an adjustment circuit for adjusting pixel values read from the active pixels based on pixel values read from the optically black reference pixels. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A processor system comprising:
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a processor; and an imager device comprising; a pixel array comprising active pixels and optically black reference pixels, each comprising a photo sensor, a charge storage region, and a charge transfer transistor for transferring charge from the photo sensor to the storage region; and a circuit for; reading out active pixels in one row of the array and optically black reference pixels in another row of the array; and driving the transfer transistors of the active pixels in the one row with a first control signal which turns on the transfer transistors and for driving the transfer transistors of the optically black reference pixels with a second control signal which turns off the transfer transistors. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method of operating an imager device comprising:
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reading pixel values from active pixels in one row of a pixel array and reference pixels in another row of the array; forming an adjustment value based on the pixel values read from the reference pixels; and adjusting the pixel values read from the active pixels in the one row based on the adjustment value. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method of operating an imager device comprising:
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reading out active pixels in one row of a pixel array and optically black reference pixels in another row of the array, the active pixels and optically black reference pixels each comprising a photo sensor, a charge storage region, and a charge transfer transistor for transferring charge from the photo sensor to the storage region; driving the transfer transistors of the active pixels in the one row with a first control signal which turns on the transfer transistors; and driving the transfer transistors of the optically black reference pixels with a second control signal which turns off the transfer transistors. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. An imager device comprising:
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first circuitry for driving active pixels of a pixel array with a first control signal; and second circuitry for driving optically black reference pixels with a different control signal, the second circuitry located at least partially above or below the optically black reference pixels in the columnar direction.
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32. An imager device comprising:
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a pixel array comprising active pixels and optically black reference pixels, each comprising a first component; and a circuit for causing a first component of an active pixel to receive a first control signal while a first component of an optically black reference pixel receives a different control signal.
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Specification