Power delivery scheme to enhance image quality
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsHimesh Patel, Khwaja Haris Jan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power delivery scheme for an image sensor on a camera is described. The image sensor may include multiple connections to pixels on a perimeter of the image sensor outside the light detection area of the image sensor. Power and ground to the image sensor may be provided through a common plane positioned near the image sensor. The power delivery scheme may include routing power and ground from the common plane individually to the multiple connections on the image sensor. In some instances, the individual routings from the common plane pass through a local routing plane of the image sensor. Utilization of individual routings to the common plane allows impedance matching and impedance balance between the various connections to the image sensor.
Claims16
An apparatus, comprising:
- at least one power supply;
- a common plane electrically connected to the at least one power supply;
- and
- an image sensor, the image sensor including:
- a plurality of pixels;
- a plurality of connection points electrically connected to the pixels in the image sensor, wherein each of the connection points is coupled to the common plane via a corresponding pair of routings, the corresponding pairs of routings including a power signal routing and a ground signal routing;
- and
- a charge pump voltage regulator, wherein the charge pump voltage regulator is electrically connected to the at least one power supply via a power signal routing bypassing the common plane, and wherein a capacitor is coupled to the power signal routing at the common plane.
A camera assembly, comprising:
- one or more lenses to propagate light through the camera assembly;
- at least one power supply;
- a common plane electrically connected to the at least one power supply;
- and
- an image sensor configured to receive light propagating through the one or more lenses, the image sensor including:
- a plurality of pixels;
- a plurality of connection points electrically connected to the pixels in the image sensor, wherein each of the connection points is coupled to the common plane via a corresponding pair of routings, the corresponding pairs of routings including a power signal routing and a ground signal routing;
- a plurality of analog to digital converters (ADCs), wherein each of the ADCs is electrically connected to the common plane via a corresponding pair of ADC routings, the corresponding pairs of ADC routings including ADC power signal routings and ADC ground signal routings;
- and
- at least one ADC noise sensing circuit, wherein the at least one ADC noise sensing circuit is electrically connected to the common plane via an additional pair of routings, the additional pair of routings including an additional power signal routing and an additional ground signal routing, and wherein the additional ground signal routing is electrically connected to at least one of the ADC ground signal routings in the common plane.
A method, comprising:
- providing, from at least one power supply, an output voltage and a ground for an image sensor to a common plane associated with the image sensor;
- providing the output voltage from the common plane to a plurality of pixels located on the image sensor, wherein the output voltage is provided from the common plane to a plurality of connection points on the image sensor via individual power signal routings connected between the common plane and each of the connection points, wherein impedances of the power signal routings between the connection points and the common plane have an average percentage difference between the impedances of at most 10%;
- and
- providing the ground from the common plane to the plurality of pixels located on the image sensor, wherein the ground is provided from the common plane to the plurality of connection points on the image sensor via individual ground signal routings connected between the common plane and each of the connection points, wherein impedances of the ground signal routings between the connection points and the common plane have an average percentage difference between the impedances of at most 10%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.