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.

Date of Patent:
Mar. 03, 2015

Filed:

Dec. 27, 2012
Applicant:

Omnivision Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);

Inventor:

Robert Johansson, Oslo, NO;

Assignee:

OmniVision Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 27/00 (2006.01); H03M 1/12 (2006.01); H04N 5/378 (2011.01); H03M 1/46 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H04N 5/378 (2013.01); H03M 1/123 (2013.01); H03M 1/466 (2013.01);
Abstract

An image sensor includes a pixel array having pixels arranged in rows and columns, a first successive-approximation-register ('SAR') analog-to-digital-converter ('ADC'), a second SAR ADC, and first and second control circuitry. The first SAR ADC includes a first capacitor array (“FCA”) that shares a first common terminal coupled to a first comparator and coupled to receive first analog pixel signals. The second SAR ADC includes a second capacitor array (“SCA”) that shares a second common terminal selectably coupled to a second comparator and coupled to receive second analog pixel signals. The first and second control modules are coupled to selectably switch bottom plates of the FCA from a low reference voltage to the high reference voltage at a same time as selectably switching bottom plates of the SCA from a high reference voltage to the low reference voltage.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…