Abstract: A digital color imager providing an extended luminance range, enabling a method for an easy transformation into all other color spaces having luminance as a component. White pixels are added to hexagonal red, green and blue pixels. These white pixels can alternatively have an extended dynamic range as described by U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,852 (to Levine et al.). Especially the white pixels may have a larger size than the red, green, or blue pixels used. This larger size can be implemented by concatenation of “normal” size hexagonal white pixels. The output of said white pixels can be directly used for the luminance values Y of the destination color space. Therefore only the color values have to be calculated from the RGB values, leading to an easier and faster calculation. As an example chosen by the inventor the conversion to YCbCr color space has been shown in detail.

Abstract: Digital miniature cameras and methods to manufacture thereof have been achieved. Said miniature cameras having an adjustable focusing device are intended to be used as a built-in modules in hand-held consumer electronic devices, such as e.g. mobile phones and PDAs. The cameras invented have a very small size and produce high-quality pictures. Glue is used to hold different parts together and to seal the joints. The lens is glued in the final stage of the manufacturing line, thus providing the focus setting and the sealing of the cavity that covers the image sensor. A glob top is used to cover and seal the image processor. Said glob top serves two different purposes, first, to distribute the heat away from the sensor and, second, to lock the frame, together with the lens house, into a printed circuit board. In one embodiment a cavity PCB is used to “bury” the sensor of the camera, thus reducing the overall height required.

Abstract: A test apparatus and method for testing the zoom of a miniature digital camera module is presented. A combination of focus targets are illuminated by different colors of light and simultaneously viewed by the digital camera module. The focus targets range from a far target to a close target and are positioned in the apparatus accordingly. The zoom capability of the camera can be either electrical or manual, and the test apparatus can be adapted to either zoom configurations allowing the zoom of the camera lens to be controlled by a tester. The brightness of the image of the focus targets captured by the digital camera is monitored to determine whether the focus of the camera is maintained over the range of zoom.

Abstract: A pixel circuit with a dual gate PMOS is formed by forming two P+ regions in an N? well. The N? well is in a P? type substrate. The two P+ regions form the source and drain of a PMOS transistor. The PMOS transistors formed within the N? well will not affect the collection of the photo-generated charge as long as the source and drain potentials of the PMOS transistors are set at a lower potential than the N? well potential so that they remain reverse biased with respect to the N? well. One of the P+ regions used to form the source and drain regions can be used to reset the pixel after it has been read in preparation for the next cycle of accumulating photo-generated charge. The N? well forms a second gate for the dual gate PMOS transistor since the potential of the N? well 12 affects the conductivity of the channel of the PMOS transistor. The addition of two NMOS transistors enables the readout signal to be stored at the gate of one of the NMOS transistors thereby making a snapshot imager possible.

Abstract: A new multiple imager array device is achieved. The device comprises, first, a bi-directional bus. An array of imagers is arranged in n rows and m columns. The n and m are positive integers. Each imager is connected to the bi-directional bus. A line of bits of any imager is accessible by a line address. Each imager has a Vmode input and an output enable input. The Vmode input and the output enable input must be enabled to allow accessing. A first multiplexer has an input and a plurality of outputs. The input is connected to a column counter. Each output is connected to the output enable input of one of the imagers. A second-multiplexer has an input and a plurality of outputs. The input is connected to a row counter. Each output is connected to the Vmode input of each imager in one of the rows.

Abstract: A circuit and method for reducing noise in video imagers which takes advantage of the fact that the same image information is present in the drain current in a reset transistor used to reset a photodiode in a pixel as is present in the readout current. The noise is reduced by passing the multiplexed output voltage from the source follower output transistor in an APS imager system through a high pass filter to reduce the low frequency noise from the source follower. The drain current in the reset transistor used to reset the APS is passed through a low pass filter. The low pass filter output and the high pass filter output are then combined. Since the drain current in the reset transistor contains the same image information as the voltage output of the source follower output transistor the image information can be obtained by combining the output of the low pass filter and the output of the high pass filter.