Method and apparatus for a CMOS image sensor with a distributed amplifier
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of detecting light with an image sensor array, said method comprising:
- charging a photo sensor to a reference voltage level;
integrating photons with said photo sensor to generate a photo voltage; and
amplifying said photo voltage with a distributed amplifier having a distributed feedback loop, a portion of said distributed amplifier and said distributed feedback loop residing in a pixel circuit in said image sensor array and a remainder of said distributed amplifier and said distributed feedback loop residing in a read-out circuit coupled to said image sensor array.
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Abstract
A CMOS image sensor circuit having a distributed amplifier is disclosed. The CMOS image sensor circuit is constructed using a photo sensor that converts light intensity to into voltage, a reset transistor to charge the photo sensor, and a distributed amplifier to detect and read out the voltage value created by the photo sensor. The distributed amplifier is distributed in the sense that portions of the amplifier circuitry reside within individual pixel circuits that form a CMOS image sensor array. The remainder of the amplifier resides in a column read out circuit that is at the bottom of the CMOS image sensor array.
120 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of detecting light with an image sensor array, said method comprising:
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charging a photo sensor to a reference voltage level; integrating photons with said photo sensor to generate a photo voltage; and amplifying said photo voltage with a distributed amplifier having a distributed feedback loop, a portion of said distributed amplifier and said distributed feedback loop residing in a pixel circuit in said image sensor array and a remainder of said distributed amplifier and said distributed feedback loop residing in a read-out circuit coupled to said image sensor array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An image sensor array, said image sensor array comprising:
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a photo sensor, said photo sensor for detecting photons to generate a photo voltage value; a reset circuit, said reset circuit for charging said photo sensor; and a distributed amplifier, said distributed amplifier for amplifying said photo voltage value wherein a portion of said distributed amplifier resides in a pixel circuit in said image sensor array, a remainder of said distributed amplifier resides in a read-out circuit coupled to said image sensor array, and said distributed amplifier includes a distributed feedback loop wherein current from said remainder of said distributed amplifier residing in said read-out circuit is fed back to said portion of said distributed amplifier residing in said a pixel circuit in said image sensor array. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22)
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21. An image sensor array for capturing images, said image sensor array comprising:
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photo sensing means for detecting photons to generate a photo voltage; a reset circuit, said reset circuit for charging said photo sensing means; and amplifier means for buffering said photo voltage, said amplifier for amplifying said photo voltage wherein a portion of said amplifier means resides in a pixel circuit in said image sensor array, a remainder of said amplifier means resides in a read-out circuit coupled to said image sensor array, and said amplifier means includes a distributed feedback loop wherein current from said remainder of said amplifier means residing in said read-out circuit is fed back to said portion of said amplifier means residing in said a pixel circuit in said image sensor array. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification