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US 2009/0021627 A1Published application
High dynamic range cascaded integration pixel cell and method of operation
AssigneeAptina Imaging Corporation
InventorEric R. Fossum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cascaded imaging storage system for a pixel is disclosed for improving intrascene dynamic range. Charges accumulated in a first capacitor spill over into a second capacitor when a charge storage capacity of the first capacitor is exceeded. A third capacitor may also be provided such that charges accumulated by said second capacitor spill over into the third capacitor when the charge storage capacity of the second capacitor is exceeded.
Claims27
1-79. (canceled)
A semiconductor device comprising:
- a photo-conversion node;
- a first charge storage node configured to store charge generated by the photo-conversion node;
- and
- a second charge storage node configured to store charge generated by the photo-conversion node when the charge exceeds a limit.
1 more element
An imager, comprising:
- a photo-sensitive device;
- and
- a plurality of charge storage nodes coupled to the photo-sensitive device,
- wherein a first of the plurality of charge storage nodes is configured to store charge generated by the photo-sensitive device up to a threshold level and a second of the plurality of charge storage nodes is configured to store charge above the threshold level.
1 more element
A method for operating an imager, comprising:
- converting light into an electric charge;
- and
- storing the electric charge in a sequence of charge storage regions,
- wherein a subsequent charge storage region in the sequence of charge storage regions is configured to store a portion of the electric charge when the electric charge exceeds the combined storage capacity of the prior charge storage regions in the sequence of charge storage regions.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.