Patent ID: 7129977
Filing Date: 2006-10-31
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A high-speed image pickup method of a complementary metal-oxide-silicon (CMOS) image sensor including m horizontal lines with a plurality of pixels and an analog-to-digital converter, where m is an integer greater than zero, the method comprising the steps of: (a) applying a vertical selection signal in response to a vertical shift clock signal, thereby enabling a first horizontal line among the m horizontal lines; (b) applying a vertical transmission signal in a first instance, thereby outputting a charge signal of the first horizontal line to the analog-to-digital converter; (c) applying a vertical erasure signal in a first instance, thereby erasing the charge signal of the first horizontal line; (d) shifting the vertical selection signal in response to the vertical shift clock signal, thereby enabling a second horizontal line; (e) applying the vertical erasure signal in a second instance, thereby erasing a charge signal of the second horizontal line before the vertical transmission signal is applied in a second instance to output a charge signal of a horizontal line following the first horizontal line; (f) shifting the vertical selection signal in response to the vertical shift clock signal, thereby enabling the horizontal line following the first horizontal line; and (g) applying the vertical transmission signal in a second instance, thereby outputting the charge signal of the horizontal line following the first horizontal line to the analog-to-digital converter.