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:
May. 02, 2017
Filed:
Oct. 18, 2014
Applicant:
Renesas Electronics Corporation, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, JP;
Inventors:
Yasutoshi Aibara, Kanagawa, JP;
Fumihide Murao, Kanagawa, JP;
Assignee:
Renesas Electronics Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H04N 5/3745 (2011.01); H04N 5/351 (2011.01); H04N 5/378 (2011.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H04N 5/37455 (2013.01); H04N 5/351 (2013.01); H04N 5/378 (2013.01);
Abstract
A CMOS image sensor used as a solid-state image sensing device includes a pixel circuit for outputting a voltage of a level corresponding to the illuminance, and an A/D converter for converting an output voltage of the pixel circuit into a digital signal. The resolution on the low illuminance side is higher than the resolution on the high illuminance side in the A/D converter. Thus, the dynamic range can be increased and the operation speed can be increased, compared to the case in which the resolution is constant independent of the illuminance.