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:
Jul. 25, 2006
Filed:
Dec. 20, 2000
Shozo Nitta, Tokyo, JP;
Kenji Tanaka, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, JP;
Tatsuo Isumi, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, JP;
Akira Morikawa, Tokyo, JP;
Kyoji Matsusako, Machida City, Tokyo, JP;
Sean Chuang, Tucson, AZ (US);
Mike Koen, Tucson, AZ (US);
Shozo Nitta, Tokyo, JP;
Kenji Tanaka, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, JP;
Tatsuo Isumi, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, JP;
Akira Morikawa, Tokyo, JP;
Kyoji Matsusako, Machida City, Tokyo, JP;
Sean Chuang, Tucson, AZ (US);
Mike Koen, Tucson, AZ (US);
Other;
Abstract
A front end signal processing method and apparatus for processing a signal from an image sensor are provided for readily clamping a black level, improving the manufacturing yield, and reducing the power consumption. A luminance detector/digitizer receives a sensor output signal from an image sensor, detects luminance information included in the sensor output signal, and generates a digital luminance signal representative of the detected luminance information. A digital processor receives the digital luminance signal, and multiplies the digital luminance signal by a predetermined gain code to generate the multiplication result as a front end processed signal output. An optical black clamp receives the digital luminance signal from the luminance signal detector/digitizer and supplies a feedback signal produced from the digital luminance signal to the luminance signal detector/digitizer to clamp a black level of the luminance signal to a constant value.