公开(公告)号：US20080043128A1

公开(公告)日：2008-02-21

申请号：US11974813

申请日：2007-10-16

申请人： Thomas Poonnen ,  Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Li Liu ,  Michael Joyner ,  Ketan Karia

发明人： Thomas Poonnen ,  Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Li Liu ,  Michael Joyner ,  Ketan Karia

IPC分类号： H04N5/335

CPC分类号： H03M1/123 ,  H03M1/1019 ,  H03M1/1235 ,  H03M1/56 ,  H04N5/335 ,  H04N5/3575 ,  H04N5/3742 ,  H04N5/37455 ,  H04N5/3765 ,  H04N5/378

摘要： A solid state imager converts analog pixel values to digital form on an arrayed per-column basis. An N-bit counter supplies an N-bit DAC to produce an analog ramp output with a level that varies corresponding to the contents of the counter. A latch/counter or equivalent is associated with each respective column. A clock supplies clock signal(s) to the counter elements. When the analog ramp equals the pixel value for that column, the latch/counter latches the value. The black level can be pre-set in the latch/counter or can be subtracted separately to reduce fixed pattern noise. The pixels can be oversampled for some number of times, e.g., n=16, to reduce the thermal noise of the sensors. Also, two or more pixels sharing a common sense node may be binned together, and two (or more) pixels having different integration times may be combined to obtain an output signal with enhanced dynamic range.

摘要翻译： 固态成像器将阵列每列的模拟像素值转换为数字形式。 N位计数器提供N位DAC以产生具有与计数器内容相对应的电平的模拟斜坡输出。 锁存/计数器或等效物与每个相应的列相关联。 时钟向计数器元件提供时钟信号。 当模拟斜坡等于该列的像素值时，锁存器/计数器锁存该值。 黑色电平可以在锁存/计数器中预先设置，也可以单独减去，以减少固定模式噪声。 像素可以被过采样若干次，例如n = 16，以减少传感器的热噪声。 此外，共享共同感测节点的两个或更多个像素可以被合并在一起，并且可以组合具有不同积分时间的两个（或更多个）像素以获得具有增强的动态范围的输出信号。

公开(公告)号：US20070040100A1

公开(公告)日：2007-02-22

申请号：US11589357

申请日：2006-10-30

申请人： Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Ketan Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen ,  Li Liu

发明人： Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Ketan Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen ,  Li Liu

IPC分类号： H01L27/00

CPC分类号： H04N5/2254 ,  H01L27/14603 ,  H01L27/14621 ,  H01L27/14627 ,  H04N1/1911 ,  H04N1/1917 ,  H04N5/3692 ,  H04N9/045 ,  H04N2201/0081

摘要： A solid state imaging system has at least one CMOS imager with first and second series of pixels in which the pixels of one series are offset, i.e., staggered, in respect to the pixels of the other series. Multiple imagers can be arrayed end to end, with jumper wires connecting the pixel output conductors or each so that the pixels feed into a common output amplifier for each series, to minimize chip to chip offset voltages. The pixels may be diagonally offset from one another, and a color imager can be constructed in which color ribbon filters are arranged diagonally across the imaging area. This arrangement minimizes color cross talk. An array of microlenses is situated with each microlens covering a plurality of the pixels. The different pixels under each microlens can be aligned along a diagonal. The different pixels under the same microlens can have different integration times, to increase the dynamic range of the imager(s).

摘要翻译： 固态成像系统具有至少一个具有第一和第二系列像素的CMOS成像器，其中一系列的像素相对于另一系列的像素偏移，即交错。 多个成像器可以端对端排列，跨接线连接像素输出导体或每个像素，以便像素馈送到每个系列的公共输出放大器，以最小化芯片到芯片的偏移电压。 像素可以彼此对角地偏移，并且可以构造彩色成像器，其中色带滤光器对角地布置在成像区域上。 这种布置使颜色串扰最小化。 位于微透镜阵列中，每个微透镜覆盖多个像素。 每个微透镜下的不同像素可以沿对角线对齐。 相同微透镜下的不同像素可以具有不同的积分时间，以增加成像器的动态范围。

公开(公告)号：US20050185079A1

公开(公告)日：2005-08-25

申请号：US11111334

申请日：2005-04-21

申请人： Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Ketan Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen

发明人： Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Ketan Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen

IPC分类号： H01L27/146 ,  H04N1/03 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N9/04 ,  H01L31/062 ,  H01L29/732 ,  H04N3/14

CPC分类号： H01L27/14603 ,  H01L27/14609 ,  H01L27/14621 ,  H01L27/14625 ,  H01L27/14643 ,  H01L27/14645 ,  H04N1/03 ,  H04N1/0308 ,  H04N1/1933 ,  H04N1/1934 ,  H04N5/3692

摘要： A solid state imaging system has at least one CMOS imager with first and second series of pixels in which the pixels of one series are offset, i.e., staggered, in respect to the pixels of the other series. Multiple imagers can be arrayed end to end, with jumper wires connecting the pixel output conductors or each so that the pixels feed into a common output amplifier for each series, to minimize chip to chip offset voltages. The pixels may be diagonally offset from one another, and a color imager can be constructed in which color ribbon filters are arranged diagonally across the imaging area. This arrangment minimizes color cross talk.

摘要翻译： 固态成像系统具有至少一个具有第一和第二系列像素的CMOS成像器，其中一系列的像素相对于另一系列的像素偏移，即交错。 多个成像器可以端对端排列，跨接线连接像素输出导体或每个像素，以便像素馈送到每个系列的公共输出放大器，以最小化芯片到芯片的偏移电压。 像素可以彼此对角地偏移，并且可以构造彩色成像器，其中色带滤光器对角地布置在成像区域上。 这种布置使颜色串扰最小化。

公开(公告)号：US20060157644A1

公开(公告)日：2006-07-20

申请号：US11356199

申请日：2006-02-17

申请人： Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Ketan Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen

发明人： Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Ketan Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen

IPC分类号： H01L27/00

CPC分类号： H01L27/14603 ,  H01L27/14609 ,  H01L27/14621 ,  H01L27/14625 ,  H01L27/14643 ,  H01L27/14645 ,  H04N1/03 ,  H04N1/0308 ,  H04N1/1933 ,  H04N1/1934 ,  H04N5/3692

摘要： A solid state imaging system has at least one CMOS imager with first and second series of pixels in which the pixels of one series are offset, i.e., staggered, in respect to the pixels of the other series. Multiple imagers can be arrayed end to end, with jumper wires connecting the pixel output conductors or each so that the pixels feed into a common output amplifier for each series, to minimize chip to chip offset voltages. The pixels may be diagonally offset from one another, and a color imager can be constructed in which color ribbon filters are arranged diagonally across the imaging area. This arrangment minimizes color cross talk.

公开(公告)号：US20060202107A1

公开(公告)日：2006-09-14

申请号：US11434666

申请日：2006-05-16

申请人： Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Ketan Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen

发明人： Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Ketan Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen

IPC分类号： H01L27/00

CPC分类号： H01L27/14603 ,  H01L27/14609 ,  H01L27/14621 ,  H01L27/14625 ,  H01L27/14643 ,  H01L27/14645 ,  H04N1/03 ,  H04N1/0308 ,  H04N1/1933 ,  H04N1/1934 ,  H04N5/3692

摘要： A solid state imaging system has at least one CMOS imager with first and second series of pixels in which the pixels of one series are offset, i.e., staggered, in respect to the pixels of the other series. Multiple imagers can be arrayed end to end, with jumper wires connecting the pixel output conductors or each so that the pixels feed into a common output amplifier for each series, to minimize chip to chip offset voltages. The pixels may be diagonally offset from one another, and a color imager can be constructed in which color ribbon filters are arranged diagonally across the imaging area. This arrangement minimizes color cross talk.

摘要翻译： 固态成像系统具有至少一个具有第一和第二系列像素的CMOS成像器，其中一系列的像素相对于另一系列的像素偏移，即交错。 多个成像器可以端对端排列，跨接线连接像素输出导体或每个像素，以便像素馈送到每个系列的公共输出放大器，以最小化芯片到芯片的偏移电压。 像素可以彼此对角地偏移，并且可以构造彩色成像器，其中色带滤光器对角地布置在成像区域上。 这种布置使颜色串扰最小化。

公开(公告)号：US20060012696A1

公开(公告)日：2006-01-19

申请号：US11230385

申请日：2005-09-20

申请人： Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Ketan Karia ,  Thomas Poonnen

发明人： Jeffrey Zarnowski ,  Ketan Karia ,  Thomas Poonnen

IPC分类号： H04N3/14

CPC分类号： H04N5/335 ,  H03M1/1019 ,  H03M1/123 ,  H03M1/1235 ,  H03M1/56 ,  H04N5/3742 ,  H04N5/37455 ,  H04N5/3765 ,  H04N5/378

摘要： A solid state imager converts analog pixel values to digital form on an arrayed per-column basis. An N-bit counter supplies an N-bit DAC to produce an analog ramp output with a level that varies corresponding to the contents of the counter. A ripple counter or equivalent is associated with each respective column. A clock supplies clock signals to the counter elements. A comparator in each column gates the counter element when the analog ramp equals the pixel value for that column. The contents of the counters are transferred sequentially to a video output bus to produce the digital video signal. Additional black-level readout counter elements can create and store a digital value that corresponds to a dark or black video level. A subtraction element subtracts the black level value from the pixel value to reduce fixed pattern noise. An additional array of buffer counter/latches can be employed. The ripple counters can be configured as counters to capture the digital video level, and then as shift registers to clock out the video levels to an output bus. The clock pulses for the DAC counter and for the ripple counters can be at the same or different rates.

公开(公告)号：US07554067B2

公开(公告)日：2009-06-30

申请号：US11589357

申请日：2006-10-30

申请人： Jeffrey J. Zarnowski ,  Ketan V. Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen ,  Li Liu

发明人： Jeffrey J. Zarnowski ,  Ketan V. Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen ,  Li Liu

IPC分类号： H01L27/00 ,  H04N3/14

CPC分类号： H04N5/2254 ,  H01L27/14603 ,  H01L27/14621 ,  H01L27/14627 ,  H04N1/1911 ,  H04N1/1917 ,  H04N5/3692 ,  H04N9/045 ,  H04N2201/0081

摘要： A solid state imaging system has at least one CMOS imager with first and second series of pixels in which the pixels of one series are offset, i.e., staggered, in respect to the pixels of the other series. Multiple imagers can be arrayed end to end, with jumper wires connecting the pixel output conductors or each so that the pixels feed into a common output amplifier for each series, to minimize chip to chip offset voltages. The pixels may be diagonally offset from one another, and a color imager can be constructed in which color ribbon filters are arranged diagonally across the imaging area. This arrangement minimizes color cross talk. An array of microlenses is situated with each microlens covering a plurality of the pixels. The different pixels under each microlens can be aligned along a diagonal. The different pixels under the same microlens can have different integration times, to increase the dynamic range of the imager(s).

摘要翻译： 固态成像系统具有至少一个具有第一和第二系列像素的CMOS成像器，其中一系列的像素相对于另一系列的像素偏移，即交错。 多个成像器可以端对端排列，跨接线连接像素输出导体或每个像素，以便像素馈送到每个系列的公共输出放大器，以最小化芯片到芯片的偏移电压。 像素可以彼此对角地偏移，并且可以构造彩色成像器，其中色带滤光器对角地布置在成像区域上。 这种布置使颜色串扰最小化。 位于微透镜阵列中，每个微透镜覆盖多个像素。 每个微透镜下的不同像素可以沿对角线对齐。 相同微透镜下的不同像素可以具有不同的积分时间，以增加成像器的动态范围。

公开(公告)号：US08169517B2

公开(公告)日：2012-05-01

申请号：US11974813

申请日：2007-10-16

申请人： Thomas Poonnen ,  Jeffrey J. Zarnowski ,  Li Liu ,  Michael Joyner ,  Ketan V. Karia

发明人： Thomas Poonnen ,  Jeffrey J. Zarnowski ,  Li Liu ,  Michael Joyner ,  Ketan V. Karia

IPC分类号： H04N5/335 ,  H04N3/14

CPC分类号： H03M1/123 ,  H03M1/1019 ,  H03M1/1235 ,  H03M1/56 ,  H04N5/335 ,  H04N5/3575 ,  H04N5/3742 ,  H04N5/37455 ,  H04N5/3765 ,  H04N5/378

摘要： A solid state imager converts analog pixel values to digital form on an arrayed per-column basis. An N-bit counter supplies an N-bit DAC to produce an analog ramp output with a level that varies corresponding to the contents of the counter. A latch/counter or equivalent is associated with each respective column. A clock supplies clock signal(s) to the counter elements. When the analog ramp equals the pixel value for that column, the latch/counter latches the value. The black level can be pre-set in the latch/counter or can be subtracted separately to reduce fixed pattern noise. The pixels can be oversampled for some number of times, e.g., n=16, to reduce the thermal noise of the sensors. Also, two or more pixels sharing a common sense node may be binned together, and two (or more) pixels having different integration times may be combined to obtain an output signal with enhanced dynamic range.

摘要翻译： 固态成像器将阵列每列的模拟像素值转换为数字形式。 N位计数器提供N位DAC以产生具有与计数器内容相对应的电平的模拟斜坡输出。 锁存/计数器或等效物与每个相应的列相关联。 时钟向计数器元件提供时钟信号。 当模拟斜坡等于该列的像素值时，锁存器/计数器锁存该值。 黑色电平可以在锁存/计数器中预先设置，也可以单独减去，以减少固定模式噪声。 像素可以被过采样若干次，例如n = 16，以减少传感器的热噪声。 此外，共享共同感测节点的两个或更多个像素可以被合并在一起，并且可以组合具有不同积分时间的两个（或更多个）像素以获得具有增强的动态范围的输出信号。

公开(公告)号：US07122778B2

公开(公告)日：2006-10-17

申请号：US11356199

申请日：2006-02-17

申请人： Jeffrey J. Zarnowski ,  Ketan V. Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen

发明人： Jeffrey J. Zarnowski ,  Ketan V. Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen

IPC分类号： H01L27/00 ,  H04N3/14

CPC分类号： H01L27/14603 ,  H01L27/14609 ,  H01L27/14621 ,  H01L27/14625 ,  H01L27/14643 ,  H01L27/14645 ,  H04N1/03 ,  H04N1/0308 ,  H04N1/1933 ,  H04N1/1934 ,  H04N5/3692

摘要： A solid state imaging system has at least one CMOS imager with first and second series of pixels in which the pixels of one series are offset, i.e., staggered, in respect to the pixels of the other series. Multiple imagers can be arrayed end to end, with jumper wires connecting the pixel output conductors or each so that the pixels feed into a common output amplifier for each series, to minimize chip to chip offset voltages. The pixels may be diagonally offset from one another, and a color imager can be constructed in which color ribbon filters are arranged diagonally across the imaging area. This arrangment minimizes color cross talk.

摘要翻译： 固态成像系统具有至少一个具有第一和第二系列像素的CMOS成像器，其中一系列的像素相对于另一系列的像素偏移，即交错。 多个成像器可以端对端排列，跨接线连接像素输出导体或每个像素，以便像素馈送到每个系列的公共输出放大器，以最小化芯片到芯片的偏移电压。 像素可以彼此对角地偏移，并且可以构造彩色成像器，其中色带滤光器对角地布置在成像区域上。 这种布置使颜色串扰最小化。

公开(公告)号：US07129461B2

公开(公告)日：2006-10-31

申请号：US11434666

申请日：2006-05-16

申请人： Jeffrey J. Zarnowski ,  Ketan V. Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen

发明人： Jeffrey J. Zarnowski ,  Ketan V. Karia ,  Michael Joyner ,  Thomas Poonnen

IPC分类号： H01L27/00 ,  H04N3/14

CPC分类号： H01L27/14603 ,  H01L27/14609 ,  H01L27/14621 ,  H01L27/14625 ,  H01L27/14643 ,  H01L27/14645 ,  H04N1/03 ,  H04N1/0308 ,  H04N1/1933 ,  H04N1/1934 ,  H04N5/3692

摘要： A solid state imaging system has at least one CMOS imager with first and second series of pixels in which the pixels of one series are offset, i.e., staggered, in respect to the pixels of the other series. Multiple imagers can be arrayed end to end, with jumper wires connecting the pixel output conductors or each so that the pixels feed into a common output amplifier for each series, to minimize chip to chip offset voltages. The pixels may be diagonally offset from one another, and a color imager can be constructed in which color ribbon filters are arranged diagonally across the imaging area. This arrangement minimizes color cross talk.

摘要翻译： 固态成像系统具有至少一个具有第一和第二系列像素的CMOS成像器，其中一系列的像素相对于另一系列的像素偏移，即交错。 多个成像器可以端对端排列，跨接线连接像素输出导体或每个像素，以便像素馈送到每个系列的公共输出放大器，以最小化芯片到芯片的偏移电压。 像素可以彼此对角地偏移，并且可以构造彩色成像器，其中色带滤光器对角地布置在成像区域上。 这种布置使颜色串扰最小化。