System and method for sub-column parallel digitizers for hybrid stacked image sensor using vertical interconnects
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An imaging sensor comprising:
- a plurality of substrates;
a pixel array comprising pixels formed into a plurality of pixel columns, wherein each of said plurality of pixel columns is divided into a plurality of pixel sub-columns that are independent and distinct, wherein each pixel sub-column comprises a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel sub-column has a pixel sub-column bus;
a plurality of supporting circuits formed into a plurality of supporting circuit columns, wherein each of said plurality of supporting circuit columns is divided into a plurality of circuit sub-columns that are independent and distinct, wherein each circuit sub-column has a circuit bus, wherein one pixel sub-column bus corresponds with one circuit bus;
wherein a first substrate of the plurality of substrates comprises the pixel array;
wherein the plurality of supporting circuits is disposed on a second substrate that is disposed remotely relative to said first substrate;
wherein each of said plurality of circuit sub-columns is electrically connected to, and in electrical communication with, a corresponding pixel sub-column of said pixel array; and
wherein said electrical communication is provided by an interconnect for each pixel sub-column bus and corresponding circuit bus disposed between said first substrate and said second substrate, such that each of the pixel sub-columns is read independently.
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Abstract
Embodiments of a hybrid imaging sensor and methods for pixel sub-column data read from the within a pixel array.
559 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An imaging sensor comprising:
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a plurality of substrates; a pixel array comprising pixels formed into a plurality of pixel columns, wherein each of said plurality of pixel columns is divided into a plurality of pixel sub-columns that are independent and distinct, wherein each pixel sub-column comprises a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel sub-column has a pixel sub-column bus; a plurality of supporting circuits formed into a plurality of supporting circuit columns, wherein each of said plurality of supporting circuit columns is divided into a plurality of circuit sub-columns that are independent and distinct, wherein each circuit sub-column has a circuit bus, wherein one pixel sub-column bus corresponds with one circuit bus; wherein a first substrate of the plurality of substrates comprises the pixel array; wherein the plurality of supporting circuits is disposed on a second substrate that is disposed remotely relative to said first substrate; wherein each of said plurality of circuit sub-columns is electrically connected to, and in electrical communication with, a corresponding pixel sub-column of said pixel array; and wherein said electrical communication is provided by an interconnect for each pixel sub-column bus and corresponding circuit bus disposed between said first substrate and said second substrate, such that each of the pixel sub-columns is read independently. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of accessing data on an imaging sensor comprising:
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electronically connecting pixels in a pixel array located on a first substrate to support circuits on a second substrate; wherein said pixel array is organized into pixel columns; wherein each of said pixel columns is divided into a plurality of pixel sub-columns that are independent and distinct, wherein each pixel sub-column comprises a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel sub-column has a pixel sub-column bus; reading the plurality of pixel sub-columns starting with a first pixel in each sub-column and sequentially reading pixel data from each of the pixels until the last pixel in the sub-column is read; transmitting said pixel data for each pixel sub-column through an interconnect to a corresponding circuit sub-column located on the second substrate, wherein the second substrate comprises a plurality of circuit columns, wherein each of said plurality of circuit columns is divided into a plurality of circuit sub-columns that are independent and distinct, wherein each circuit sub-column has a circuit bus, wherein one pixel sub-column bus corresponds with one circuit bus; wherein the data from each pixel sub-column is processed by the circuit sub-column corresponding with each of said pixel sub-column, processing said pixel data into an image. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 26)
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12. An imaging sensor comprising:
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a plurality of substrates comprising at least a first substrate and a second substrate; a pixel array located on the first substrate and comprising a plurality of pixel columns, wherein each of the plurality of pixel columns is defined as a plurality of pixels in length enough to cover the dimension of the array; wherein each of said pixel columns is divided into a plurality of pixel sub-columns, wherein each pixel sub-column comprises a plurality of pixels, such that each pixel sub-column is electrically isolated from other pixel sub-columns; a plurality of supporting circuits located on the second substrate and comprising a plurality of circuit columns, wherein the plurality of circuit columns is divided into a plurality of circuit sub-columns that are independent and distinct where one circuit sub-column corresponds with one pixel sub-column, wherein each of the plurality of circuit sub-columns is defined as having an area and size that corresponds with an area and size of a corresponding pixel sub-column; a plurality of buses, wherein there is one pixel sub-column bus per at least one pixel sub-column residing on the first substrate and one circuit column bus per at least one circuit sub-column residing on said second substrate; wherein at least a portion of each of the pixel sub-column buses is superimposed with at least a portion of each of the corresponding circuit column buses and at least one interconnect providing electrical communication between one pixel sub-column bus and one corresponding circuit column bus; and wherein said at least one interconnect is located anywhere along the superimposition of the pixel sub-column bus and the corresponding circuit column bus. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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27. An imaging sensor comprising:
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a plurality of substrates comprising a first substrate and a second, supporting substrate; a pixel array comprising pixels formed into pixel columns, wherein each of the pixel columns is divided into a plurality of pixel sub-columns that are independent and distinct, wherein each pixel sub-column comprises a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel sub-column has a corresponding pixel sub-column bus; a plurality of supporting circuits formed into a plurality of supporting circuit columns, wherein each of the supporting circuit columns is divided into a plurality of circuit sub-columns that are independent and distinct, wherein each circuit sub-column has a corresponding circuit bus, wherein one pixel sub-column bus corresponds with one circuit bus; wherein the first substrate comprises the pixel array and the pixel sub-column buses; wherein the second, supporting substrate is disposed remotely relative to the first substrate and comprises the plurality of supporting circuits and the circuit buses; wherein each of the circuit sub-columns is electrically connected to, and in electrical communication with, a corresponding pixel sub-column of the pixel array; and wherein the electrical communication is provided by a single interconnect for each pixel sub-column bus and corresponding circuit bus disposed between the first substrate and the second, supporting substrate such that each of the pixel sub-columns is read independently.
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Specification