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:
Aug. 30, 2005
Filed:
Jul. 17, 2003
Edison Fong, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Robert S. Hannebauer, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Richard B. Merrill, Woodside, CA (US);
Edison Fong, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Robert S. Hannebauer, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Richard B. Merrill, Woodside, CA (US);
Foveon, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A current sensing method and circuit for reading out a sensor cell, and a sensing apparatus comprising an array of sensor cells arranged along column lines and a current sensing readout circuit coupled to each column line. The sensor cell is configured to assert a sensor current indicative of a sensed value. In operation, an input node of the readout circuit is coupled to the sensor cell, typically by a column line of a sensor array that includes the sensor cell. Preferably, to read out the sensor cell, the sensor current flows from the sensor cell to the input node and in response, the readout circuit charges a capacitor to a voltage indicative of the sensed value while clamping the input node at a potential that is at least substantially fixed.