Image sensor array with picture element sensor testability

• US 5,654,537 A
• Filed: 06/30/1995
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bell Semiconductor, LLC (Hilco Inc. (d/b/a Hilco Global))
• Original Assignee: Symbios Logic Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Prater, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US08/496,861
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 250/208.1, 250/214.1, 250/214 R, 348/313, 348/294, 348/308, 257/291, 257/292
• US Class Current: 250/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00002 Diagnosis, testing or measuring; Detecting, analysing or monitoring not otherwise provided for error detection, error correction or monitoring in digital computers or digital computer components G06F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00013 Reading apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00031 Testing, i.e. determining the result of a trial H04N1/00029 takes precedence; using test signals for transmission mode changing H04N2201/33371
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00053 out of service, i.e. outside of normal operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00055 automatically on a periodic basis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00063 using at least a part of the apparatus itself, e.g. self-testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/195 the array comprising a two-dimensional array or a combination of two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/002 for television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors

Abstract

A picture element sensor circuit in an image array scanner is tested by driving a reset FET with a controllable voltage to set the reverse-bias voltage across the photo-diode at any selectable level of test voltage. In this way each pixel sensor circuit in the array may be tested as if it had received a desired amount of illumination. Alternatively, the drive voltage for the reset transistor is provided over the column output line. The controllable test voltage can be applied to the column line when no row access enable signal is applied to the array. In this situation the column line source follower circuit is inhibited by the row access FETs. Thus, a separate test voltage can be driven onto the column line, through a reset switch, and connected through the pixel sensor reset transistor to the pixel sensor photo-diode. The variable reset voltage, that is driven onto the column line, can be varied between ground and the normal bias voltage V_DD for the pixel sensor by use of parallel connected P-channel FET and N-channel FET.

Claims

1. In a two dimensional, image scanner array having pixel sensor circuits arranged in rows and columns, apparatus for testing said pixel sensor circuits comprising:

a reset supply providing a source of selectable test voltages;

a reset device for resetting a voltage of a photo-sensitive device in a pixel sensor circuit to a test voltage from the reset supply; and

a sensing circuit for sensing an output of the pixel sensor circuit in response to an application of the test voltage to the photo-sensitive device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 and in addition:

a row access device for electrically connecting each pixel sensor circuit in a row to a column line for the pixel sensor circuit;

said reset device resetting the test voltage at a first time and said row access device connecting the pixel sensor circuit to the column line at a second time subsequent to said first time whereby the reset device and the row access device are repeatably cyclable to provide successive testing of the pixel sensor circuit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said reset device comprises:

a switch for connecting the reset supply to the column line only during the presence of the reset signal; and

a reset switch for setting a voltage from the column line to the photo-sensitive device only during the presence of the reset signal, wherein the test voltages are applied to the column line.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said switch comprises:

a p-channel semiconductive device in parallel with an n-channel semiconductive device to provide a switch to pass a full range of test voltages irrespective of voltage drops across each semiconductive device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said reset means comprises:

a switch for connecting the reset supply to the column line only during the presence of the reset signal; and

a reset switch for setting the voltage from the column line to the photo-sensitive device only during the presence of the reset signal, wherein the test voltages are applied to the column line.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said switch comprises:

a p-channel semiconductive device in parallel with an n-channel semiconductive device to provide a switch to pass a full range of test voltages irrespective of voltage drops across each semiconductive device.

7. A method for testing a focal plane image scanner array comprising the steps of:

a) providing a reset supply for a pixel sensor circuit for applying a selectable test voltage;

b) resetting a voltage across a photo-sensitive device in the pixel sensor circuit to the selectable test voltage;

c) driving the voltage across the photo-sensitive device onto an output line after the voltage across the photo-sensitive device has been reset to the selectable test voltage by said resetting step; and

d) providing from the output line an output test signal proportional to the voltage across the photo-sensitive device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

e) switching the driving step off to electrically isolate the voltage across the photo-sensitive device from the output line;

f) said resetting step further applies the test voltage to the output line;

g) a switching step for applying the test voltage through the output line across the photo-sensitive device as the reset voltage; and

h) after said switching step, inhibiting said switching step and enabling said driving step to drive the reset voltage onto the line whereby step d) provides an output test signal.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

repeating steps e) through h) in successive test cycles;

changing the test voltage provided by said resetting step in each test cycle.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

repeating steps b) through d) in successive test cycles;

changing the test voltage provided by said resetting step in each test cycle.

11. An image scanner array having a plurality of pixel sensing circuits, each pixel sensing circuit comprising:

a photo-diode back biased by a reset voltage;

a source follower field effect transistor circuit for driving an output signal proportional to an operative signal corresponding to the voltage across the photo-diode;

a reset voltage source for supplying as the reset voltage a test voltage;

a reset field effect transistor for applying the reset voltage to back-bias the photo-diode; and

a timer for enabling first the reset field effect transistor to apply the test voltage as an operative voltage across the photodiode and thereafter for enabling the source follower circuit to drive an output signal proportional to the operative voltage.

12. The array of claim 11 wherein:

said timer cyclically repeats enabling the reset transistor and enabling the source follower circuit to provide a plurality of successive test cycles; and

said reset voltage source supplies a different test voltage each test cycle.

13. The array of claim 11 and wherein the source follower circuit in a plurality of said pixel sensor circuits drives the output signal onto a common output line shared by said sensor circuits and said array further comprises:

said reset field effect transistor responsive to the timer for applying the reset voltage to the photo diode via the reset transistor and the common output line in a first time interval;

an access field effect transistor responsive to the timer for enabling the source follower circuit in a second time interval that follows said first time interval whereby the reset voltage may be applied via the common output line during the first interval and the output signal may be provided on the common output line during the second interval.

14. The array of claim 11 and wherein the source follower circuit from a plurality of said pixel sensor circuits drives the output signal onto a common output line shared by said sensor circuits and said array further comprises:

a reset switching circuit responsive to the timer for applying the reset voltage to the common output line in a first time interval;

said reset field effect transistor responsive to the timer for applying the reset voltage from the common output line to the photo diode during the first time interval;

an access field effect transistor responsive to the timer for enabling the source follower circuit in a second time interval that follows said first time interval whereby the reset voltage may be applied via the common output line during the first interval and the output signal may be provided on the common output line during the second interval.

15. The array of claim 14 wherein:

said timer cyclically repeats enabling the reset circuit and the reset transistor and enabling the source follower circuit to provide a plurality of successive test cycles;

said reset voltage source supplies a different test voltage each test cycle.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said reset switching circuit comprises:

a p-channel field effect transistor in parallel with an n-channel field effect transistor to provide a switch to apply a full range of test voltages to the common output line irrespective of voltage drops across the p-channel field effect transistor and the n-channel field effect transistor.