| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080204584 | IMAGING APPARATUS, DRIVING METHOD THEREOF, AND IMAGING SYSTEM - In an imaging apparatus according to the present invention, the driving unit drives each of the pixels in the non-readout region in the first mode such that the setting unit sets the input unit to a third electric potential with the transfer unit being ready to transfer the electric charge to reset the photoelectric conversion unit in a first period and that the setting unit sets the input unit to a fourth electric potential for the pixel to be deselected in a second period later than the first period. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080211950 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An imaging apparatus includes a pixel unit array and a driving unit. Each pixel unit includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a charge-voltage converter common to the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a plurality of transfer units which transfer electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units to the charge-voltage converter, an output unit which outputs a signal based on the electric charges to a signal line, and a setting unit which sets the electric potential of the charge-voltage converter. Each pixel unit is selected or deselected in accordance with the electric potential set in the charge-voltage converter. The driving unit drives the pixel unit array so that the output unit continuously outputs, to the signal line, the signal based on the electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units in the selected pixel unit without performing an operation of deselecting the selected pixel unit. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20090015699 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS DRIVING METHOD, IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE SENSING SYSTEM - Since pixel signals are not only added in the row direction but also averaged in the column direction, it is possible to sufficiently increase the frame rate even when the number of pixels increases. Additionally, since the spatial centers of gravity of the added or averaged signals are arranged at equal intervals in a Bayer array, it is possible to reduce false color (moiré) generation and suppress the decrease in the spatial resolution. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20090028538 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR AND AUTOMATIC-FOCUS CAMERA USING THE SAME - A solid-state image sensor for automatic focus with highly precise automatic focus performance is realized at low cost. In the solid-state image sensor for automatic focus which has paired linear sensors (L | 01-29-2009 |
| 20090109312 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS DRIVING METHOD - An image sensing apparatus includes a pixel array including an optical black region and effective pixel region, and a scanning unit which scans the pixel array. The scanning unit includes a first shift register which scans the optical black region by a shift operation, and a second shift register which scans the effective pixel region by a shift operation. The second shift register starts the shift operation during a first period when the first shift register scans the optical black region, and scans a readout region serving as a partial region of the effective pixel region during a second period following the first period. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090122172 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a pixel region including a plurality of pixels, each including a photoelectric conversion element, arranged in matrix, and a reset switch for discharging electric charge of the photoelectric conversion element; and a first scanning circuit for supplying a reset control signal for controlling an operation of the reset switch, the pixel region and the first scanning circuit being formed on a semiconductor substrate, in which the pixel region includes a first pixel region and a second pixel region, and the first scanning circuit includes a first decoder for controlling the operation of the reset switch arranged in the first pixel region, and a second decoder for controlling the operation of the reset switch arranged in the second pixel region. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090167914 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An image sensing apparatus comprises a pixel array; a readout unit; a first terminal; and a second terminal, wherein the readout unit including a column amplification unit, a holding unit, a first power supply line, and a second power supply line, and wherein the column amplification unit including a transistor having a gate electrode and back-gate electrode, the gate electrode receiving a signal read out from a pixel on each column of the pixel array, and the holding unit including a capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode receiving a signal amplified by the column amplification unit, and wherein the first power supply line transfers the first power supply voltage to the back-gate electrode of the transistor, and the second power supply line transfers the second power supply voltage to the second electrode of the capacitor. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090200449 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A photoelectric conversion device comprises: a clipping unit including a MOS transistor which has a source connected to a signal line and a drain being connected to a power supply, and the clipping unit clipping an electric potential of the signal line to an electric potential corresponding to an electric potential of the source; a holding capacitance which has a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode being connected to a gate of the MOS transistor, and the holding capacitance holding at least a voltage transferred to the signal line while the charge-voltage converter has been reset; and a shift unit which shifts an electric potential of the second electrode in a direction such that the electric potential of the second electrode comes close to a level to be transferred to the signal line while the charge-voltage converter has been reset. | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090212336 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM USING PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS - A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a photoelectric conversion unit with a semiconductor region of a first conduction type, an amplifying transistor, and a contact. The contact supplies, via a semiconductor region of a second conduction type arranged along a side surface and a bottom surface of an element isolation region, a reference voltage to the semiconductor region of the second conduction-type arranged below source and drain regions of the amplifying transistor in a region below a gate electrode of the amplifying transistor. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090256937 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE - There is provided a solid-state image pickup device comprising a plurality of pixel units, each of which includes a photoelectric conversion element, a signal line which reads out signals from said plurality of pixel units, a first capacitor element which has a first electrode connected to the signal line, an amplifier which has an input terminal connected to a second electrode of the first capacitor element, and a second capacitor element connected between the input terminal and an output terminal of the amplifier, wherein the first capacitor element has a capacitance value which is smaller at the time of execution of an adding mode than at the time of execution of a non-adding mode, and thereby making an amplification factor of the amplifier smaller at the time of execution of the adding mode than at the time of execution of the non-adding mode. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20100066884 | Imaging method that continuously outputs a signal based on electric charges generated by a selected pixel unit without performing an operation of deselecting the selected pixel unit - An imaging apparatus includes a pixel unit array and a driving unit. Each pixel unit includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a charge-voltage converter common to the plurality of photoelectric conversion units, a plurality of transfer units which transfer electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units to the charge-voltage converter, an output unit which outputs a signal based on the electric charges to a signal line, and a setting unit which sets the electric potential of the charge-voltage converter. Each pixel unit is selected or deselected in accordance with the electric potential set in the charge-voltage converter. The driving unit drives the pixel unit array so that the output unit continuously outputs, to the signal line, the signal based on the electric charges generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion units in the selected pixel unit without performing an operation of deselecting the selected pixel unit. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100134664 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS, AND IMAGING SYSTEM USING THE SAME - A solid-state imaging apparatus which can photograph a high-definition image and, at high quality, a moving image having lower resolution than that of the high-definition image is provided. The solid-state imaging apparatus comprises: plural pixels which include a photoelectric conversion unit and a transfer unit; an impurity diffused region which accumulates charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit through the transfer unit; an amplifying unit which outputs signals based on the charges accumulated by the impurity diffused region; and a reset unit which resets potential of the impurity diffused region, wherein the four pixels including the obliquely adjacent two pixels and the two pixels, in a same row or column, adjacent to one of the obliquely adjacent two pixels constitute a unit pixel group, and the impurity diffused region, the amplifying unit and the reset unit are commonly connected to the four pixels constituting the unit pixel group. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100141818 | SOLID STATE IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND CAMERA - A solid-state image pickup device wherein, in order to obtain an output of large amplitude from a low-contrast object without using a bottom detecting circuit to thereby increase a capturing rate, an accumulation end is determined when a maximum value signal in a photosensor array reaches a predetermined accumulation end level, and an amplifier circuit unit is provided for amplifying a signal, which is outputted from each of the pixels of the photosensor array, with reference to the maximum value signal of the photosensor array and for outputting the signal. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100231773 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes a reading unit having a plurality of pixels connected thereto, holding signals from the pixels, and a control unit capable of controlling operations of the pixels and reading unit. The control unit controls the pixels and reading unit in a first operation mode without addition, in a second operation mode in which signals from aa of the pixels are added, aa being an integer greater than one, and in a third operation mode in which signals from bb of the pixels are added, bb being an integer greater than aa. The reading unit includes a holding unit having a capacitance value of C, and the holding unit includes a first capacitor having a capacitance value of C/bb and a second capacitor having a capacitance value of C/p, p being a common multiple of aa and bb. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100328509 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, IMAGING APPARATUS, AND IMAGING SYSTEM - Each pixel has a photoelectric conversion unit configured to convert light into electrical charges and to store the electrical charges, an amplifying unit configured to amplify a signal based on the electrical charges stored in the photoelectric conversion unit and to output the signal to an output line, and a reset unit configured to reset a input part of the amplifying unit. A clip unit, which is configured to limit an electric voltage of the output line, includes an amplifying circuitry for amplifying a signal based on the electric voltage of the output line and an MOS transistor for limiting the electric voltage of the output line based on the difference in electric potential between the gate and source. The clip unit controls the electric potential of the gate of the MOS transistor by the amplifying circuitry. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110003426 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE METHOD FOR PRODUCING PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion region having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a first MOS transistor configured to read a signal in response to an electric charge of each photoelectric conversion element; and a peripheral circuit region having a second MOS transistor configured to drive the first MOS transistor and/or amplify the signal read from the photoelectric conversion region, the photoelectric conversion region and the peripheral circuit region being located on the same semiconductor substrate, wherein an impurity concentration in a drain of the first MOS transistor is lower than an impurity concentration in a drain of the second MOS transistor. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110157447 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE METHOD FOR PRODUCING PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion region having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a first MOS transistor configured to read a signal in response to an electric charge of each photoelectric conversion element; and a peripheral circuit region having a second MOS transistor configured to drive the first MOS transistor and/or amplify the signal read from the photoelectric conversion region, the photoelectric conversion region and the peripheral circuit region being located on the same semiconductor substrate, wherein an impurity concentration in a drain of the first MOS transistor is lower than an impurity concentration in a drain of the second MOS transistor. | 06-30-2011 |
