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US 2006/0125673 A1Published application
Ramp generators for imager analog-to-digital converters
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorYan Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An imager with an analog-to-digital converter having at least one ramp generator that precisely and efficiently produces the desired ramp voltages required by the analog-to-digital converter. The analog-to-digital converter can use differential or two ramp generators. The analog-to-digital converter can also use ramp generators operated in linear or compressed ramp modes.
Claims75
An analog-to-digital converter comprising:
- a ramp generator having a differential ramp voltage output;
- a comparison circuit connected to receive the differential ramp voltage output, said comparison circuit inputting first and second analog signals and generating a comparison signal when the input signals match the differential ramp voltage output;
- and
- a latching circuit coupled to the comparison signal, said latching circuit latching a digital code corresponding to a difference between the input first and second analog signals when the comparison signal indicates that the input signals match the differential ramp voltage output.
1 more element
An analog-to-digital converter comprising:
- a multimode ramp generator having a multimode ramp voltage output;
- a comparison circuit connected to receive the multimode ramp voltage output, said comparison circuit inputting an analog signal and generating a comparison signal when the input signal matches the multimode ramp voltage output;
- and
- a latching circuit coupled to the comparison signal, said latching circuit latching a digital code corresponding to the input analog signal.
1 more element
An imaging device comprising:
- an array of pixels, said array outputting analog signals;
- and
- an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the array, said analog-to-digital converter comprising:
- a ramp generator having a differential ramp voltage output,
- a comparison circuit connected to receive the differential ramp voltage output, said comparison circuit inputting first and second analog signals and generating a comparison signal when the input signals match the differential ramp voltage output, and
- a latching circuit coupled to the comparison signal, said latching circuit latching a digital code corresponding to a difference between the input first and second analog signals when the comparison signal indicates that the input signals match the differential ramp voltage output.
3 more elements
An imaging device comprising:
- an array of pixels, said array outputting analog signals;
- and
- an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the array, said analog-to-digital converter comprising:
- a multimode ramp generator having a multimode ramp voltage output,
- a comparison circuit connected to receive the multimode ramp voltage output, said comparison circuit inputting an analog signal and generating a comparison signal when the input signal matches the multimode ramp voltage output, and
- a latching circuit coupled to the comparison signal, said latching circuit latching a digital code corresponding to the input analog signal.
3 more elements
A processor system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- an imaging device coupled to said process and comprising an array of pixels and an analog-to-digital converter coupled to said array, said array outputting analog signals, said analog-to-digital converter comprising:
- a ramp generator having a differential ramp voltage output,
- a comparison circuit connected to receive the differential ramp voltage output, said comparison circuit inputting first and second analog signals and generating a comparison signal when the input signals match the differential ramp voltage output, and
- a latching circuit coupled to the comparison signal, said latching circuit latching a digital code corresponding to a difference between the input first and second analog signals when the comparison signal indicates that the input signals match the differential ramp voltage output.
3 more elements
A processor system comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- an imaging device coupled to said processor and comprising an array of pixels and an analog-to-digital converter coupled to said array, said array outputting analog signals, said analog-to-digital converter comprising:
- a multimode ramp generator having a multimode ramp voltage output,
- a comparison circuit connected to receive the multimode ramp voltage output, said comparison circuit inputting an analog signal and generating a comparison signal when the input signal matches the multimode ramp voltage output, and
- a latching circuit coupled to the comparison signal, said latching circuit latching a digital code corresponding to the input analog signal.
3 more elements
A method of operating a ramp generator to be used with an analog-to-digital converter, said method comprising:
- organizing a plurality ramp unit cells into a first configuration based on a first operating mode;
- and
- combing the outputs of the ramp unit cells to form a ramp voltage output,
- wherein the ramp generator has multiple compressed operating modes, each compressed operating mode has a programmable break point.
1 more element
A method of operating a ramp generator to be used with an analog-to-digital converter, said method comprising:
- organizing a plurality ramp unit cells into a first configuration based on a first operating mode;
- and
- combing the outputs of the ramp unit cells to form a ramp voltage output,
- wherein the cells are organized into a plurality of rows, half of said rows are arranged in a first direction and half of said rows are arranged in a second direction.
1 more element
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.