Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080278611 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND CONTACT-TYPE IMAGE SENSOR - To prevent such a situation that a signal from a pixel in a dark state is output at a level shifted from an originally set level to deteriorate an image quality, and to improve the image quality. A photoelectric conversion apparatus according to the present invention includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements; a plurality of amplifying units for amplifying a signal in accordance with a photo-carrier generated in the photoelectric conversion elements; a plurality of signal holding units for holding output signals from the amplifying units through a plurality of switch units; and a control signal supplying unit for supplying a control signal to the switch units through a control line, in which the control line is sequentially connected to the plurality of switch units and has both ends connected to the control signal supplying units, or a change rate with time of an amplitude of a signal held by the signal holding units is set lower than a change rate with time of am amplitude of the control signal at the time of turning off the switch units. | 11-13-2008 |
20090050993 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE AND MULTI-CHIP IMAGE SENSOR - A pixel space is narrowed without increasing PN junction capacitance. A photoelectric conversion device includes a plurality of pixels arranged therein, each including a first impurity region of a first conductivity type forming a photoelectric conversion region, a second impurity region of a second conductivity type forming a signal acquisition region arranged in the first impurity region, a third impurity region of the first conductivity type and a fourth impurity region of the first conductivity type are arranged in a periphery of each pixel for isolating the each pixel, the fourth impurity region is disposed between adjacent pixels, and an impurity concentration of the fourth impurity region is smaller than an impurity concentration of the third impurity region. | 02-26-2009 |
20090256936 | METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - When a horizontal skipping operation is performed in a solid-state imaging apparatus that includes an A/D converting circuit in each column and that applies an arithmetic operation process to a digitalized signal and an arithmetic operation is performed with signals held by a plurality of register circuits, A/D converters and register circuits in columns in which signals are skipped, or not read out, are not involved in the operations. A more consideration is needed in terms of the use efficiency of circuits. A unit for connecting a register circuit of a certain column and a register circuit of a different column is arranged. | 10-15-2009 |
20100110257 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND DRIVING METHOD OF THE SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An apparatus includes a pixel array in which pixels for outputting an analog signal are arranged in a matrix, vertical output lines each of which is connected to pixels in a same column, A/D conversion units, which are individually connected to the vertical output lines, for converting the analog signal into a digital signal, and a constant current supply unit for supplying a constant current to the A/D conversion units. Each of the A/D conversion units includes an integration unit for integrating the constant current, a comparison unit for comparing the integrated constant current with the analog signal and outputting a comparison signal, and a digital signal storage unit for storing a digital signal corresponding to the comparison signal. The integration unit includes an input capacitor for receiving the constant current. The comparison unit is connected to the constant current supply unit via the input capacitor. | 05-06-2010 |
20100149394 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM USING THE SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid-state imaging apparatus that outputs digital signals at high speed. A solid-state imaging apparatus is provided that includes plural analog-to-digital converters that convert analog signals obtained by photoelectric conversion into digital signals, plural digital memories that store the digital signals converted by the analog-to-digital converters, plural block digital output lines that are provided to correspond to blocks of the plural digital memories and to which the digital signals stored in the plural digital memories included in the blocks are output, a common digital output line that outputs the digital signals output from the plural block digital output lines, buffer circuits that buffer the digital signals output from the block digital output lines, and block selecting units that can switch the block digital output lines electrically connected to the common digital output line. | 06-17-2010 |
20110155893 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - An apparatus according to the present invention in which a first substrate including a photoelectric conversion element and a gate electrode of a transistor, and a second substrate including a peripheral circuit portion are placed upon each other. The first substrate does not include a high-melting-metal compound layer, and the second substrate includes a high-melting-metal compound layer. | 06-30-2011 |
20120013778 | METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - When a horizontal skipping operation is performed in a solid-state imaging apparatus that includes an A/D converting circuit in each column and that applies an arithmetic operation process to a digitalized signal and an arithmetic operation is performed with signals held by a plurality of register circuits, A/D converters and register circuits in columns in which signals are skipped, or not read out, are not involved in the operations. A more consideration is needed in terms of the use efficiency of circuits. A unit for connecting a register circuit of a certain column and a register circuit of a different column is arranged. | 01-19-2012 |
20120038343 | CONSTANT CURRENT SOURCE AND SOLID IMAGING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A constant current source has a first current source circuit for outputting a first current; a second current source circuit for outputting a second current according to a reference voltage; a current comparison circuit for comparing magnitudes of the first and second currents; and a current adjustment unit for adjusting a current value of the first current output from the first current source circuit in accordance with a comparison result of the current comparison circuit. | 02-16-2012 |
20130063639 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM USING THE SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - It is an object of the present invention to provide a solid-state imaging apparatus that outputs digital signals at high speed. A solid-state imaging apparatus is provided that includes plural analog-to-digital converters that convert analog signals obtained by photoelectric conversion into digital signals, plural digital memories that store the digital signals converted by the analog-to-digital converters, plural block digital output lines that are provided to correspond to blocks of the plural digital memories and to which the digital signals stored in the plural digital memories included in the blocks are output, a common digital output line that outputs the digital signals output from the plural block digital output lines, buffer circuits that buffer the digital signals output from the block digital output lines, and block selecting units that can switch the block digital output lines electrically connected to the common digital output line. | 03-14-2013 |
20130194474 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND DRIVING METHOD OF THE SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An apparatus includes a pixel array in which pixels for outputting an analog signal are arranged in a matrix, vertical output lines each of which is connected to pixels in a same column, A/D conversion units, which are individually connected to the vertical output lines, for converting the analog signal into a digital signal, and a constant current supply unit for supplying a constant current to the A/D conversion units. Each of the A/D conversion units includes an integration unit for integrating the constant current, a comparison unit for comparing the integrated constant current with the analog signal and outputting a comparison signal, and a digital signal storage unit for storing a digital signal corresponding to the comparison signal. The integration unit includes an input capacitor for receiving the constant current. The comparison unit is connected to the constant current supply unit via the input capacitor. | 08-01-2013 |
20130248953 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - An apparatus according to the present invention in which a first substrate including a photoelectric conversion element and a gate electrode of a transistor, and a second substrate including a peripheral circuit portion are placed upon each other. The first substrate does not include a high-melting-metal compound layer, and the second substrate includes a high-melting-metal compound layer. | 09-26-2013 |