Image sensor and method
View Patent ↗Described herein are methods that may improve yield of an image sensor. In one embodiment, a method that may improve yield of an image sensor includes generating output values of control logic associated with an array of light sensitive elements. The method further may include determining if the control logic has one or more faulty output values. The method further may include automatically correcting the one or more faulty output values.
1. A method to improve yield of an image sensor, the method comprising:
selecting a pixel block from a plurality of pixel blocks of the image sensor, wherein each of the plurality of pixel blocks of the image sensor is associated with a control logic and a majority voting circuit;
generating output values of the control logic associated with the selected pixel block having an array of light sensitive elements in response to input data;
determining if the control logic has one or more faulty output values by the majority voting circuit associated with the selected pixel block, wherein the majority voting circuit is coupled with the control logic associated with the selected pixel block and neighboring control logics associated with neighboring pixel blocks of the selected pixel block; and
automatically correcting the one or more faulty output values.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing light to the array of light sensitive elements of the selected pixel block.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
automatically generating an image based on the control logic having no faulty output values.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the majority voting circuit determines if the control logic has one or more faulty output values by comparing each output value generated by the control logic to one or more neighbor output values generated by the neighboring control logics.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the majority voting circuit determines if the control logic has one or more faulty output values by comparing an output value i to output values i+1 and i−1 with i being an integer number.
6. An image sensor, comprising:
a plurality of sections, wherein each section of the plurality of sections comprising:
a pixel block having an array of light sensitive elements;
a control logic coupled to the array of light sensitive elements of the pixel block, wherein the control logic is configured to generate output values in response to input data; and
a fault detection circuit coupled to the control logic and neighboring control logics of neighboring pixel blocks of the pixel block to automatically determine if the control logic has one or more faulty output values, wherein the fault detection circuit is configured to automatically correct the one or more faulty output values and to generate corrected output values.
7. The image sensor of claim 6 , further comprising:
control lines to receive the corrected output values from the fault detection circuit.
8. The image sensor of claim 7 , wherein the corrected output values are used to select the light sensitive elements.
9. The image sensor of claim 6 , wherein the control logic comprises at least one of shift registers, flip-flops, and address decoders.
10. The image sensor of claim 6 , wherein the fault detection circuit determines if the control logic has one or more faulty output values by comparing each output value generated by the control logic to one or more neighbor output values generated by the neighboring control logics.
11. The image sensor of claim 6 , wherein the fault detection circuit comprises a majority voting circuit.
12. The image sensor of claim 11 , wherein the majority voting circuit determines if the control logic has one or more faulty output values by comparing an output value i received from control logic i to output values i+1 and i−1 received from control logic i+1 and i−1, respectively, with i being an integer number.
13. The image sensor of claim 6 , wherein the light sensitive elements are passive or active pixels sensors.
14. The image sensor of claim 6 , wherein the control logic is embedded in the array of light sensitive elements in a stitched pattern.
15. The image sensor of claim 6 , further comprising:
read out circuitry coupled to the array of light sensitive elements, the read out circuitry to read out pixel values for the image sensor.
16. An apparatus to automatically improve yield of an image sensor, comprising:
means for selecting a pixel block from a plurality of pixel blocks of the image sensor, wherein each of the plurality of pixel blocks of the image sensor is associated with a control logic and a majority voting circuit;
means for generating output values of the control logic associated with the selected pixel block having an array of light sensitive elements in response to input data;
means for determining if the control logic has one or more faulty output values by the majority voting circuit associated with the selected pixel block, wherein the majority voting circuit is coupled with the control logic associated with the selected pixel block and neighboring control logics associated with neighboring pixel blocks of the selected pixel block; and
means for automatically correcting one or more faulty output values.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising:
means for providing light to the array of light sensitive elements of the selected pixel block;
means for automatically generating an image based on the control logic having no faulty output values.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a fault detection circuit to determine if the control logic has the one or more faulty output values by comparing each output value to one or more neighbor output values.