Minimize image sensor I/O and conductor counts in endoscope applications
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An endoscopic device comprising:
- a CMOS image sensor being disposed near a tip of a distal end of the endoscopic device;
a plurality of on-chip registers integrated into the CMOS image sensor for configuring the image sensor operation; and
a plurality of bidirectional pads directly connected to the CMOS image sensor which all operate as pads to input and output digital data from the CMOS image sensor such that the number of pads necessary to exchange the input and output of digital data in the CMOS image sensor is reduced by combining digital input and output functionality into the same bi-directional pads;
wherein the image sensor is configured to control each of the plurality of bidirectional pads to have an output state and an input state;
wherein the image sensor automatically switches between the output state and the input state for the plurality of bidirectional pads;
wherein when the plurality of bidirectional pads are in the output state pixel data generated by exposing one or more pixels within the image sensor is output from the image sensor through each one of the bidirectional pads within the plurality of bidirectional pads and wherein when the plurality of bidirectional pads are in the input state each one of the plurality of bidirectional pads receive control commands for the operation of the image sensor which are communicated to the on-chip registers through connections between the plurality of bidirectional pads and the CMOS image sensor; and
wherein the CMOS image sensor is the only digital device that is disposed near the tip of the distal end of the endoscopic device.
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Abstract
The disclosure extends to systems and methods for reducing the area of an image sensor by employing bi-directional pads used for both image data issuance and configuration command reception and internal supply voltage generation, for reducing the number of conductors in an endoscope system.
597 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An endoscopic device comprising:
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a CMOS image sensor being disposed near a tip of a distal end of the endoscopic device; a plurality of on-chip registers integrated into the CMOS image sensor for configuring the image sensor operation; and a plurality of bidirectional pads directly connected to the CMOS image sensor which all operate as pads to input and output digital data from the CMOS image sensor such that the number of pads necessary to exchange the input and output of digital data in the CMOS image sensor is reduced by combining digital input and output functionality into the same bi-directional pads; wherein the image sensor is configured to control each of the plurality of bidirectional pads to have an output state and an input state; wherein the image sensor automatically switches between the output state and the input state for the plurality of bidirectional pads; wherein when the plurality of bidirectional pads are in the output state pixel data generated by exposing one or more pixels within the image sensor is output from the image sensor through each one of the bidirectional pads within the plurality of bidirectional pads and wherein when the plurality of bidirectional pads are in the input state each one of the plurality of bidirectional pads receive control commands for the operation of the image sensor which are communicated to the on-chip registers through connections between the plurality of bidirectional pads and the CMOS image sensor; and wherein the CMOS image sensor is the only digital device that is disposed near the tip of the distal end of the endoscopic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An endoscopic system comprising:
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an image sensor disposed near a tip of a distal end of a lumen of the endoscope; a plurality of on-chip registers integrated into the image sensor for configuring the image sensor operation; and a plurality of bidirectional pads directly connected to the CMOS image sensor which all operate as pads to input and output digital data from the CMOS image sensor such that the number of pads necessary to exchange the input and output of digital data in the CMOS image sensor is reduced by combining digital input and output functionality into the same bi-directional pads; wherein the endoscopic system controls each of the plurality of bidirectional pads to have an output state and an input state; wherein the endoscopic system automatically switches between the output state and the input state for the plurality of bidirectional pads, wherein when the plurality of bidirectional pads are in the output state pixel data generated by exposing one or more pixels within the image sensor is output from the image sensor through each one of the bidirectional pads within the plurality of bidirectional pads and wherein when the plurality of bidirectional pads are in the input state each one of the plurality of bidirectional pads receive control commands for the operation of the image sensor which are communicated to the on-chip registers through connections between the plurality of bidirectional pads and the image sensor; and wherein the image sensor is the only digital device that is disposed near the tip of the distal end of the endoscopic device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification