Pixel circuit selecting to output time difference data or image data
AssigneePixart Imaging Inc.
InventorsRen-Chieh LIU, Yi-Cheng CHIU
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is provided a pixel circuit capable of outputting time difference data or image data, and including a first temporal circuit and a second temporal circuit. The first temporal circuit is used to store detected light energy of a first interval and a second interval as the time difference data. The second temporal circuit is used to store detected light energy of the second interval as the image data. The pixel circuit is used to output a pulse width signal corresponding to the time difference data or the image data in different operating modes.
Claims21
A pixel circuit, comprising:
- a photodiode, configured to generate light energy;
- a first temporal circuit, comprising:
- a first capacitor having a first end coupled to the photodiode;
- a second temporal circuit, comprising:
- a second capacitor having a first end coupled to the photodiode;
- a first comparator, comprising:
- a first input transistor, arranged inside the first temporal circuit and connected to a second end of the first capacitor;
- and
- a second input transistor, arranged outside the first temporal circuit and shared with other pixel circuits;
- and
- a second comparator, comprising:
- a third input transistor, arranged inside the second temporal circuit and connected to a second end of the second capacitor;
- and
- a fourth input transistor, arranged outside the second temporal circuit and shared with the other pixel circuits.
A pixel circuit, comprising:
- a photodiode, configured to generate light energy;
- a first temporal circuit, comprising:
- a first capacitor having a first end coupled to the photodiode;
- and
- a second temporal circuit, comprising:
- a second capacitor having a first end coupled to the photodiode, wherein
- a second end of the first capacitor is coupled to an inverting input terminal of a first comparator, which is arranged outside the pixel circuit and shared by the first temporal circuit and other pixel circuits, and
- a second end of the second capacitor is coupled to an inverting input terminal of a second comparator, which is arranged outside the pixel circuit and shared by the second temporal circuit and the other pixel circuits.
A pixel circuit, comprising:
- a source follower;
- a first temporal circuit, comprising:
- a first capacitor having a first end coupled to the source follower;
- a second temporal circuit, comprising:
- a second capacitor having a first end coupled to the source follower, wherein
- a second end of the first capacitor is coupled to an inverting input terminal of a first comparator, which is arranged outside the pixel circuit and shared by the first temporal circuit and other pixel circuits, and
- a second end of the second capacitor is coupled to an inverting input terminal of a second comparator, which is arranged outside the pixel circuit and shared by the second temporal circuit and the other pixel circuits.
A pixel circuit, comprising:
- a photodiode, configured to generate first light energy within a first interval and second light energy within a second interval;
- a first temporal circuit, configured to be reset within the first interval, and sequentially receive the first light energy and the second light energy within the second interval;
- and
- a second temporal circuit, configured to be reset within the second interval, and receive the second light energy without receiving the first light energy after the resetting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.