Stmicroelectronics Gmbh

Broadcom Corporation

Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Stmicroelectronics (research & Development) Limited

Keith Findlater

Jonathan Ephraim David Hurwitz

Seyed A A Danesh

Robert K Henderson

Mirko Guarnera

Angelo Bosco

Justin Richardson

Stewart Gresty Smith

Jonathan Hurwitz

An image sensor IC may have a non-volatile memory for several functions. The functions may include storing control parameters for a camera autofocus module, part tracking data, and data for defect correction or color science. The non-volatile memory can in particular be an antifuse non-volatile memory, which may not need special light shielding.

Memory-enhanced image sensor

An analog to digital converter with increased sub-range resolution. The device includes an analog front end that produces an analog communication signal, a digital front end that receives a digital communication signal, and an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) that samples the analog communication signal across a full-range. The ADC includes a full-range ADC having a first quantization accuracy configured to sample the analog communication signal across the full-range and a central sub-range ADC having a second quantization accuracy greater than the first quantization accuracy and configured to sample the analog communication signal across a central sub-range of the full-range. The ADC also includes signal combining circuitry configured to process outputs of the full-range ADC and the central sub-range ADC to create the digital communication signal.

Analog to digital converter with increased sub-range resolution

An analog to digital converter with increased sub-range resolution and method for using the analog to digital converter is described herein. The device includes an analog front end that produces an analog communication signal, a digital front end that receives a digital communication signal, and an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) that samples the analog communication signal across a full-range. The ADC includes a plurality of sub-range ADCs, each sub-range ADC measuring the analog communication signal across at least one respective sub-range of the full-range, the plurality of sub-ranges extending across the full-range, a central sub-range ADC having greater quantization accuracy than at least one other sub-range ADC. The ADC also includes signal combining circuitry operable to process outputs of the plurality of sub-range ADCs to create the digital communication signal.

An image sensor array of active pixel elements is arranged in rows and columns. Each column has an output circuit for reading out pixel image signals. The output circuit includes a pair of sample capacitors, a switching circuit operable based upon pixel switches for applying pixel voltages to the pair of sample capacitors. At least one optically masked pixel is provided so that output image signals obtained therefrom represent substantially only the column fixed pattern noise (FPN). An image processing circuit records the column FPN for each column from the optically masked pixels, records the image signal from the sensor array of active pixels, and subtracts the column FPN column-wise from the image signal.

CMOS image sensors

A digital camera for capturing and processing images of different resolutions and a corresponding method for down-scaling a digital image are provided. The method includes forming an image of a real scene on an image sensor that is made up of a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix. The method further includes addressing and reading pixels in the matrix to obtain analog quantities related to the pixels luminance values, converting the analog quantities from the pixels matrix into digital values, and processing the digital values to obtain a data file representing the image of the real scene. To reduce computation time and power consumption, the addressing and reading of the pixels includes selecting a group of pixels from the matrix, and storing the analog quantities related to the pixels of the selected group of pixels into an analog storing circuit. The stored analog quantities are averaged to obtain an analog quantity corresponding to an average pixel luminance value.

Method for down-scaling a digital image and a digital camera for processing images of different resolutions

A method for manufacturing an image sensor including an array of pixels and an imaging lens exit pupil for focusing rays of light onto the array of pixels is provided. Each pixel includes a light sensitive region and at least one optical element associated therewith. The method includes positioning the at least one optical element for each pixel relative to its associated light sensitive region based upon a range of acceptable angles of incidence for the rays of light from the imaging lens exit pupil.

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Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Keith Findlater