EP0940976A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Single-chip color CMOS image sensor with two or more line reading structure
Assignee: Omnivision Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1998-09-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-09-15
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is directed to a single-chip color CMOS image sensor with a novel two or more line reading structure which is compatible with MOS fabrication technology. The invention allows the simultaneous reading of line signals from two rows of pixels so that combinations of signals from pixels in different rows may be obtained without the use of an external delay line device. The sensor includes a pixel array having superimposed thereon a color filter pattern and a two or more line reading structure. The reading structure includes sets of storage capacitors on which the pixel signals are stored, and a means for reading the signals from the capacitors in such a way that signals from pixels in different rows may be combined. The reading structure is external to the pixel array but may still be fabricated on the same CMOS chip as the pixel array. By using a high-sensitivity interlace color structure that allows complementary sets of every other row to be read during alternating even and odd fields, the sensitivity of the device as a whole can be effectively doubled.
Inventors
- 👤 Datong Chen
- 👤 Tai-Ching Shyu
- 👤 Xinping He
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:26
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K7/00; G06K7/10; G06K7/10544; G06K7/10821; G06K7/10841; H; H04; H04N; H04N25/00; H04N25/70; H04N25/76; H04N25/767; H04N25/779; H04N25/7795; H04N25/78
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for reading adjacent rows of a single-chip color MOS image
sensor having a pixel array of a plurality of individual pixels organized as a plurality of
rows and columns, said method comprising the steps of: (a) storing the signal from each individual pixel of a first row of
the pixel array on at least one memory cell associated with each said individual pixel
of said first row, said at least one memory cell being external to said pixels but
fabricated on the same MOS chip as the pixels; (b) storing the signal from each individual pixel of a second row on
at least one memory cell associated with each of said individual pixels of said second
row, said at least one memory cell being external to said pixels but fabricated on the
same MOS chip as the pixels; (c) reading out the signals from two pixels, one from said first row
and one from said second row, by selectively reading at least one of each of said
memory cells on which each of the pixel signals was stored.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of Claim 1, wherein the referenced first and second rows
of the pixel array are adjacent to one another and the referenced first and second rows
are followed by a third row.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of Claim 2, wherein the signals from the pixels of the first
and second rows are simultaneously read out during an even field and the signals from
the pixels of the second and third rows are simultaneously read out during an odd
field.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of Claim 1, wherein said memory cells are formed from
capacitors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
260 words
A single-chip color MOS image sensor comprising: a pixel array formed from a plurality of individual pixels organized as rows and
columns; and a reading structure having at least two output lines and connected to said pixel
array for simultaneously reading pixels from two rows of said pixel array, said reading
structure comprising: (a) a first set of storage capacitors, said first set of storage
capacitors having at least one capacitor associated with each column of said pixel
array; (b) a first set of switches for selectively placing signals from a first
row of said pixel array on said first set of storage capacitors at an initial time, the
signal from each individual pixel of said first row being stored on said at least one
storage capacitor from said first set of storage capacitors associated with the column
of said individual pixel at said initial time, the first set of switches also selectively
placing signals from a third row of said pixel array on said first set of storage
capacitors at a later time; (c) a second set of storage capacitors, said second set of storage
capacitors having at least one capacitor associated with each column of said pixel
array; and (d) a second set of switches for selectively placing signals from a
second row of said pixel array on said second set of storage capacitors, the signal
from each individual pixel of said second row being stored on said at least one storage
capacitor from said second set of storage capacitors associated with the column of
said individual pixel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image sensor of Claim 5, wherein at least two of the line signals
on said output lines at specified times simultaneously contain signals from pixels of
adjacent rows and of the same column.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
90 words
The image sensor of Claim 6, wherein said simultaneous line signals on
said output lines are placed alternately with another set of simultaneous line signals on
a second set of output lines and wherein said rows of the pixel array are divided into
first and second-row groups, said first-row group and said second-row group
interlacing in an alternating fashion to form said array, and a color filter pattern
comprising alternating first and third color filters on said first-row group and
alternating second and fourth color filters on said second-row group.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The structure of Claim 5, further including a third set of switches for
selectively reading out said signals from said first and second set of storage capacitors
onto a set of output lines as line signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The image sensor of Claim 5, wherein the referenced first and second
rows of the pixel array are adjacent to one another and wherein the referenced first
and second rows are followed by a third row.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The image sensor of Claim 9, wherein the signals from the pixels of
said first and second rows are simultaneously read out during an even field and the
signals from the pixels of said second and third rows are simultaneously read out
during an odd field.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
323 words
A single-chip color MOS image sensor comprising: a pixel array formed from a plurality of individual pixels organized as rows and
columns; and a reading structure having at least two output lines and connected to said pixel
array for simultaneously reading pixels from two rows of said pixel array, said reading
structure comprising: (a) a first set of storage capacitors, said first set of storage
capacitors having at least two capacitors associated with each column of said pixel
array; (b) a first set of switches for selectively placing signals from a first
row of said pixel array on said first set of storage capacitors, the signal from each
individual pixel of said first row being stored on said at least two storage capacitors
from said first set of storage capacitors associated with the column of said individual
pixel; (c) a second set of storage capacitors, said second set of storage
capacitors having at least two capacitors associated with each column of said pixel
array; (d) a second set of switches for selectively placing signals from a
second row of said pixel array on said second set of storage capacitors, the signal
from each individual pixel of said second row being stored on said at least two storage
capacitors from said second set of storage capacitors associated with the column of
said individual pixel; (e) a third set of switches for simultaneously reading out the
signals from first and third capacitors on which the signals from first and second pixels
were stored, respectively, the first capacitor being from the first set of storage
capacitors and the third capacitor being from the second set of storage capacitors; and (f) a fourth set of switches for simultaneously reading out the
signals from second and fourth capacitors, the second capacitor and the first capacitor
being the two storage capacitors from the first set of storage capacitors on which the
signal from the individual first pixel was stored.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
The image sensor of Claim 11, wherein at least two of the line signals
on said output lines at specified times simultaneously contain signals from pixels of
adjacent rows and of the same column and wherein said simultaneous line signals on
said output lines are placed alternately with another set of simultaneous line signals on
a second set of output lines.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The image sensor of Claim 11, wherein the referenced first and second
rows are separated from one another by a third row.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
55 words
The image sensor of Claim 13, wherein the second row separates the
third row from a fourth row, the signals from the pixels of said first and second rows
being read out during an even field and the signals from the pixels of said third and
fourth rows being read out during an odd field.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
162 words
A method for reading adjacent rows of a color image sensor having a
pixel array of a plurality of individual pixels organized as a plurality of rows and
columns, said method comprising the steps of: (a) storing the signal from each individual pixel of a first row of
the pixel array on at least one memory cell associated with each said individual pixel
of said first row, said at least one memory cell being external to said pixels; (b) storing the signal from each individual pixel of an adjacent row
to said first row on at least one memory cell associated with each said individual pixel
of said adjacent row, said at least one memory cell being external to said pixels; (c) reading out the signals from two adjacent pixels, one from said
first row and one from said adjacent row, by selectively reading at least one of each of
said memory cells on which each of the pixel signals was stored.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of Claim 15 wherein said memory cells are formed from
capacitors.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
180 words
A MOS image sensor comprising: a pixel array organized into rows and columns; and a reading structure external to said pixel array and coupled to said pixel array
for reading out rows of said pixel array, the reading structure comprising: (a) a reading array, said reading array including a plurality of
memory cells organized as rows and columns, said reading array having
approximately the same number of columns as said pixel array and also having at least
two rows, and (b) a plurality of switches, the plurality of switches coupling a first
row of said pixel array to a first row of said reading array so that the pixel signals
from said first row of said pixel array are stored on the memory cells of said first row
of said reading array, the plurality of switches also coupling a second row of said pixel
array to a second row of said reading array so that the pixel signals from said second
row of said pixel array are stored on the memory cells of said second row of said
reading array.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The circuit of Claim 17, wherein said memory cells are formed from
capacitors.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The circuit of Claim 17, wherein said first and second rows from said
pixel array are adjacent to one another.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The circuit of Claim 17, further comprising an output means coupled
to said reading array, said output means reading out signals from said reading array,
said output means simultaneously reading out signals from pixels that are adjacent to
one another in different rows.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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