Back to results
US 2006/0077273 A1Published application
Low noise active pixel image sensor
OwnerHae-Seung Lee, Keith Fifeinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus to perform low noise reset of a pixel circuit within an active pixel image sensor.
Claims44
An apparatus, comprising:
- a pixel circuit to detect incident light and integrate an integration value;
- and
- an averaging module coupled to the pixel circuit to sample the integration value and generate a modified reset value from one or more sampled reset values.
A method, comprising:
- sampling an integration value from a pixel circuit, the integration value corresponding to a first frame;
- sampling one or more reset values from the pixel circuit, the one or more reset values corresponding to a subsequent frame;
- and
- generating a modified reset value from the one or more reset values.
1 more element
An apparatus, comprising:
- means for sampling an integration value and one or more reset values from a pixel circuit;
- and
- means for reducing a reset noise in the one or more reset values prior to generating a photo response value from the integration value and the one or more reset values.
A method, comprising:
- integrating and sampling an integration value on a pixel circuit in a first integration period;
- and
- repeatedly resetting the pixel circuit with a reset combination prior to a subsequent integration period, wherein the reset combination comprises a hard reset and a soft reset.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.