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:
Oct. 29, 2013
Filed:
Feb. 08, 2010
Jose Tejada, Valencia, ES;
Rafael Dominguez-castro, Seville, ES;
Fernando Medeiro-hidalgo, Seville, ES;
Francisco J. Jimenez-garrido, Seville, ES;
Jose Tejada, Valencia, ES;
Rafael Dominguez-Castro, Seville, ES;
Fernando Medeiro-Hidalgo, Seville, ES;
Francisco J. Jimenez-Garrido, Seville, ES;
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
The objective of this invention is to provide a solid-state image pickup device and its driving method that has a minimum circuit area and a wide dynamic range. The invention includes: a sensor array SA; a memory M; and a signal determination circuit DC. The sensor array has plural pixels in an array integrated on a semiconductor substrate. Each pixel sequentially outputs a first signal and a second signal. The memory M is connected to each column of pixels array and stores the first signal or the second signal. The signal determination circuit DC outputs signal (SS) such that it works as follows: when the first signal is input to memory M from the pixel, the signal determination circuit DC determines whether the first signal can be used. If so, the first signal is selected and the second signal is discarded and is not output to memory M. When the second signal is selected, the second signal is uploaded to memory M.