(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,421,085 Bi
Xu (45) Date of Patent: Jul. 16,2002
(54) HIGH SPEED CMOS IMAGER COLUMN CDS CIRCUIT
(75) Inventor: Weize Xu, Rochester, NY (US)
(73) Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/059,814
(22) Filed: Apr. 14, 1998
(51) Int. CI.7 H04N 3/14; H04N 5/335
(52) U.S. CI 348/308; 348/303; 348/307;
348/302; 348/304
(58) Field of Search 348/302, 303,
348/304, 305, 306, 307, 308, 309, 310
(56) References Cited
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OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Kyomasu, Mikio; Aug. 1991; IEEE Journal, vol. 26, No. 8; "A new MOS imager Using Photodiode as Current Source".*
* cited by examiner
Primary Examiner—-Wendy R. Garber
Assistant Examiner—-John M. Villecco
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Peyton C. Watkins
(57) ABSTRACT
A correlated double sampling unit within a CMOS imager employs an image sensor having a plurality ol photodetectors arranged in a series ol rows and columns with a row addressing circuit, a column addressing circuit, a first sample and hold circuit allocated for each ol the columns, a transler circuit operatively connecting each ol the columns to the first sample and hold circuit for each ol the columns, and a plurality ol second sample and hold circuits, each ol the second sample and hold circuits being operatively connected to a subset ol the first sample and hold circuits.
14 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
