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:
Mar. 11, 2008
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2006
Ray Allen Mentzer, Corvallis, OR (US);
Frank J. Demonte, Corvallis, OR (US);
Jeffery Steven Beck, Philomath, OR (US);
Matthew Michael Borg, Albany, OR (US);
Charles Grant Myers, Corvallis, OR (US);
Ray Allen Mentzer, Corvallis, OR (US);
Frank J. DeMonte, Corvallis, OR (US);
Jeffery Steven Beck, Philomath, OR (US);
Matthew Michael Borg, Albany, OR (US);
Charles Grant Myers, Corvallis, OR (US);
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
An active pixel sensor (APS) image sensor comprises an array of pixel circuits corresponding to rows and columns of pixels, a plurality of amplifiers that buffer signals output by the array of pixel circuits, and a plurality of sample and hold circuits that read the buffered signals. A routing mechanism is positioned between the array of pixel circuits and the plurality of amplifiers. A controller selects a set of the pixel circuits for sampling and is configured to control the routing mechanism to couple each pixel circuit in the set to a different one of the amplifiers during a normal mode of operation and to couple each pixel circuit of a subset of pixel circuits in a first set of pixel circuits to a different amplifier of a first subset of the amplifiers, to couple each pixel circuit of a subset of pixel circuits in a second set of pixel circuits to a different amplifier of a second subset of the amplifiers, and to connect the amplifiers of the first and second subsets of amplifiers in pairs to a common one of the sample and hold circuits during a sub-sampling mode of operation.