Patent ID: 6937279
Filing Date: 2005-08-30
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for converting an analog image data into a digital image data according to at least one color characteristic and at least one image data characteristic in a CMOS image sensor including a pixel array having M (row line)×N (column line) color pixels, wherein the color pixels include a first color pixel for sensing a first color, a second color pixel for sensing a second color and a third color pixel for sensing a third color, the apparatus comprising: N number of a column pixel arrays, each having two different color pixels selected among the first to third color pixels for outputting two analog image data in response to an inputted image; an analog reference voltage generator having first to third reference voltage generators, each for generating first to third analog reference voltages corresponding to the first to third color pixels, wherein each one of the first to third analog reference voltages is generated as a different value with a different decline rate from the other analog reference voltages according to the at least one image data characteristic; N number of selectors, each for selecting one of two inputted analog reference voltages in response to a select control signal which are inputted based on the two color pixels in the column pixel array, wherein the two inputted analog reference voltages respectively correspond with two of the first to third color pixels included in the column pixel array; and N number of comparators, each for comparing a selected analog reference voltage outputted from each selector with one of the two analog image data outputted from each column pixel array to generate the digital image data corresponding to the color pixels, whereby a conversion operation of the analog image data into the digital image data is carried out differently according to the color characteristic.