Method and apparatus for saturation detection and electronic shutter in a solid state image sensor
    61.
    发明授权
    Method and apparatus for saturation detection and electronic shutter in a solid state image sensor 失效
    用于固态图像传感器中的饱和度检测和电子快门的方法和装置

    公开(公告)号:US07593048B2

    公开(公告)日:2009-09-22

    申请号:US10307132

    申请日:2002-11-27

    申请人: Lawrence T. Clark

    发明人: Lawrence T. Clark

    IPC分类号: H04N3/14 H04N5/238

    摘要: Imaging system having a sensor array with photocells that permit the monitoring of light levels while the sensor is exposed to a scene, and the ability to accurately avoid saturation on a per column, row, or array basis. The sensor array supports variable dynamic range by allowing variable integration times for different columns or rows of the array, thereby improving image quality of a scene in which there are both strong and weak light areas. In one embodiment, the photocell includes a parasitic multi-emitter bipolar junction transistor (BJT) acting as a photodetector. The parasitic device is part of a saturation detection circuit and also supports an electronic shutter mechanism. The parasitic BJT also permits increased sensitivity over some previous CMOS approaches. The photocell design is also spatially efficient, using in one embodiment only four MOSFETs in addition to the parasitic BJT. The embodiments of the invention are particularly useful in CMOS active pixel sensors used in imaging systems such as the digital camera.

    摘要翻译: 成像系统具有带有光电管的传感器阵列,该传感器阵列允许在传感器暴露于场景时监测光级,以及准确地避免每列,行或阵列饱和的能力。 传感器阵列通过允许阵列的不同列或行的可变积分时间来支持可变动态范围,从而提高了强弱区域的场景的图像质量。 在一个实施例中,光电池包括用作光电检测器的寄生多发射极双极结晶体管(BJT)。 寄生器件是饱和检测电路的一部分,并且还支持电子快门机构。 寄生BJT还允许比以前的CMOS方法增加灵敏度。 光电池设计也是空间有效的,在一个实施例中,除了寄生BJT之外仅使用四个MOSFET。 本发明的实施例在诸如数字照相机的成像系统中使用的CMOS有源像素传感器中特别有用。

    Methods and apparatus to selectively power functional units
    62.
    发明申请
    Methods and apparatus to selectively power functional units 有权
    选择性地为功能单元供电的方法和装置

    公开(公告)号:US20090037753A1

    公开(公告)日:2009-02-05

    申请号:US12232646

    申请日:2008-09-22

    IPC分类号: G06F1/26

    摘要: A processing engine fetches one or more lines of software instructions into an instruction cache. Based on the contents of the cache, potentially needed functional units are identified as functional units that are operable to execute at least one software instruction stored within the instruction cache. Unneeded functional units are identified as functional units that are not operable to execute a software instruction stored within the instruction cache. A power increase is initiated for selected ones of the potentially needed functional units that are determined to be in a low power state. A power decrease is initiated for selected ones of the unneeded functional units that are determined to be in an operable power state.

    摘要翻译: 处理引擎将一行或多行软件指令读取到指令高速缓存中。 基于高速缓存的内容,可能需要的功能单元被识别为可操作以执行存储在指令高速缓存内的至少一个软件指令的功能单元。 不需要的功能单元被识别为不能用于执行存储在指令高速缓存内的软件指令的功能单元。 对被确定为处于低功率状态的潜在需要的功能单元中的所选择的功能单元启动功率增加。 对被确定为处于可操作功率状态的不需要的功能单元中的所选功能单元启动功率减小。

    System and method for managing power consumption within an integrated circuit
    64.
    发明授权
    System and method for managing power consumption within an integrated circuit 有权
    用于管理集成电路内的功耗的系统和方法

    公开(公告)号:US07284137B2

    公开(公告)日:2007-10-16

    申请号:US10881004

    申请日:2004-06-29

    IPC分类号: G06F1/00 G06F1/32

    摘要: An integrated circuit includes power gating circuits for coupling an associated circuit block with a power supply voltage. The power gating circuits also generate power consumption measurements for the associated circuit blocks. A power manager for the integrated circuit may manage the overall power consumption of the integrated circuit and may individually turn on and off the circuit blocks using the power gating circuits.

    摘要翻译: 集成电路包括用于将相关联的电路块与电源电压耦合的电源门控电路。 电源门控电路还产生相关电路块的功耗测量。 集成电路的电源管理器可以管理集成电路的总体功耗,并且可以使用电源门控电路单独地打开和关闭电路块。

    Snoopy virtual level 1 cache tag
    66.
    发明授权
    Snoopy virtual level 1 cache tag 有权
    Snoopy虚拟1级缓存标签

    公开(公告)号:US06976117B2

    公开(公告)日:2005-12-13

    申请号:US10218853

    申请日:2002-08-13

    IPC分类号: G06F12/00 G06F12/08 G06F12/10

    CPC分类号: G06F12/1045

    摘要: A processor system having cache array for storing virtual tag information and physical tag information and corresponding comparators associated with the array to determine cache-hits. Information from the virtual tag array and the physical tag array may be accessed together.

    摘要翻译: 具有用于存储虚拟标签信息和物理标签信息的高速缓存阵列的处理器系统以及与该阵列相关联的对应的比较器以确定高速缓存命中。 可以一起访问来自虚拟标签阵列和物理标签阵列的信息。

    Low standby power using shadow storage
    68.
    发明授权
    Low standby power using shadow storage 有权
    低备用电源使用影子存储

    公开(公告)号:US06639827B2

    公开(公告)日:2003-10-28

    申请号:US10097202

    申请日:2002-03-12

    IPC分类号: G11C1100

    CPC分类号: G11C14/00

    摘要: An integrated circuit having CMOS transistors processed with different gate-oxide thicknesses. The transistors having the thinner gate-oxide may be used to generate data values that may be stored by the transistors having the thicker gate-oxides. The thicker gate-oxides may reduce gate leakage currents during a system standby mode.

    摘要翻译: 具有以不同栅氧化物厚度处理的CMOS晶体管的集成电路。 具有较薄栅极氧化物的晶体管可用于产生可由具有较厚栅极氧化物的晶体管存储的数据值。 较厚的栅极氧化物可能在系统待机模式期间减小栅极泄漏电流。

    Photodetecting device supporting saturation detection and electronic shutter
    69.
    发明授权
    Photodetecting device supporting saturation detection and electronic shutter 失效
    检测设备支持饱和度检测和电子快门

    公开(公告)号:US06529241B1

    公开(公告)日:2003-03-04

    申请号:US09032175

    申请日:1998-02-27

    申请人: Lawrence T. Clark

    发明人: Lawrence T. Clark

    IPC分类号: H04N314

    摘要: Imaging system having a sensor array with photocells that permit the monitoring of light levels while the sensor is exposed to a scene, and the ability to accurately avoid saturation on a per column, row, or array basis. The sensor array supports variable dynamic range by allowing variable integration times for different columns or rows of the array, thereby improving image quality of a scene in which there are both strong and weak light areas. In one embodiment, the photocell includes a parasitic multi-emitter bipolar junction transistor (BJT) acting as a photodetector. The parasitic device is part of a saturation detection circuit and also supports an electronic shutter mechanism. The parasitic BJT also permits increased sensitivity over some previous CMOS approaches. The photocell design is also spatially efficient, using in one embodiment only four MOSFETs in addition to the parasitic BJT. The embodiments of the invention are particularly useful in CMOS active pixel sensors used in imaging systems such as the digital camera.

    摘要翻译: 成像系统具有带有光电管的传感器阵列,该传感器阵列允许在传感器暴露于场景时监测光级,以及准确地避免每列,行或阵列饱和的能力。 传感器阵列通过允许阵列的不同列或行的可变积分时间来支持可变动态范围,从而提高了强弱区域的场景的图像质量。 在一个实施例中,光电池包括用作光电检测器的寄生多发射极双极结晶体管(BJT)。 寄生器件是饱和检测电路的一部分,并且还支持电子快门机构。 寄生BJT还允许比以前的CMOS方法增加灵敏度。 光电池设计也是空间有效的,在一个实施例中,除了寄生BJT之外仅使用四个MOSFET。 本发明的实施例在诸如数字照相机的成像系统中使用的CMOS有源像素传感器中特别有用。