Image Sensor Transient Signal Integrity Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image sensors lack real-time monitoring and verification capabilities for transient voltage signals, leading to potential failures or degradations that can result in catastrophic image quality issues, especially in safety-critical applications.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating transient signal monitoring circuitry that captures and adjusts transient signals within image sensors, including level shifting and compressing circuitry to ensure signals are within an allowable voltage range for accurate analog-to-digital conversion, allowing for real-time integrity verification without interfering with normal operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transient signal monitoring circuitry is added to image sensors, then reliability is improved through real-time failure detection, but device complexity increases due to additional monitoring components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines transient signal monitoring functionality with existing image sensor circuitry by sharing analog-to-digital converters and multiplexing signal paths. The monitoring circuitry integrates with column control and readout circuits, allowing single-point failures to be detected without requiring completely separate monitoring systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multi-functional circuitry where analog-to-digital converters and readout circuits serve both normal image signal processing and transient signal monitoring functions. The same hardware infrastructure is used for both imaging operations and integrity verification, reducing the need for dedicated monitoring components.
2Measurement precision
If real-time monitoring of transient signals is implemented, then measurement precision is improved for detecting voltage signal integrity, but device complexity increases due to additional monitoring requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces level shifting and compressing circuitry as intermediary components that condition transient signals before they reach the analog-to-digital converters. These intermediary circuits adapt voltage ranges and signal levels, enabling precise measurement of transient signals without requiring the main signal processing infrastructure to be redesigned.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs level shifting and compression techniques that dynamically adjust voltage parameters of transient signals to match the input range of analog-to-digital converters. By changing signal parameters (voltage levels, amplitude ranges) through conditioning circuits, the system achieves precise measurement capability using existing converter hardware.
3Manufacturing precision
If level shifting and compressing circuitry is added for signal adjustment, then manufacturing precision is improved by ensuring signals are within allowable voltage ranges, but device complexity increases due to additional circuit components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements level shifting and compressing circuitry that performs preliminary signal conditioning before transient signals are captured and converted. By pre-adjusting voltage levels and compressing signal ranges in advance, the system ensures signals fall within allowable voltage ranges for analog-to-digital conversion, preventing measurement errors before they occur.
Data Source
AI summary
An image sensor with an array of pixels is provided. In order to determine failure of transient signal generation circuitry within the image sensor, monitoring circuitry may be used to capture and adjust transient signals as the signals are being transmitted. The transient signals may be voltage booster signals that are generated by booster circuitry to adjust row control signal levels to be below the ground reference voltage or above the supply reference voltage before providing them to the array of image sensor pixels. The captured and adjusted transient signals may be multiplexed and transmitted through a common buffer circuit. The method of shifting/adjusting the captured voltages may also apply to static signals. The multiplexed adjusted signals may be converted from digital signals to analog signals with digital-to-analog conversion circuitry. The digitized signals may be transmitted to host circuitry for processing which may include pass/fail testing.