IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,532,084
Granted Patent B2
US 12,532,084 · App. 18/167,869 · Granted Jan 20, 2026

Image sensing device

Inventor: Jung-Chen Chung (Hsinchu County, TW)
Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
H04N25/42H04N25/766H04N25/779H04N25/78
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,532,084
App. No.
18/167,869
Granted
Jan 20, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image sensing device for sensing an image sensing pixel array through a plurality of sensing lines is provided. The image sensing device includes a first switch, a second switch, a transistor, and a current source. A first terminal of the first switch is coupled to a first sensing line among the sensing lines. A first terminal of the second switch is coupled to a second sensing line among the sensing lines. A first terminal of the transistor is coupled to a second terminal of the first switch and a second terminal of the second switch. The current source is coupled to a second terminal of the transistor.

Claims (56)

1 . An image sensing device, for sensing an image sensing pixel array through a plurality of sensing lines, the image sensing device comprising:

a first switch, having a first terminal configured to be coupled to a first sensing line among the sensing lines;

a second switch, having a first terminal configured to be coupled to a second sensing line among the sensing lines;

a transistor, having a first terminal coupled to a second terminal of the first switch and a second terminal of the second switch; and

a first current source, coupled to a second terminal of the transistor.

2 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein a control terminal of the transistor is coupled to the second terminal of the transistor.

3 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second current source, configured to be coupled to the first sensing line; and

a third current source, configured to be coupled to the second sensing line.

4 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a third switch, having a first terminal configured to be coupled to the first sensing line;

a fourth switch, having a first terminal configured to be coupled to the second sensing line; and

a second current source, coupled to a second terminal of the third switch and a second terminal of the fourth switch.

5 . The image sensing device according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a fifth switch, having a first terminal configured to be coupled to a third sensing line among the sensing lines, wherein a second terminal of the fifth switch is coupled to the first terminal of the transistor;

a sixth switch, having a first terminal configured to be coupled to a fourth sensing line among the sensing lines, wherein a second terminal of the sixth switch is coupled to the first terminal of the transistor;

a seventh switch, having a first terminal configured to be coupled to the third sensing line and a second terminal coupled to the second current source; and

an eighth switch, having a first terminal configured to be coupled to the fourth sensing line and a second terminal coupled to the second current source.

6 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second current source, configured to be coupled to the first sensing line and the second sensing line.

7 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first switch is maintained on and the second switch is maintained off during a period where the image sensing device reads out a sensing signal corresponding to the first sensing line, and the second switch is maintained on and the first switch is maintained off during a period where the image sensing device reads out a sensing signal corresponding to the second sensing line.

8 . The image sensing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensing line is coupled to an odd-numbered sensing pixel column of the image sensing pixel array and the second sensing line is coupled to an even-numbered sensing pixel column of the image sensing pixel array.

9 . An image sensing device comprising:

an image sensing panel, having a first sensing line, a second sensing line, an image sensing pixel array, a first switch, a second switch, and a transistor, wherein the first sensing line is coupled to a first sensing pixel column of the image sensing pixel array, the second sensing line is coupled to a second sensing pixel column of the image sensing pixel array, a first terminal of the first switch is coupled to the first sensing line, a first terminal of the second switch is coupled to the second sensing line, and a second terminal of the first switch and a second terminal of the second switch are coupled to a first terminal of the transistor; and

an image readout integrated circuit, having a third switch and an output line, wherein a first terminal of the third switch is coupled to a second terminal and a control terminal of the transistor of the image sensing panel, and a second terminal of the third switch is coupled to the output line.

10 . The image sensing device according to claim 9 , wherein the image sensing panel further comprises:

a first current source, coupled to the first sensing line; and

a second current source, coupled to the second sensing line.

11 . The image sensing device according to claim 9 , wherein the image readout integrated circuit further comprises:

a capacitor, having a first terminal and a second terminal respectively coupled to the second terminal of the third switch and a reference voltage; and

a current source, coupled to the first terminal of the third switch.

12 . The image sensing device according to claim 9 , wherein the image sensing panel further comprises:

a current source, coupled to the second terminal and the control terminal of the transistor.

13 . The image sensing device according to claim 9 , wherein the image readout integrated circuit further comprises:

a fourth switch, having a first terminal configured to be coupled to the first sensing line of the image sensing panel;

a fifth switch, having a first terminal configured to be coupled to the second sensing line of the image sensing panel; and

a current source, coupled to a second terminal of the fourth switch and a second terminal of the fifth switch.

14 . The image sensing device according to claim 13 , wherein

the image sensing panel further comprises a sixth switch and a seventh switch, a first terminal of the sixth switch is coupled to a third sensing line of the image sensing panel, a second terminal of the sixth switch is coupled to the first terminal of the transistor, a first terminal of the seventh switch is coupled to a fourth sensing line of the image sensing panel, and a second terminal of the seventh switch coupled to the first terminal of the transistor; and

the image readout integrated circuit further comprises an eighth switch and a ninth switch, a first terminal of the eighth switch is coupled to the third sensing line of the image sensing panel, a second terminal of the eighth switch is coupled to the current source, a first terminal of the ninth switch is coupled to the fourth sensing line of the image sensing panel, and a second terminal of the ninth switch is coupled to the current source.

15 . The image sensing device according to claim 9 , wherein the image readout integrated circuit further comprises:

a current source, configured to be coupled to the first sensing line and the second sensing line of the image sensing panel.

16 . The image sensing device according to claim 9 , wherein the first switch is maintained on and the second switch is maintained off during a period where the image readout integrated circuit reads out a sensing signal corresponding to the first sensing line, and the second switch is maintained on and the first switch is maintained off during a period where the image readout integrated circuit reads out a sensing signal corresponding to the second sensing line.

17 . The image sensing device according to claim 9 , wherein the first sensing line is coupled to an odd-numbered sensing pixel column of the image sensing pixel array and the second sensing line is coupled to an even-numbered sensing pixel column of the image sensing pixel array.

18 . An image sensing device comprising:

an image sensing panel, having an image sensing pixel array, a sensing line, a first switch, a transistor, and a first pad, wherein the sensing line is coupled to a sensing pixel column of the image sensing pixel array, the sensing line is adapted to be coupled to a first current source, a first terminal of the first switch is coupled to the sensing line, a second terminal of the first switch is coupled to a first terminal of the transistor, and a second terminal and a control terminal of the transistor are coupled to the first pad; and

an image readout integrated circuit, having a second pad and a second current source, wherein the second pad is configured to be coupled to the first pad, and the second current source is coupled to the second pad.

19 . The image sensing device according to claim 18 , wherein the first current source is disposed at the image sensing panel.

20 . The image sensing device according to claim 18 , wherein the image sensing panel further comprises a third pad, the third pad is coupled to the sensing line, and the image readout integrated circuit further comprises:

the first current source;

a second switch, having a first terminal coupled to the first current source; and

a fourth pad, configured to be coupled to the third pad, wherein the fourth pad is coupled to a second terminal of the second switch.

21 . The image sensing device according to claim 18 , wherein the image readout integrated circuit further comprises:

a second switch, having a first terminal coupled to the second pad;

a capacitor, having a first terminal and a second terminal respectively coupled to a second terminal of the second switch and a reference voltage; and

an output line, coupled to the second terminal of the second switch.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 16, 2023
From: CHUNG, JUNG-CHEN
To: NOVATEK MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
Reel/Frame 062714/0275 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240276108A1 · Aug 15, 2024
References Cited (8)
US 11555744B2 · Chan et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20150281616A1 · Muto et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20210097318A1 · Chung · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210102844A1 · Chan et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20230236067A1 · Chan et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
EP 3678366 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
TW 201944080 · 2019 [cited by applicant]
“Notice of allowance of Taiwan Counterpart Application”, issued on Jan. 9, 2024, p.1-p. 3. [cited by applicant]