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. 07, 2007
Filed:
Apr. 04, 2003
Applicants:
Robert Henderson, Edinburgh, GB;
Jonathan Ephriam David Hurwitz, Edinburgh, GB;
Inventors:
Robert Henderson, Edinburgh, GB;
Jonathan Ephriam David Hurwitz, Edinburgh, GB;
Assignee:
STMicroelectronics Ltd., Buckinghamshire, GB;
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H04N 5/217 (2006.01); H04N 5/21 (2006.01); H04N 3/14 (2006.01); H01L 27/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
An image sensor has an array of pixels read by column circuits to provide reset and read samples on a pair of sample capacitors. To alleviate the effects of parasitic capacitance in the region of the sample capacitors, a modified timing arrangement is used. Both sample switches are operated simultaneously to pre-charge both sample capacitors with a pixel signal value. One sample switch is operated after reset to apply a reset value to one of the pre-charged sample capacitors.