The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 15, 2003
Filed:
Feb. 11, 1997
Applicant:
Inventor:
Neil C. Bird, Horley Surrey, GB;
Assignee:
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06K 7/10 ; G06K 9/20 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G06K 7/10 ; G06K 9/20 ;
Abstract
An image sensor ( ) includes an array having an image sensing portion ( ) and a control portion ( ). Pixels ( ) of the image sensing portion and devices ( ) of the control circuitry portion each have a diode stack ( ) of a back-to-back switching diode ( ) and a photodiode ( ). The photodiodes of the devices ( ) are constantly illuminated in use so that they act as current sources in series with the switching diode. This provides a circuit device which has characteristics enabling its use in control circuitry.