Imager row-wise noise correction
First Claim
1. An imaging device comprising:
- an array of imaging pixels, said array being organized into a plurality of rows and columns; and
a plurality of reference pixels, said plurality of reference pixels being arranged into a plurality of rows, each row of reference pixels corresponding to a respective row of imaging pixels within said array, each reference pixel including a circuit for causing said reference pixel to output electrically black signals to be used in row-wise noise correction of signals from the imaging pixels from its associated row.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An imager having optically and electrically black reference pixels in each row of the imager'"'"'s pixel array. Since the reference pixels of each row experience the same row-wise noise as active imaging pixels in the associated row, the signals from the reference pixels are used to cancel out row-wise noise from the row of imaging pixels. The reference pixels are designed such that their photosensors are physically or effectively removed from the row-wise noise correction, thus rendering them electrically black or dark. As such, the reference pixels can be used to provide row-wise noise correction without the adverse effects of warm and hot pixels.
66 Citations
47 Claims
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1. An imaging device comprising:
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an array of imaging pixels, said array being organized into a plurality of rows and columns; and
a plurality of reference pixels, said plurality of reference pixels being arranged into a plurality of rows, each row of reference pixels corresponding to a respective row of imaging pixels within said array, each reference pixel including a circuit for causing said reference pixel to output electrically black signals to be used in row-wise noise correction of signals from the imaging pixels from its associated row. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A processor system comprising:
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a processor; and
an imaging device coupled to said processor, said device comprising;
an array of imaging pixels, said array being organized into a plurality of rows and columns, and a plurality of reference pixels, said plurality of reference pixels being arranged into a plurality of rows, each row of reference pixels corresponding to a respective row of imaging pixels within said array, each reference pixel including a circuit for causing said reference pixel to output electrically black signals to be used in row-wise noise correction of signals from the imaging pixels from its associated row. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of operating an imaging device to provide row-wise noise correction, said method comprising the acts of:
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generating electrically black signals from a plurality of reference pixels in a row;
inputting signals from a plurality of active pixels in the row; and
using the electrically black signals from the reference pixels to substantially eliminate a row-wise noise component from the signals from the active pixels. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of manufacturing an imaging device comprising the acts of:
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fabricating an array of imaging pixels, said array being organized into a plurality of rows and columns; and
fabricating a plurality of reference pixels, said plurality of reference pixels being arranged into a plurality of rows, each row of reference pixels corresponding to a respective row of imaging pixels within said array, each reference pixel being configured to output electrically black signals to be used in row-wise noise correction of signals from the imaging pixels from its associated row. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification