Loading patent…
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorsGiampietro Tecchiolli, Alvise Sartori, Daniele Covi
Estimating the term…
Electronic selector device (100) for an electro-optical sensor provided with a plurality of light-sensitive elements, or pixels, (10) arranged in rows and columns so as to form a matrix (27). The device comprises decoders (60) implemented as for shift registers (55, 56, 57, 58) comprising memory cells (59). A first (55) and a second (56) of the shift registers identify any one whatsoever of the pixels (10) of the matrix (27). The function of the third (57) shift register is to vary the integration time of the light signal, and the function of the fourth (58) shirt register is to regulate the size of the image to be acquired. Each of the cells (59) is selectively enabled in a dynamically programmable way so as to modify the structure and the operation of the shift registers (55, 56, 57) according to input signals serially introduced into the fourth register (58) in order to select and read only a sub-frame of the total of the pixels (10) in the matrix (27).
Electronic selector device (100) for am electro-optical sensor provided with a plurality of light-sensitive elements, or pixels, (10) arranged in rows and columns so as to form at least a matrix (27), said device comprising a pilot element of said matrix (27) consisting of decoders (60) implemented as four shift registers (55, 56, 57, 58), each of said shift registers (55, 56, 57, 58) comprising memory cells (59), a first (55) and a second (56) of said shift registers being able to identify any one whatsoever of said light-sensitive elements (10) of said matrix (27), the function of a third (57) of said shift registers being to vary the integration time of the light signal, characterised in that said fourth register (58) is able to generate input signals in order to selectively enable, in a dynamically programmable way, each of said cells (59) of the other shift registers (55, 56, 57) so as to select and read only a sub-frame of the total of the pixels (10) in the matrix (27).
Device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterised in that each of said first (55), second (56) and third (57) shift registers has inlets and outlets in programmable positions, so as to be able to physically change the structure of the register, so as to contain desired and programmable sequences of binary signals, in order to pilot said matrixes (27) of light-sensitive elements (10).
Device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterised in that each of said first and second shift registers (55, 56) comprises chains of memory cells (59) in which a digital datum is able to be stored which is then propagated from one cell to another according to a timing set by a periodic signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
Backward citations are indexed for grants only.
By partially reading an SSIS array: by reading pixels from selected two-dimensional [2D] regions of the array, e.g. for windowing or digital zooming
Control of the SSIS exposure: control of the integration time
Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors: pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors: circuitry for scanning or addressing the pixel array
Term end not estimated
The present invention concerns an electronic selector device, of the mixed type with shift registers and combinatory decoders, applied to silicon electro-optical sensors used in CMOS technology, consisting of a pilot circuit and high flexibility interface, able to manage an optical sensor formed by a plurality of light-sensitive elements suitable to detect an incident light and to convert into a correlated electric signal.
The device according to the invention is used in various electronic devices for artificial vision, such as for example digital video cameras, intelligent optical sensors or other similar applications, and is particularly suitable for applications which require high definition images to be detected.
The state of the art includes optical sensors consisting of a plurality of light-sensitive elements, or pixels, able to detect light signals and to transmit them, in the form of electric signals, to a calculator which processes then and obtains images from them which it transmits to display devices the latter are then able to allow a user to see the images or information deriving therefrom.
These and other characteristics of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 shows the circuitry of a light-sensitive element according to the invention;
FIG. 2 shows the circuitry of an electro-optical sensor consisting of the light-sensitive elements in FIG. 1;
With reference to the attached drawings, a selector device 100 according to the invention comprises a pilot element consisting substantially of two decoders 60 implemented by four shift registers 55, 56, 57 and 58. The device 100 is able to manage an optical sensor formed by at least a matrix 27 of light-sensitive elements, or pixels, 10 suitable to detect an incident light and to convert it into a correlated electric signal.
The selector device 100 in this case is of the mixed type with shift registers and decoders, which can be used in silicon electro-optical sensors in CMOS technology.
Each pixel 10 (FIG. 1) is provided with an inversely polarized diode 11 associated with a regulation, amplification and reading circuit 20.