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:
Dec. 23, 2003
Filed:
May. 29, 2001
Susumu Kurosawa, Tokyo, JP;
Yoshinori Muramatsu, Tokyo, JP;
NEC Electronics Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
There is disclosed a black-level signal generation circuit for use with a CMOS-based active pixel image sensor. This black-level signal generation circuit delivers a black-level signal of a constant level at all times. The black-level signal generation circuit is equivalent in circuit configuration to any one of pixels forming an effective pixel array and any one of readout portions for reading out signals from the pixels. A photodiode is maintained in a reset state. MOS transistors whose corresponding MOS transistors are turned 'ON/OFF' in any one of the pixels and any one of the readout portions are all kept in 'ON' state. Thus, the black-level signal generation circuit can constantly produce a black-level signal equivalent in level to the pixel signal delivered when no light is incident on the effective pixels.