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US 2006/0220941 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.
Claims20
1-75. (canceled)
An imaging device comprising:
- an array of pixels, said array outputting analog signals;
- and
- an analog-to-digital converter coupled to receive the analog signals from the array, said analog-to-digital converter comprising a ramp generator having multiple compressed operating modes, each compressed operating mode having a programmable break point, said ramp generator comprising means for organizing a plurality ramp unit cells into a first configuration based on a first operating mode and means for combing outputs of the ramp unit cells to form a ramp voltage output.
An imaging device comprising:
- an array of pixels, said array outputting analog signals;
- and
- an analog-to-digital converter coupled to receive the analog signals from the array, said analog-to-digital converter comprising a ramp generator comprising means for organizing a plurality ramp unit cells into a first configuration based on a first operating mode and means for combing 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.
A camera system comprising:
- an imaging device coupled to a processor, said imaging device comprising:
- an array of pixels, said array outputting analog signals;
- and
- an analog-to-digital converter coupled to receive the analog signals from the array, said analog-to-digital converter comprising a ramp generator comprising means for organizing a plurality ramp unit cells into a first configuration based on a first operating mode and means for combing 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
A camera system comprising:
- an imaging device coupled to a processor, said imaging device comprising:
- an array of pixels, said array outputting analog signals;
- and
- an analog-to-digital converter coupled to receive the analog signals from the array, said analog-to-digital converter comprising a ramp generator having multiple compressed operating modes, each compressed operating mode having a programmable break point, said ramp generator comprising means for organizing a plurality ramp unit cells into a first configuration based on a first operating mode and means for combing outputs of the ramp unit cells to form a ramp voltage output.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.