Television – Camera – system and detail – Solid-state image sensor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-06
2001-11-06
Ho, Tuan (Department: 2612)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Solid-state image sensor
C348S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06313876
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL SCOPE
The present invention relates to a device for the input and processing image information comprising sensor elements arranged in matrix form which are integrally formed on a substrate. Each sensor element comprises output electronics and a photovoltaic cell, which is adapted to convert an optical signal, incident upon the photovoltaic cell, into an electrical signal.
PRIOR ART
Two-dimensional image sensors, which take the form of integrated circuits, are used in image processing. Each two-dimensional image sensor comprises a number of sensor elements, for example 256×256 sensor elements, which must take up little surface area in order to facilitate design as an integrated circuit. Each sensor element comprises a detector part which converts an optical signal to an electrical signal suitable for further processing. In order to obtain a compact image sensor, it is important that the detector part take up as little space as possible, whilst at the same time it must naturally produce a reliable result.
A device for compensation of the image elements in a CCD camera, in which a CCD sensor delivers unamplified and uncompensated image element values to a common serial output, where amplification and compensation are performed centrally, is already known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,098. In certain applications, however, there may be a need for compensation and parallel output of the image in all image points, which problem is not solved by the said device.
A device which combines photovoltaic cell with output electronics in each sensor element is already known from the conference paper “Standard CMOS Active Pixel Image Sensors for Multimedia Applications” by A. Dickinson, B. Ackland, El-Sayed Eid, D. Inglis, and E. Fossum, which was presented at the “16th Conference in Advanced Research in VLSI” at Chapel Hill, N.C., on March 27-29. A disadvantage to this known device is that variations in the constituent electrical components give rise to so-called offset errors, which manifest themselves as a fixed pattern in the output image. The said offset errors are counteracted in columnar compensation electronics, which means that the image must be moved from the sensor element before offset compensation can be performed. In certain applications, for example where there is processor capacity in the sensor element, this transfer constitutes a disadvantage.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a device for the input and processing of image information, which reduces the occurrence of disturbances due to offset in an output image.
This object is achieved by a device according to the invention, which comprises sensor elements arranged in matrix form. Each sensor element in the device according to the invention is adapted so that compensation of an offset error in the output electronics forming part of the sensor element is performed in the sensor element. The said offset compensation is performed in each sensor element independently of other sensor elements in the device, in case different control signals are used for the various sensor elements.
With the design of sensor element according to the invention the offset compensation can be performed locally in the sensor elements using a relatively small number of components.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4400087 (1983-08-01), Nakayama
patent: 4683580 (1987-07-01), Matsunaga
patent: 4875098 (1989-10-01), Yamamoto
patent: 5086344 (1992-02-01), D'Luna et al.
patent: 5268764 (1993-12-01), Kihara et al.
patent: 5307145 (1994-04-01), Schenkel et al.
patent: 5576763 (1996-11-01), Ackland et al.
patent: 5631704 (1997-05-01), Dickinson et al.
patent: 5633679 (1997-05-01), Gowda et al.
patent: 5835141 (1998-11-01), Ackland et al.
patent: 6115066 (2000-09-01), Gowda et al.
patent: 0 022 524 (1981-01-01), None
Copy of PCT Application No. PCT/GB93/01356 filed Jun. 29, 1993.
Abstract of SE 8401912-4 for Sweden published Nov. 11, 1985.
IEEE, “Standard CMOS Active Pixel Imae Sensors for Multimedia Applications”, 1995, pp. 215-224.
Ho Tuan
IVP Integrated Vision Products AB Teknikringen
Merchant & Gould P.C.
LandOfFree
Sensor element array for reading and processing image... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sensor element array for reading and processing image..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sensor element array for reading and processing image... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2574176