Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Circuit for reading a sensor having a pixel matrix with analog-to-digital conversion having a high acquisition rate, and image sensor including such a circuit
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Application No.: US15569083Application Date: 2016-05-11
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Publication No.: US10057528B2Publication Date: 2018-08-21
- Inventor: Christian Liabeuf
- Applicant: PYXALIS
- Applicant Address: FR Moirans
- Assignee: PYXALIS
- Current Assignee: PYXALIS
- Current Assignee Address: FR Moirans
- Agency: Baker & Hostetler LLP
- Priority: FR1554214 20150512
- International Application: PCT/EP2016/060544 WO 20160511
- International Announcement: WO2016/180872 WO 20161117
- Main IPC: H04N5/378
- IPC: H04N5/378 ; H04N5/376 ; H04N5/374 ; H03M1/56

Abstract:
A circuit for reading a pixel matrix array comprises, for each column of pixels of the matrix array: voltage-to-delay converting circuits receiving, on an input, a voltage value representative of the voltage of a read conductor of a respective column of pixels of the matrix array and delivering as output a binary signal called a comparative signal, this signal switched at a time dependent on the input voltage value; frequency-multiplying circuits, one for each of the voltage-to-delay converting circuits, receiving as input a primary clock signal and delivering as output secondary clock signals of multiplied frequency; and binary counters, receiving, on a first input, a the secondary clock signal, and, on a second input, a the binary comparative signal and counting at a rate dictated by the secondary clock signal until the binary comparative signal switches. An image sensor comprising a matrix array of pixels, in particular active pixels, and a read circuit is also provided.
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