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US 2010/0140452 A1Published application
Dual Mode Source Follower for Low and High Sensitivity Applications
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsJohn L. Vampola, Bryan W. Kean
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In certain embodiments, a unit cell is provided. The unit cell may include a high sensitivity path and a low sensitivity path. The high sensitivity path may include a first transistor and a first switch. The first switch may couple an output node to the first transistor. The low sensitivity path may include a capacitor. A second switch may couple the high sensitivity path to the low sensitivity path. A third switch may couple the high sensitivity path and the low sensitivity path to a voltage node.
Claims22
A unit cell, comprising:
- a high sensitivity path comprising:
- a first transistor;
- and
- a first switch, the first switch coupled to an output node and the first transistor;
- a low sensitivity path comprising a capacitor;
- and
- wherein the high sensitivity path is coupled to the low sensitivity path using a second switch, the second switch is operable to isolate the low sensitivity path from the high sensitivity path, and the high sensitivity path and the low sensitivity path are coupled to a voltage node using a third switch.
4 more elements
A method for image capture, comprising:
- receiving an electrical charge in proportion to a detected light intensity;
- accumulating a first portion of the electrical charge at a node associated with a high sensitivity path;
- coupling the high sensitivity path to a low sensitivity path when the first portion of the electrical charge saturates the node;
- and
- accumulating a second portion of the electrical charge at a capacitor associated with the low sensitivity path.
2 more elements
A system for image capture, comprising:
- an image sensor operable to generate an electric charge in proportion to a detected light intensity;
- a unit cell coupled to the image sensor and operable to receive the electric charge, the unit cell comprising:
- a high sensitivity path comprising:
- a first transistor;
- a first switch, the first switch coupled to an output node and the first transistor;
- and
- a low sensitivity path comprising a capacitor;
- wherein the high sensitivity path is coupled to the low sensitivity path using a second switch, the second switch is operable to isolate the low sensitivity path from the high sensitivity path, and the high sensitivity path and the low sensitivity path are coupled to a voltage node using a third switch;
- and
- a signal processor coupled to the unit cell.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.