Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090268072 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVING METHOD THEREOF, AND CAMERA - To provide a solid-state imaging device which suppresses light emission caused by hot electrons, and reduces the difference in the impact of heat emission between fields. In the solid-state imaging device in the present invention, the final-stage source-follower circuit within the output circuit includes a drive transistor and a load transistor connected to the drive transistor, and, by applying, to the load transistor, a control signal having different levels for a first period including a charge sweep-out period and an exposure period of the light-receiving elements in a signal outputting period, and a second period which is a period excluding the charge sweep-out period from the signal outputting period, the source-to-drain voltage of the final-stage drive transistor in the first period is made lower than the source-to-drain voltage in the second period. | 10-29-2009 |
20110075003 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND CAMERA INCLUDING THE SAME - The solid-state imaging device according to the present invention includes: vertical transfer units provided to each column of photoelectric conversion units in rows and columns, and which vertically transfer generated signal charges; a horizontal transfer unit which horizontally transfers signal charges; and a first transfer unit and second transfer unit provided between the vertical transfer units and the horizontal transfer unit. The first transfer unit selectively holds and transfers signal charges from the vertical transfer units to the second transfer unit to mix signal charges of m same-color photoelectric conversion units nearest each other in horizontal direction, m being an integer not less than two, and the second transfer unit selectively holds and transfers signal charges from the first transfer unit to the horizontal transfer unit to mix signal charges of n same-color photoelectric conversion units nearest each other in the horizontal direction, n being an integer greater than m. | 03-31-2011 |
20110261240 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-imaging device including an output unit of the FDA type and capable of generating accurate image signals and consuming less power is provided which includes: photoelectric conversion elements; a vertical CCD unit vertically transferring signal charges converted by the photoelectric conversion elements; a front-stage horizontal CCD unit horizontally transferring the signal charges, according to 4-phase drive signals having a 50% duty cycle; a rear-stage horizontal CCD unit disposed between the front-stage horizontal CCD unit and the output unit and horizontally transferring, according to 2-phase drive signals, the signal charges horizontally transferred from the front-stage horizontal CCD unit; a horizontal driver circuit generating the 4-phase drive signals; and a vertical/horizontal driver circuit generating the 2-phase drive signals, wherein the voltage amplitude of the 4-phase drive signals is smaller than the voltage amplitude of the 2-phase drive signals. | 10-27-2011 |
20110292267 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR AND CAMERA - A solid-state image sensor includes: a transfer control section configured to control charge transfer from the vertical transfer section to the horizontal transfer section. The transfer control section has a plurality of unit control sections corresponding to the transfer packets. The unit control section has a vertical transfer channel and a plurality of control section electrodes formed over the vertical transfer channel. The control section electrodes include a signal charge accumulating electrode and a transfer inhibiting electrode, which are sequentially formed from a side of the vertical transfer section. The vertical transfer channels are independently connected to a horizontal transfer channel. When stopping the charge transfer from the vertical transfer section to the horizontal transfer section, a high-level voltage is applied to the signal charge accumulating electrode, and a low-level voltage is applied to the transfer inhibiting electrode. | 12-01-2011 |
20110316109 | SOLID STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device includes photoelectric conversion units, vertical transfer units including vertical transfer electrodes, a horizontal transfer unit, a distribution transfer unit including distribution transfer electrodes, and first light-shield layers and second light-shield layers provided on the vertical transfer units and the distribution transfer unit. The first light-shield layers and the second light-shield layers are conductive. The first light-shield layers are provided in a layer different from a layer in which the second light-shield layers are provided. At least one of the first light-shield layers serves as an interconnect electrically connected to the vertical transfer electrodes included in the same row, and at least one of the first light-shield layers on the distribution transfer unit serves as an interconnect electrically connected the distribution transfer electrodes. The first light-shield layers are disposed so as not to overlap with the horizontal transfer unit. | 12-29-2011 |
20120168608 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD OF SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device of the present invention is capable of thinning signals for each column. The solid-state imaging device includes: photo diodes, a drain into which charges transferred by first column CCDs are swept-off, and transfer control units each of which is provided to the corresponding first column CCDs, and transfers, to a row CCD and to the drain, the charges transferred by the corresponding first column CCDs. Each of the transfer control units includes: a second column CCD which transfers, in a column direction, the charges transferred by the first column CCDs corresponding to the transfer control unit, and a column CCD terminal gate which is provided between the second column CCD and the row CCD, and forms a potential barrier between the second column CCD and the row CCD. | 07-05-2012 |
20120281124 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE, METHOD FOR DRIVING THE SAME, AND CAMERA - A solid-state imaging device according to the present invention includes: first vertical transfer units; transfer control units disposed in correspondence with the first vertical transfer units on m columns, and each configured to selectively transfer the signal charges transferred by any of the corresponding first vertical transfer units; and second vertical transfer units each configured to transfer the signal charges transferred by a corresponding one of the transfer control units. Each of the second vertical transfer units is disposed for horizontal transfer electrodes forming a transfer packet of a horizontal transfer unit and has a region in which a transfer width tapers from the corresponding one of the transfer control units toward the horizontal transfer unit. Moreover, each of the second vertical transfer units is provided with a vertical transfer electrode independent of vertical transfer electrodes of the first vertical transfer units and the transfer control units. | 11-08-2012 |
20150341573 | IMAGE-CAPTURING DEVICE AND DRIVE METHOD THEREFOR - An image-capturing device includes an infrared light source configured to emit infrared light, and a solid-state image-capturing device including a plurality of first pixels configured to convert visible light into signal charge and a plurality of second pixels configured to convert infrared light into signal charge, the plurality of first pixels and the plurality of second pixels being arranged on a semiconductor substrate in a matrix. The solid-state image-capturing device outputs, during the same single frame scanning period, a first signal obtained from the plurality of first pixels, a second signal obtained from the plurality of second pixels during a period of time when the infrared light is emitted, and a third signal obtained from the plurality of second pixels during a period of time when the infrared light is not emitted. | 11-26-2015 |