Abstract: The invention provides a method for acquiring an image of a target code, which allows the CMOS sensor, after the reader has been triggered to acquire a target code, to rapidly determine, and internally, a desirable exposure-time value Topt for the image capture of this code.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for acquiring an image of a target code, which allows the CMOS sensor, after the reader has been triggered to acquire a target code, to rapidly determine, and internally, a desirable exposure-time value Topt for the image capture of this code.

Abstract: In an active pixel sensor comprising a photodiode Dp, a memory node MN and a readout node SN, the memory node being provided to contain the charge generated by the photodiode at the end of an integration period allowing an integration in global shutter mode and a correlated double sampling, it is envisaged to carry out, in each integration period, at least one transfer {circle around (2)} of charge from the photodiode to the memory node followed by clipping {circle around (3)} of the amount of charge contained in the memory node at an intermediate voltage t1 after the start of the integration period but before a last transfer of charge {circle around (4)} to the memory node at the end of the integration period. The pixels are subsequently read out, row by row, by correlated double sampling CDS.

Abstract: In a sensor comprising active pixels including a photodiode PHD, a memory node MN and a read-out node SN, the memory node being provided to hold the charge generated by the photodiode at the end of an integration period enabling integration in global-shutter mode and a correlated double sampling read-out, provision is made for the charge-storage capacity of the memory node to be at least N times higher than the charge-storage capacity of the photodiode (N being an integer higher than or equal to 2) and provision is made to carry out, in each integration and read-out cycle, during the integration duration Tint(i), N transfers Tri1, Tri2, Tri3 of charge from the photodiode to the memory node, the N transfers being equally distributed over the integration duration. The dynamic range of the sensor is improved under high light levels.

Abstract: A circuit (300) for detecting the appearance of x-rays with a view to triggering a radiological image capture, comprising a set (301) of photodiodes that is connected to a ground (GD), an amplifying circuit (302) and a capacitor (C2), the amplifying circuit (302) comprising an amplifier (AMP) and a voltage source (GEN) and being connected, via a first input, to the output of the set (301) of photodiodes, the capacitor (C2) being connected between the ground (GD) and a second input of the amplifier (AMP), the detecting circuit (300) being characterized in that the amplifying circuit (302) is configured to carry out in succession the steps of: Charging the capacitor (C2) with a reference voltage (Vref) generated by the voltage source (GEN); Isolating the second input of the amplifier (AMP) from the voltage source (GEN); and Integrating the current generated by the set (301) of photodiodes.

Abstract: A circuit (300) for detecting the appearance of x-rays with a view to triggering a radiological image capture, comprising a set (301) of photodiodes that is connected to a ground (GD), an amplifying circuit (302) and a capacitor (C2), the amplifying circuit (302) comprising an amplifier (AMP) and a voltage source (GEN) and being connected, via a first input, to the output of the set (301) of photodiodes, the capacitor (C2) being connected between the ground (GD) and a second input of the amplifier (AMP), the detecting circuit (300) being characterized in that the amplifying circuit (302) is configured to carry out in succession the steps of: Charging the capacitor (C2) with a reference voltage (Vref) generated by the voltage source (GEN); Isolating the second input of the amplifier (AMP) from the voltage source (GEN); and Integrating the current generated by the set (301) of photodiodes.

Abstract: In a sensor comprising active pixels including a photodiode PHD, a memory node MN and a read-out node SN, the memory node being provided to hold the charge generated by the photodiode at the end of an integration period enabling integration in global-shutter mode and a correlated double sampling read-out, provision is made for the charge-storage capacity of the memory node to be at least N times higher than the charge-storage capacity of the photodiode (N being an integer higher than or equal to 2) and provision is made to carry out, in each integration and read-out cycle, during the integration duration Tint(i), N transfers Tri1, Tri2, Tri3 of charge from the photodiode to the memory node, the N transfers being equally distributed over the integration duration. The dynamic range of the sensor is improved under high light levels.

Abstract: In an image sensor, the effective capacitance of the storage node NS of the pixel, which stores the charges (the electrons) collected by the photosensitive element of the pixel, is modified with the aid of a feedback loop 100 which influences the supply VREFP of the follower transistor T3 connected to the storage node, in such a way that the apparent capacitance of the storage node depends on the gain GL of the loop. By modifying the gain, the capacitance of the storage node and therefore the charge/voltage conversion factor, which is inversely proportional to this capacitance, is modified.

Abstract: In a matrix image sensor, a method of reading a pixel of a column allows two modes of analogue-digital conversion of the voltage level provided by the column: a first mode in which are carried out a single analogue-digital conversion in a nominal conversion time window FCONV, of nominal duration dn and a counting which starts with a ramp of nominal duration dn and stops upon the toggling of the output SCMP of the comparator; and a second mode which provides for multiple conversions by comparison with a ramp of reduced duration dr, in the same nominal conversion time window.

Abstract: In an image sensor, the effective capacitance of the storage node NS of the pixel, which stores the charges (the electrons) collected by the photosensitive element of the pixel, is modified with the aid of a feedback loop 100 which influences the supply VREFP of the follower transistor T3 connected to the storage node, in such a way that the apparent capacitance of the storage node depends on the gain GL of the loop. By modifying the gain, the capacitance of the storage node and therefore the charge/voltage conversion factor, which is inversely proportional to this capacitance, is modified.

Abstract: In a matrix image sensor, a method of reading a pixel of a column allows two modes of analogue-digital conversion of the voltage level provided by the column: a first mode in which are carried out a single analogue-digital conversion in a nominal conversion time window FCONV, of nominal duration dn and a counting which starts with a ramp of nominal duration dn and stops upon the toggling of the output SCMP of the comparator; and a second mode which provides for multiple conversions by comparison with a ramp of reduced duration dr, in the same nominal conversion time window.