Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120002070 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR AND CAMERA - A solid-state image sensor having a pixel array area where a plurality of pixels are arranged, and a peripheral circuit area, each pixel including a photoelectric converter, and a transfer gate electrode which forms a channel for transferring charges generated by the photoelectric converter to a floating diffusion portion, comprises a first insulating film arranged to cover an upper surface of the photoelectric converter, at least part of an upper surface of the transfer gate electrode, and a side surface of the transfer gate electrode, a second insulating film arranged on a gate electrode of a MOS transistor arranged in the peripheral circuit area, and an interlayer insulating film arranged in contact with the first insulating film and the second insulating film. | 01-05-2012 |
20120327279 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF DRIVING THE SAME - An imaging apparatus and a method of driving the same that can generate a digital data of a high resolution pixel signal are provided. The imaging apparatus includes: a pixel ( | 12-27-2012 |
20130063627 | IMAGING APPARATUS - An imaging apparatus includes: a pixel generating a photoelectric conversion signal; a comparator comparing a base signal based on the pixel at a reset state with a time-changing first reference signal, and comparing an effective signal based on the pixel at a non-reset state with a time-changing second reference signal, the second reference signal having a larger time-changing ratio than that of the second reference signal; a counter counting a first count value until an inversion of a magnitude relation between the base signal and the first reference signal, and counting a second count value until an inversion of a magnitude relation between the effective signal and the second reference signal; and a correcting unit configured to correct the difference of resolutions of the first and second count values, and configured to correct the difference between the corrected first and second count values. | 03-14-2013 |
20130206961 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSING DEVICE - An image sensor comprises plural sets of a unit pixel outputting a pixel signal based on an electric charge generated through photoelectric conversion and a conversion unit converting the pixel signal into a digital signal. A reference signal source generates reference signals and supplies the generated reference signals to the conversion unit through signal lines. The conversion unit of each set comprises a comparator which compares the level of the reference signal with that of the pixel signal, a count circuit which counts a clock based on the comparison processing, a selection circuit which selects, among the signal lines, a signal line to be selectively connected to the input of the comparator, and a switch which selectively connects the selected signal line to the input of the comparator, and selectively connects a load to an unselected one of the signal lines. | 08-15-2013 |
20130229555 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, IMAGING APPARATUS DRIVING METHOD, AND IMAGING SYSTEM DRIVING METHOD - Pixels output a first signal based on signal charge of a part of photoelectric conversion units of multiple photoelectric conversion units, and a second signal based on signal charge of multiple photoelectric conversion units. An imaging apparatus outputs signals based on the first signals and signals based on the second signals by reducing the number of signals based on the first signals as compared to the number of signals based on the second signals. | 09-05-2013 |
20130258131 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - When a level of a signal output from a pixel is higher than a comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a first period by using a first reference signal. If the level of the signal output from the pixel is lower than the comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a second period that is longer than the first period by using a second reference signal. | 10-03-2013 |
20130258132 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a plurality of pixels provided in a plurality of columns, a plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units each provided for a corresponding one of the plurality of columns, and a correction unit. Each of the plurality of analog-to-digital conversion units is configured to convert a signal of a corresponding one of the plurality of pixels into a digital signal at a resolution corresponding to a magnitude of the signal. The correction unit is configured to correct a difference in the resolution. | 10-03-2013 |
20130271633 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An AD converting unit compares an output signal from an amplifier circuit after reset of a pixel with a reference signal of time-variable, outputs a first digital value, when the output signal from the amplifier circuit in a non-reset state of the pixel is larger than a threshold, sets a gain of the amplifier circuit to a first gain, when the output signal is smaller than the threshold, sets the gain of the amplifier circuit to a second gain larger than the first gain, further after the gain of the amplifier circuit was set to the first or second gain, compares the output signal from the amplifier circuit in the non-reset state of the pixel with the reference signal of time-variable, and outputs a second digital value. When resolutions of the first and second digital values differ, a correcting unit corrects a difference between the resolutions. | 10-17-2013 |
20140098269 | IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGING SYSTEM - A method drives an imaging system including: a plurality of pixels; an amplifier having an input node connected to the plurality of pixels via an input capacitor, and an output node connected to the input node via a feedback capacitor; and a reset unit configured to reset the input node to a base potential. The method includes the steps of: causing the input capacitor to hold noise output from one of the plurality of pixels; adding signals output from the two or more pixels in the feedback capacitor; and obtaining a difference between a signal applying a gain to a base signal output from the amplifier according to the reset of the input node of the amplifier and the signal added in the feedback capacitor. | 04-10-2014 |
20140175263 | METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, METHOD FOR CORRECTING DIGITAL SIGNAL, IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE, METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM, AND IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM - There are provided a method for driving an image pickup device, a method for correcting a digital signal, an image pickup device, a method for driving an image capturing system, and an image capturing system. Digital signals are generated on the basis of a potential at an input node of a comparison unit by using a first reference signal whose potential changes by a first amount per unit time and a second reference signal whose potential changes by a second amount per unit time, the second amount being greater than the first amount. A correction value based on a difference in signal value between the digital signals is derived. A digital signal based on a pixel signal is corrected on the basis of the derived correction value. | 06-26-2014 |
20140184844 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND DRIVING METHOD OF PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE - A photoelectric conversion device includes analog signal output units including pixels and configured to output analog signals based on pixels, and signal processing units. Each of the signal processing units is provided correspondingly to one of the analog signal output units and includes a gain application unit configured to apply a gain to an analog signal and an AD conversion unit. The gain application unit selectively outputs a first amplified signal obtained by applying a first gain of 1 or less to the analog signal or a second amplified signal obtained by applying a second gain, smaller than the first gain, to the analog signal. The AD conversion unit converts, from analog to digital, the first or second amplified signal output from the gain application unit. | 07-03-2014 |
20140184865 | Photoelectric Conversion Device, Image Pickup System, and Driving Method Of Photoelectric Conversion Device - A photoelectric conversion device includes analog signal output units including pixels and configured to output analog signals based on pixels, and signal processing units. Each of the signal processing units is provided correspondingly to one of the analog signal output units and including a gain application unit configured to apply a gain to an analog signal by using only passive elements and an AD conversion unit. In the gain application unit, a portion that contributes to application of a gain to the analog signal is constituted only of passive elements. The gain application unit selectively outputs a first amplified signal obtained by applying a first gain to the analog signal or a second amplified signal obtained by applying a second gain to the analog signal smaller than the first gain. The AD conversion unit converts, from analog to digital, the first or second amplified signal. | 07-03-2014 |
20140293085 | IMAGING DEVICE, DRIVING METHOD OF IMAGING DEVICE, AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An imaging device includes a comparator that compares a noise signal with each of a first reference signal and a second reference signal having potentials with different changing quantities per unit time, and that compares a photoelectric conversion signal with each of the first reference signal and the second reference signal. Also, the imaging device AD-converts signals obtained by amplifying the noise signal by a first gain and a second gain having different gains, and AD-converts a signal obtained by amplifying the photoelectric conversion signal by one of a first gain and a second gain. | 10-02-2014 |
20150021464 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM - When a level of a signal output from a pixel is higher than a comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a first period by using a first reference signal. If the level of the signal output from the pixel is lower than the comparison level, the signal output from the pixel is converted into a digital signal during a second period that is longer than the first period by using a second reference signal. | 01-22-2015 |