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Csem Centre Suisse D'electronique Et De Microtechnique Sa

Pascal Nussbaum

Christian Piguet

Pascal Heim

Engin Türetken

Pierre-Francois Ruedi

Pierre Marchal

Pierre-Yves Burgi

Pierre-François Rüedi

Riccardo Quaglia

A pixel circuit for a ultra-low power image sensor, including: an integration node, on which a photodiode current is integrated, a comparator arranged to compare a voltage at the integration node with a reference voltage, a n+1 bits digital memory, a writing pulse signal generator arranged to generate a writing pulse signal, on the basis of the comparator output voltage and on the voltage at a memory node, the start of the pulse triggering the writing of the digital word in the n-bits digital memory part. The comparator includes a switch in series with a current source and arranged to be commanded by the voltage at the memory node so that the switch is open at the end of the pulse, so as to drastically limit the consumption of static power of the pixel circuit during the integration phase.

Pixel circuit for an ultra-low power image sensor

A system is provided in which the spatial values (Sto Sn) of the physical quantity are represented by measurement pulses (Ito In), the temporal ordering of which represents the values, which are processed by processing units (Uto Un) arranged in at least one row and each include an output (SORto SORn). During successive processing cycles, a measurement pulse processed therein can be delivered to form the output signal (SU) of the system. Each processing unit includes an inhibiting unit (BI) for, in other units and during a given processing cycle, inhibiting the passage to the outputs of the other units respective measurement pulses processed therein and hence preventing them from forming the output signal, if the measurement impulses are temporally ordered later in the given processing cycle than the one processed in the unit concerned.

System for spatial analysis of a physical quantity

In this network (R) all the cells have identical construction. Each cell is assigned a code word which defines its function which it is to provide for within the network. With a view to the configuring of the cells (Cx,y), means (1) iteratively cause the translation into each of the cells of a genome formed of a train of the successive code words. The network comprises at least one individualized functional organ (O1, O2, O3, . . . ) composed of a plurality of cells which are all characterized by a first predetermined code (&lt;MHC&gt;) forming part of said code word and formed by a number identifying the organ (O1, O2, O3, . . . ) so that these cells can collectively provide for the functionality of this organ. The cells of the latter are distributed as internal cells defined by a first predetermined value of a status code also forming part of the code word, and as membrane cells defined by a second predetermined value of the second code. The internal cells provide for the functionality of the organ and the membrane cells (MO1, MO2, MO3, . . . ) are capable of functionally isolating the internal cells from the remainder of the network and of providing for the communication of these internal cells with the remainder of the network.

Electronic system organized as a matrix network of functional cells

Growing community of inventors

Cortaillod, Switzerland

Pascal Nussbaum