Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090009643 | MOS TYPE SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, METHOD FOR DRIVING SUCH MOS TYPE SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, AND CAMERA - A MOS type solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel unit which includes image pickup elements arranged two-dimensionally; a readout shift register; an electronic shutter shift register; a signal processing unit which extracts a pixel signal from the selected pixel; a horizontal shift register which outputs a column selection signal; and an amplifier circuit which amplifies the extracted pixel output signal. Each of the shift registers has a function of generating a dummy pulse during a blanking period. When the blanking period occurs after the completion of scanning up to the last line, a selection signal is outputted alternately to the last line and the second-from-the-last line of the shift register. | 01-08-2009 |
20090033782 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid-state imaging device capable of prevent image defects from appearing in an outputted image while suppressing increase in a layout area with a simple circuit structure and is an MOS solid-state imaging device. The MOS solid-state imaging device includes pixels which outputs signals corresponding to intensity of incident light, vertical signal lines which are respectively provided to columns of the pixels and each of which transmits the signals from said pixels in a column direction, and column amplifier circuits that amplify the signals from the pixels and are respectively connected to the vertical signal lines, and each of the column amplifier circuits includes a voltage clipping circuit includes a voltage clipping circuit which limits a maximum output voltage of said column amplifier circuit. | 02-05-2009 |
20090040346 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING APPARATUS AND DRIVING METHOD FOR THE SAME - A solid-state imaging device includes first-group pixels | 02-12-2009 |
20090066825 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND ITS DRIVING METHOD - A driving method is used in a solid-state imaging device including a plurality of pixel circuits which are arranged in rows and columns, and each of which has a photoelectric conversion unit and a charge accumulation unit and receives a common power source. The driving method includes steps of: reading out, to the outside of the pixel circuit, a photocharge generated at a photoelectric conversion unit in a pixel circuit in a readout row, after resetting a potential of the charge accumulation unit in the pixel circuit to a potential of the common power source while supplying a bias current to the pixel circuit for readout, the photocharge being transferred to the charge accumulation unit as a signal charge; discharging a photocharge generated at a photoelectric conversion unit in a pixel circuit in a discharge row that is to be a readout row later, after resetting a potential of a charge accumulation unit in the pixel circuit to a potential of the common power source, the photocharge being transferred to the charge accumulation unit as an unnecessary charge; and uniformizing a potential of the charge accumulation unit to be reset in the discharging in the case where the discharging is executed following the reading out and in the case where the discharging is executed independently | 03-12-2009 |
20090159782 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND CAMERA - A solid-state imaging device comprises a pixel array; a reference signal generation unit operable to generate a reference signal that changes monotonically for a predetermined period in a horizontal period; a comparator operable to compare the level of a pixel signal with the level of a reference signal; a counter operable to count input clock pulses; a memory operable to store the number of counts counted by the counter as a digital value; and a timing control unit operable to generate a clock that is to be input into the counter, and change frequency of the clock that is to be input into the counter based on external input data. | 06-25-2009 |
20090167915 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD OF THE SAME - Provided is a solid-state imaging device being capable of suppressing RTS noise and preventing decrease in S/N when a signal having a smaller value is converted to a digital signal. The solid-state imaging device includes: an imaging unit including pixels arranged in rows and columns; column amplifying units each amplifying a column signal with a variable gain, each of the column amplifying units being provided for each column of the imaging unit; column sample-hold units each selectively sample-holding and passing the column signal, the column signal being amplified by a corresponding one of the column amplifying units; and column AD conversion units each converting, using a ramp signal, the column signal representing a signal component and a reference component to a digital signal corresponding to a difference between the signal component and the reference component, the column signal being read from a corresponding one of said column sample-hold units. | 07-02-2009 |
20090283663 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF - It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid-state imaging device capable of significantly improving the signal readout characteristics of the pixel compared to the conventional technologies at low cost, without degrading the reliability, and a driving method thereof. The solid-state imaging device according to the present invention is a solid-state imaging device which includes a drive circuit, and the drive circuit includes: a P-channel transistor and a N-channel transistor which include gates connected to an output of the scanning circuit, and which include drains that are connected to each other, and a connecting point of the drains is connected to the control signal line, a switch which switches between VHI and DVDD to be supplied to a source of the P-channel transistor, and a switch which switches between VLOW and VGND to be supplied to a source of the N-channel transistor. | 11-19-2009 |
20090284629 | A/D CONVERTER-INCORPORATED SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - The solid-state imaging device includes: a first node for receiving a first signal from outside the solid-state imaging device; a second node for receiving a second signal from outside the solid-state imaging device; a test signal selection circuit for outputting the first signal received at the first node and the second signal received at the second node as a test signal by switching between the first and second signals at desired timing; and a test signal input circuit for supplying the test signal from the test signal selection circuit to an input of the A/D converter. | 11-19-2009 |
20090322921 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes: plural pixel cells, arranged in a matrix, each of which includes a photodiode which photoelectrically converts incident light, a transferring transistor which transfers a charge generated by the photodiode, a floating diffusion which accumulates the transferred charge, a reset transistor which resets a potential of said floating diffusion, and an amplifying transistor which converts the charge accumulated in the floating lo diffusion into a voltage; column signal lines each connected to associated ones of plurality of amplifying transistors including the amplifying transistor corresponding to a corresponding one of columns having the associated plurality of pixel cells; and a voltage control circuit which increases a voltage of the column signal line to a predetermined voltage between the reset of the potential by the reset transistor and the transfer of the charge by the transferring transistor. | 12-31-2009 |
20100020217 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND CAMERA - The solid-state imaging device having pixels that are arranged in rows and columns and convert optical signals to electric signals to output the electric signals as voltage signals includes column signal lines each provided for a corresponding one of the columns and transmitting, in the direction of the columns, voltage signals outputted from the pixels, current sources each provided for and connected to a corresponding one of the column signal lines, column amplification circuits each provided for a corresponding one of the column signal lines and amplifying the voltage signals transmitted through the column signal lines, a current-source ground potential supply line supplying the current sources with ground potential, and a column amplification circuit ground potential supply line supplying the column amplification circuits with ground potential. The current-source ground potential supply line and the column amplification circuit ground potential supply line are interconnected at positions corresponding to the columns. | 01-28-2010 |
20100091160 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING DEVICE - Solid-state imaging device having a plurality of vertical signal lines, includes for each vertical signal line, an effective pixel and a dummy pixel, a switch transistor provided on a path connecting the dummy pixel and the vertical signal line, and a read-out unit. The switch transistor is OFF while a first signal is outputted from the effective pixel and ON while a second signal is outputted from the dummy pixel. The read-out unit (i) reads out a level of the first signal while the switch transistor is OFF, and (ii) reads out a difference between the level of the first signal and a level of the second signal when the switch transistor is turned from OFF to ON. | 04-15-2010 |
20100194948 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVING METHOD OF THE SAME, AND CAMERA INCLUDING THE SAME - The solid-state imaging device according to the present invention includes: pixel units arranged two-dimensionally in rows and columns; signal holding units each holding an analog signal outputted from one of the pixel units in a corresponding one of the columns; and column AD circuits each converting, into a digital signal, the analog signal held by a corresponding one of said signal holding units. The signal holding units and the column AD circuits are respectively provided for the columns of the pixel units. Each of the signal holding units includes: a switching element connected to a column signal line through which the analog signal outputted from the one of the pixel units is transmitted; and a capacitor element holding the analog signal and being connected to the column signal line through the switching element. | 08-05-2010 |
20100277632 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND CAMERA - A solid-state imaging device comprises a pixel array; a reference signal generation unit operable to generate a reference signal that changes monotonically for a predetermined period in a horizontal period; a comparator operable to compare the level of a pixel signal with the level of a reference signal; a counter operable to count input clock pulses; a memory operable to store the number of counts counted by the counter as a digital value; and a timing control unit operable to generate a clock that is to be input into the counter, and change frequency of the clock that is to be input into the counter based on external input data. | 11-04-2010 |
20120086826 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING APPARATUS AND DRIVING METHOD FOR THE SAME - A solid-state imaging device includes first-group pixels | 04-12-2012 |
20120314109 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND CAMERA - The present invention implements a solid-state imaging device and a camera which develop lower noise. The solid-state imaging device includes unit cells which are arranged in two dimensions. Each of the unit cells includes: a photoelectric converting element which photoelectrically converts incident light; and amplifying transistors each of which outputs a signal voltage according to signal charges of the photoelectric converting element. The photoelectric converting element is electrically connected in common with gates of the amplifying transistors. | 12-13-2012 |
20140160331 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixel cells arranged in rows and columns, a plurality of vertical signal lines each of which is provided for a corresponding one of the columns, and a plurality of column circuits each of which is provided for a corresponding one or more of the columns and into each of which are input the signal voltages output to one or more of the vertical signal lines disposed in the corresponding one or more of the columns. Each of the plurality of column circuits includes an amplifier that includes a constant current source transistor, the solid-state imaging device further includes a reference current source circuit that supplies a first bias voltage to gates of a plurality of the constant current source transistors included in the column circuits, and each of the column circuits further includes a sample-and-hold circuit that holds the first bias voltage. | 06-12-2014 |
20140267858 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging device includes: an imaging region; a peripheral circuit region; photodiodes arranged in rows and columns in the imaging region; output circuits in the imaging region for outputting, to the outside of the imaging region, pixel signals corresponding to electric charges photoelectrically converted in the photodiodes; a read circuit in the peripheral circuit region for reading the pixel signals from the imaging region; and signal lines extending in a column direction to connect output circuits to the read circuit. One pixel cell includes two photodiodes adjacent in a row direction and an output circuit. An output circuit in a first pixel cell is adjacent, in the row direction, to a second pixel cell adjacent to the first pixel cell in the column direction and shifting from the first pixel cell by one column of the photodiodes in the row direction. | 09-18-2014 |
20150076327 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME, AND IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixel cells arranged in a pixel array unit, a vertical signal line and a pixel power supply line each connected to a source electrode and a drain electrode of an amplifying transistor, a Pch transistor for supplying potential AVDD to the vertical signal line, a Pch transistor for supplying potential PBIAS_H higher than the potential AVDD to the vertical signal line, a Pch transistor for supplying the potential PBIAS_H to the pixel power supply line, wherein while the transfer transistor is turned ON and transfers signal charges photoelectrically converted by a photodiode to the floating diffusion portion, the Pch transistors are turned ON and the potential PBIAS_H is applied to the vertical signal line and the pixel power supply line. | 03-19-2015 |