Control circuit for image array sensors
First Claim
1. An imaging system, comprising:
- an image sensor comprising an array of pixel sensors;
a controller operative to generate instructions for the imaging system;
a serial bus coupled to the controller; and
a control system in communication with the sensor, the control system coupled to the controller through the serial bus, the control system responsive to the instructions that are received from the controller through the serial bus to determine row and column address control signals for the array of pixel sensors, said control system comprises;
a control logic circuit coupled to the controller through the serial bus for receiving instructions from the controller,a programmable row-column and timing controller serial processor coupled to the control logic circuit and to the image sensor for controlling the image sensor in response to commands received from the control logic circuit, andan amplifier for amplifying data read from the image sensor and an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing data read from the image sensor,wherein the image sensor, the control logic circuit, the programmable row-column and timing controller serial processor, the amplifier, and the analog-to-digital converter are all provided in a common integrated circuit.
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Abstract
A control system is disclosed for controlling an image array sensor and controlling communication between the image array sensor and a microcontroller by way of a serial communication interface. The control system is able to efficiently control various aspects of the image array sensor such as windowing, mode of operation, sensitivity as well as other parameters in order to reduce the data throughput. An important aspect of the invention relates to the fact that the control circuit can be rather easily and efficiently configured in CMOS with relatively few output pins which enables the control circuit to be rather easily and efficiently integrated with CMOS based image array sensors and even the microcontroller to reduce the part count and thus, the overall cost of the system.
75 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An imaging system, comprising:
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an image sensor comprising an array of pixel sensors; a controller operative to generate instructions for the imaging system; a serial bus coupled to the controller; and a control system in communication with the sensor, the control system coupled to the controller through the serial bus, the control system responsive to the instructions that are received from the controller through the serial bus to determine row and column address control signals for the array of pixel sensors, said control system comprises; a control logic circuit coupled to the controller through the serial bus for receiving instructions from the controller, a programmable row-column and timing controller serial processor coupled to the control logic circuit and to the image sensor for controlling the image sensor in response to commands received from the control logic circuit, and an amplifier for amplifying data read from the image sensor and an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing data read from the image sensor, wherein the image sensor, the control logic circuit, the programmable row-column and timing controller serial processor, the amplifier, and the analog-to-digital converter are all provided in a common integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An imaging system comprising:
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an image sensor comprising an array of pixel sensors; a controller operative to generate instructions for the imaging system; a serial bus coupled to the controller; and a control system in communication with the sensor and coupled to the controller through the serial bus, the control system comprising; a bi-directional interface for providing a bi-directional serial communication interface with the controller through the serial bus for sending and receiving data from the controller, means for controlling the sensor, and means for receiving serial instruction words from the controller for controlling the mode of operation of the sensor, wherein the means for controlling the sensor controls a mode of operation of the sensor by setting the sensor in a single window mode in response to a first instruction received from the controller and by setting the sensor in a dual window mode in response to a second instruction received from the controller. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An imaging system comprising:
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an image sensor comprising an array of pixel sensors; a controller operative to generate instructions for the imaging system; a serial bus coupled to the controller; and a control system in communication with the sensor and coupled to the controller through the serial bus, the control system comprising; a bi-directional interface for providing a bi-directional serial communication interface with the controller through the serial bus for sending and receiving data from the controller, means for controlling the sensor, and means for receiving serial instruction words from the controller for controlling the mode of operation of the sensor, wherein the means for controlling the sensor controls a mode of operation of the sensor in response to an instruction received from the controller by setting the number of frames to be read, and wherein the number of frames to be read is greater than one. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification