Device comprising a set of electromagnetic radiation sensitive detectors and arrangement of a set of such devices

摘要

An image sensor, in particular, for endoscopic applications or miniaturized surveillance cameras. The sensor includes a matrix of image points arranged to provide an image of an explored area of which the shape substantially corresponds to the geometry of the matrix. This sensor consists of a matrix of photodetector cells structured in rows and columns, orthogonal to one another, which has a polygonal shape of which the contour has at least five sides that form part of a closed line, with orthogonal edges and oblique edges. This provides a solution to position the column and row address elements which allows each photoconductive cell to be connected to a current or voltage readout circuit, along oblique edges, such that the space beyond the matrix of photodetector elements is not substantially increased along the oblique edges.

主权项

1. An image sensor, designed to furnish an image of an explored area that generally corresponds in shape to a geometry of the sensor, the sensor comprising:
a matrix of photodetector cells being electromagnetic radiation-sensitive detector cells; the matrix of photodetector cells having an outline being polygonal in shape; the matrix of photodetector cells having a periphery with at least one oblique edge connecting two orthogonal edges together with one another; each of the photodetector cells being directly connected to one of a plurality of line addressing circuits and one of a plurality of column addressing circuits of a readout circuit; each of the plurality of line addressing circuits and the plurality of column addressing circuits of the readout circuit being located along the periphery of the matrix of photodetector cells; and wherein the readout circuit is arranged along the at least one oblique edge; and along the at least one oblique edge, at least one of the plurality of line addressing circuits is juxtaposed with at least one of the plurality of column addressing circuits.