US 11,889,208 B2
Flag-based readout architecture for event-driven pixel matrix array
Josep Segura Puchades, Grenoble (FR)
Assigned to Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Paris (FR)
Filed by Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Paris (FR)
Filed on Jul. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/870,900.
Claims priority of application No. 2108087 (FR), filed on Jul. 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0023815 A1, Jan. 26, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04N 25/44 (2023.01); H04N 25/50 (2023.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01); H04N 25/47 (2023.01)
CPC H04N 25/44 (2023.01) [H04N 25/47 (2023.01); H04N 25/50 (2023.01); H04N 25/75 (2023.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An event-driven sensor comprising:
a pixel array;
a column readout circuit coupled to column output lines of the pixel array, the column readout circuit comprising a plurality of groups of column register cells, each group of column register cells comprising at least two column register cells, each column register cell being coupled to a corresponding one of the column output lines, the column register cells of each group being coupled in series with each other to propagate a first flag signal from a first to a last column register cell of the group, wherein each column register cell is configured to activate a column event output signal when it receives the first flag signal while the detection of an event is indicated on the column output line; and
a first bypassing circuit for each group of column register cells, the first bypassing circuits being coupled in series with each other to propagate the first flag signal, each first bypassing circuit being configured to propagate the first flag signal:
to the first column register cell of its group if an event is indicated on one of the column output lines coupled to one of the column register cells of the group; and
to a flag output of the first bypassing circuit, bypassing the column register cells of the group, if no event is indicated on one of the column output lines coupled to one of the column register cells of the group.