Ultralow power, high fill factor smart complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor with motion detection capability

Bandwidth saving, power consumption, and fill factor improvement are known as vitally important challenges image sensor designers face in order to accomplish high-performance imaging systems. This paper presents an ultralow power, high fill factor smart complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor with motion detection capability. In this efficient methodology, the amount of redundant data processed in unimportant frames has been reduced significantly, and therefore, the proposed imaging system consumes less power compared with counterpart imagers. Furthermore, a pixel structure is introduced that outputs two consecutive frame voltages in series, with the result that the pixel size is minimized and a higher fill factor is achieved. In order to simulate the image capturing procedure, a state-of-the-art approach based on MATLAB and HSPICE software is devised, which is another important achievement of this paper. The performance of this technique is demonstrated using a 64 x 64 pixel sensor designed in a 0.18-mu m standard CMOS technology. The sensor chip consumes 0.2 mW of power while operating at 100 fps with a fill factor of 45%. (C) 2016 SPIE and IS& T