Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110292261 | ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER AND DEVICES INCLUDING THE SAME - An analog-to-digital converter including a comparator configured to compare a pixel signal received at a first input terminal of the comparator with a ramp signal received at a second input terminal of the comparator and generate a comparison signal as a result of the comparison; and a ramp signal supply circuit configured to provide the ramp signal to the comparator, wherein the ramp signal supply circuit generates a first signal as part of the ramp signal in response to the comparison signal and a first clock signal being received at the ramp signal supply circuit, wherein a slope of the first signal sequentially changes until the comparison signal makes a transition from one logic level to another and, after the transition, the ramp signal supply circuit generates a second signal as part of the ramp signal, wherein a slope of the second signal sequentially changes, wherein the slope of the second signal is opposite the slope of the first signal. | 12-01-2011 |
20120007653 | DATA TRANSMISSION DEVICE AND IMAGE SENSOR SYSTEM USING THE SAME - A data transmission device includes a control unit and a delay chain unit. The control unit outputs a first control signal through an nth control signal, where n is a natural number. The delay chain unit includes a first switching element through an nth switching element. The switching elements receive a first data signal through an nth data signal and perform pipelining operations on the first through nth data signals based upon the first through nth control signals, respectively, to output the pipelined data signals as at least one data stream. The switching elements are connected to each other to form at least one data delay chain. | 01-12-2012 |
20120033097 | COUNTER CIRCUIT, ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER (ADC) INCLUDING A COUNTER CIRCUIT, IMAGE SENSOR INCLUDING COUNTER CIRCUIT AND/OR ADC, SYSTEMS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, AND METHOD ASSOCIATED THEREWITH - In one embodiment, the counter circuit is associated with a pixel array and includes a plurality of counting circuits. Each counting circuit is configured to receive an associated input signal, and each input signal is associated with a different column of the pixel array. A first of the plurality of counting circuits is configured to count based on the associated input signal. Each subsequent counting circuit in the plurality of counting circuits is configured to count based on a difference between the associated input signal and the input signal associated with a preceding counting circuit. | 02-09-2012 |
20120097840 | ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER AND IMAGE SENSOR INCLUDING SAME - An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) within an image sensor includes a comparator comparing a ramp signal with an image signal, and a counter generating a count result in response to the comparison by counting a clock during a counting interval. The ADC determines whether a first counting interval for the counter is less than a reference interval, and if the first counting interval is less than the reference interval the counting interval is a first counting interval, else the counting interval is a second counting interval. | 04-26-2012 |
20120113286 | Analog to Digital Converters, Image Sensor Systems, and Methods of Operating the Same - An analog to digital converter (ADC) can include a multi-input comparison unit configured to compare a pixel voltage from an image sensor, a comparison voltage comprising a stepped voltage modified during a coarse mode of operation, and a ramp voltage comprising a ramped voltage modified to one another during a fine mode of operation, to provide a comparison result signal that indicates whether the comparison voltage combined with the ramp voltage is greater than or less than the pixel voltage. A selection control signal generation unit can receive the comparison result signal and a mode control signal, to indicate the coarse or fine mode, to provide a selection control signal allowing modification of the comparison voltage in the coarse mode and to hold the comparison voltage constant in the fine mode. A reference voltage selection unit can receive the selection control signal to control modification of the comparison voltage. | 05-10-2012 |
20120140089 | IMAGE SENSOR AND CAMERA SYSTEM HAVING THE SAME - An image sensor includes a reference voltage generation unit that generates a reference voltage that alternately decreases and increases at a constant rate in an operation mode of the image sensor to convert analog signals of detected incident light to a digital value using the reference voltage to determine an intensity of the incident light with high sensitivity and high signal-to-noise ratio. | 06-07-2012 |
20130009800 | DUAL-MODE COMPARATOR AND ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERTER HAVING THE SAME - A dual-mode comparator may include an object voltage input unit that generates a first current flowing through a first path and a second current flowing through a second path based on a first object voltage and a second object voltage, a current mirror unit that performs a current-mirror operation for the first path and the second path to output a comparison voltage at an output terminal, a bias unit that generates a bias current corresponding to a sum of the first current and the second current, and a mode switching unit that controls the current mirror unit to have a first structure in an auto-zero mode and that controls the current mirror unit to have a second structure in a comparison mode. | 01-10-2013 |
20130141619 | IMAGE SENSORS AND IMAGE PROCESSING DEVICES INCLUDING THE SAME - An image sensor may include a photodiode configured to convert an optical signal into photogenerated charge, a sensing node adjacent to the photodiode and configured to sense the photogenerated charge, a read-out circuit configured to convert the photogenerated charge into an electrical signal and to output the electrical signal through an output line, and/or at least one capacitor formed between the sensing node and a conversion gain control line. The conversion gain control line corresponding to the at least one capacitor may be selectively connected to a ground line or the output line based on at least one control signal. | 06-06-2013 |
20140145067 | IMAGE SENSOR AND SYSTEM INCLUDING THE SAME - An image sensor includes a first column pair and a second column pair among a plurality of columns of a pixel array, an analog-to-digital converter pair, and a switch arrangement circuit configured to connect the first column pair with the analog-to-digital converter pair in response to first switch control signals such that two rows among a plurality of rows in the pixel array are read during a single access time. | 05-29-2014 |
20140240569 | IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor includes a pixel array including at least one active pixel and at least one line-optical black (L-OB) pixel arranged in a matrix including first to n | 08-28-2014 |