Patent ID: 7791657
Filing Date: 2010-09-07
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An imaging device, comprising: an array of pixels having rows and columns, each of said pixels connected to produce an output signal in response to a stimulus, each of said pixels connected to reset in response to a reset signal; a vertical scanner connected to perform functions on selected rows of pixels within said array, said vertical scanner having a row read pointer and an evaluation read pointer; a column buffer, said column buffer connected to compare a sample of each of said pixel output signals to a programmable saturation threshold voltage and to trigger a conditional reset signal upon the satisfaction of a condition based on the comparison of said sample and said saturation threshold voltage; a memory register connected to said column buffer to store and transmit information related to the comparison of said pixel output signals and said saturation threshold voltage; and a horizontal scanner interfaced with said column buffer, said horizontal scanner comprising a column read pointer; wherein each of said pixels further comprises: