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US 6,786,411 B2Granted
Image sensor array readout for simplified image compression
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsZhiliang Julian Chen, Steven Derrick Clynes, Xiaochuan Guo, Anli Liu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The pixels of an image sensor array can be readout (84, 85) in m×n blocks (m, n) that are compatible with the operation of a desired image compression algorithm (14), thereby reducing the amount of memory required by the image compression algorithm.
Claims25
An image sensor array apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of rows of pixel circuits, each said row including a plurality of electrically separate segments having therein a plurality of said pixel circuits;
- a plurality of column lines for readout of image information sensed by said pixel circuits, said pixel circuits of each said row respectively coupled to said column lines;
- and
- a plurality of control circuits, each of said control circuits respectively being D.C. coupled to one of said segments of pixel circuits, each said control circuit for resetting the pixel circuits of the corresponding segment without resetting the pixel circuits of all of the remaining segments of the corresponding row.
1 more element
A method of controlling an image sensor array having a plurality of rows of pixel circuits and a plurality of column lines for readout of image information sensed by the pixel circuits, comprising:
- identifying within a row a plurality of electrically separate segments having therein a plurality of pixel circuits;
- and
- resetting the pixel circuits of a desired segment via D.C. coupled signals without reselling the pixel circuits of all of the remaining segments of the row.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.