Image sensor and image capturing apparatus

US8963758B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-8963758-B2
Application numberUS-201313929282-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateJun 27, 2013
Priority dateJul 11, 2012
Publication dateFeb 24, 2015
Grant dateFeb 24, 2015

How to read this patent

A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.

  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

    Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.

Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

An image sensor includes a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a row direction and a column direction. An A/D conversion circuit, arranged for each column, which compares an input signal with a ramp signal that changes with temporal unidirectionality, and converts the input signal into digital data. The sensor includes an amplitude control unit configured to compare the pixel signal with a predefined reference voltage, and input, to the A/D conversion circuit, the pixel signal if the pixel signal has a voltage less than the reference voltage, or a signal obtained by reducing an amplitude of the pixel signal if the pixel signal has a voltage of not less than the reference voltage, and a data expansion unit configured to add a predetermined number of bits to an A/D-converted data.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1. An image sensor comprising: a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a row direction and a column direction; a reading out unit which reads out pixel signals from the pixels; an A/D conversion unit, arranged for each column, which includes an amplitude control unit configured to control amplitudes of the pixel signals in accordance with a signal level of the pixel signals, and a comparing unit configured to compare the pixel signals…

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

Patent family

Related publications grouped by family.

External sources

Next steps

Free tools are coming soon. Tell us what you want to track and we'll notify you.

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US8963758B2 cover?
An image sensor includes a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a row direction and a column direction. An A/D conversion circuit, arranged for each column, which compares an input signal with a ramp signal that changes with temporal unidirectionality, and converts the input signal into digital data. The sensor includes an amplitude control unit configured to compare the …
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Canon Kk
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification H04N25/75. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Feb 24 2015 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 8 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).