Pixel drive voltage generation using a charge pump
Assigneeams Sensors Belgium BVBA
InventorsGuy Meynants, Koen Ruythooren, Pieter De Wit
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Abstract
An image sensor comprises an array comprising rows and columns of pixels, a first number N of connection lines connected to a first number N of pixels of the array, a voltage regulating circuit having an output, a first terminal, and a driver circuit. The driver circuit has a first number N of switches coupled to the first number N of connection lines and to the output of the voltage regulating circuit, and a first number N of further switches coupled to the first number N of connection lines and to the first terminal. The first number N is at least two.
Claims20
An image sensor, comprising:
- an array comprising rows and columns of pixels,
- a first number N of connection lines connected to a first number N of pixels of the array,
- a voltage regulating circuit having an output,
- a first terminal, and
- a driver circuit having a first number N of switches coupled to the first number N of connection lines and to the output of the voltage regulating circuit, and a first number N of further switches coupled to the first number N of connection lines and to the first terminal,
- wherein the first number N is at least two.
A method for providing a voltage, comprising
- providing an output voltage by a voltage regulating circuit that is coupled via a first number N of switches of a driver circuit to a first number N of connection lines, and
- providing a first terminal voltage at a first terminal that is coupled via a first number N of further switches of the driver circuit to the first number N of connection lines,
- wherein an image sensor comprises an array having rows and columns of pixels and the first number N of connection lines are connected to a first number N of pixels of the array.
The method of 17,
- wherein the voltage regulating circuit comprises a charge pump with an output that is connected to an output of the voltage regulating circuit, and
- wherein the first terminal is coupled to a supply terminal at which a supply voltage is tapped.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.