Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110068253 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM USING THE PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS - A photoelectric conversion apparatus of the present invention includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged on a substrate; a transistor for transferring a signal charge; and a plurality of transistors for reading out the signal charge transferred. The plurality of photoelectric conversion elements include a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element adjacent to each other. The photoelectric conversion apparatus of the present invention includes: a first semiconductor region having a first conductivity type arranged between the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element; and a second semiconductor region having the first conductivity type that is arranged on a region where the plurality of transistors are arranged and that has a width larger than that of the first semiconductor region of the first conductivity type. | 03-24-2011 |
20110134270 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM USING THE SAME - If separations between photoelectric conversion elements are different from each other, charge leaking into adjacent photoelectric conversion elements varies. A photoelectric conversion apparatus of the present invention includes a first semiconductor region that can be potential barriers against signal charge, between first and second photoelectric conversion elements. Further, the apparatus includes a second semiconductor region that has the same depth as the depth of the first semiconductor region and a width narrower than the width of the first semiconductor region and can be potential barriers against the signal charge, between the first and a third photoelectric conversion element. Moreover, the apparatus includes a third semiconductor region that can be potential barriers against the signal charge under the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region. | 06-09-2011 |
20120006993 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An imaging apparatus has an imaging area formed by arranging a plurality of imaging blocks each including a pixel array, a plurality of vertical signal lines, a horizontal output line commonly provided for the plurality of vertical signal lines to read out signals read out to the plurality of vertical signal lines, a first scanning circuit, and a second scanning circuit, wherein signals of the pixels of a selected row in the pixel array are read out to the plurality of vertical signal lines in accordance with a driving pulse from the first scanning circuit, the signals read out to the plurality of vertical signal lines are sequentially read out to the horizontal output line in accordance with a driving pulse from the second scanning circuit, and a length in a row direction of the pixel array is smaller than a length in a column direction of the pixel array. | 01-12-2012 |
20120007197 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element, and a light shielding layer which covers the photoelectric conversion element is provided. The light shielding layer comprises a first light shielding portion which covers at least part of a region between the photoelectric conversion elements that are adjacent to each other, and a second light shielding portion for partially shielding light incident on the photoelectric conversion element of each of the plurality of pixels. An aperture is provided for the light shielding layer, the remaining component of the incident light passing through the aperture. A shape of the aperture includes a cruciform portion including a portion extending in a first direction and a portion extending in a second direction that intersects the first direction. | 01-12-2012 |
20120007203 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging apparatus including pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element, and a light shielding layer covering the photoelectric conversion element is provided. For each of the photoelectric conversion elements, the light shielding layer includes a light shielding portion which shields a portion of incident light to the photoelectric conversion element, and an aperture which passes another portion of the incident light. The pixels include first and second pixels which have different areas on a planar view of the photoelectric conversion element. The area of the photoelectric conversion element in the first pixel is larger than the area of the photoelectric conversion element in the second pixel on the planar view. An area of the light shielding portion included in the first pixel is larger than an area of the light shielding portion included in the second pixel. | 01-12-2012 |
20120008030 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging apparatus including a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion element, and an amplifier circuit which amplifies and outputs signals of the plurality of pixels is provided. The plurality of pixels include a first pixel having a first photoelectric conversion element with a first sensitivity and a second pixel having a second photoelectric conversion element with a second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity. The amplifier circuit amplifies a signal output from the first pixel by a first gain and a signal output from the second pixel by a second gain smaller than the first gain. | 01-12-2012 |
20120008031 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging apparatus has a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arranged to form a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, and a plurality of column signal lines are arranged, wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes a photoelectric converter including a first well formed in a semiconductor substrate and having a first conductivity type, and an impurity region arranged in the first well and having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, and an in-pixel readout circuit which outputs, to the column signal line, a signal corresponding to charges generated in the photoelectric converter, the in-pixel readout circuit including a circuit element arranged in a second well having the first conductivity type, and wherein the first well and the second well are isolated by a semiconductor region having the second conductivity type. | 01-12-2012 |
20120008177 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a pixel array in which a plurality of unit cells are arranged to form a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein each of the plurality of unit cells includes a pixel, and the pixel comprising a photoelectric conversion element and an in-pixel readout circuit which outputs a signal corresponding to charges generated in the photoelectric conversion element, power is supplied to the plurality of unit cells via a power supply line and a ground line, and at least one of the plurality of unit cells includes at least a part of a capacitive element having a first electrode connected to the power supply line and a second electrode connected to the ground line. | 01-12-2012 |
20120228609 | TEST CIRCUIT FOR TESTING SIGNAL RECEIVING UNIT, IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, METHOD OF TESTING SIGNAL RECEIVING UNIT, AND METHOD OF TESTING IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - It is disclosed that, as an embodiment, a test circuit includes a test signal supply unit configured to supply a test signal via a signal line to signal receiving units provided in a plurality of columns, wherein the test signal supply unit is a voltage buffer or a current buffer, and the test circuit has a plurality of test signal supply units and a plurality of signal lines, and wherein at least one test signal supply unit is electrically connected to one signal line different from a signal line to which another test signal supply unit is electrically connected. | 09-13-2012 |
20130113966 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - A solid-state imaging apparatus has a plurality of pixels and an amplifying unit ( | 05-09-2013 |
20130120624 | METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - A signal for focus detection is generated by a first operation, in which a signal of at least one photoelectric conversion element included in a photoelectric conversion unit is read to an input node of an amplification unit and the signal is supplied to a common output line by the amplification unit and signals for forming an image are generated by a second operation, in which a signal of another photoelectric conversion element included in the same photoelectric conversion unit as that including the at least one photoelectric conversion element from which the signal has been read in the first operation is read to the input node of the amplification unit while holding the signal read in the first operation using the amplification unit and the signals are supplied to the common output line by the amplification unit. | 05-16-2013 |
20130248940 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM USING THE PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS - A photoelectric conversion apparatus of the present invention includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged on a substrate; a transistor for transferring a signal charge; and a plurality of transistors for reading out the signal charge transferred. The plurality of photoelectric conversion elements include a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element adjacent to each other. The photoelectric conversion apparatus of the present invention includes: a first semiconductor region having a first conductivity type arranged between the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element; and a second semiconductor region having the first conductivity type that is arranged on a region where the plurality of transistors are arranged and that has a width larger than that of the first semiconductor region of the first conductivity type. | 09-26-2013 |
20130299678 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An imaging apparatus has an imaging area formed by arranging a plurality of imaging blocks each including a pixel array, a plurality of vertical signal lines, a horizontal output line commonly provided for the plurality of vertical signal lines to read out signals read out to the plurality of vertical signal lines, a first scanning circuit, and a second scanning circuit, wherein signals of the pixels of a selected row in the pixel array are read out to the plurality of vertical signal lines in accordance with a driving pulse from the first scanning circuit, the signals read out to the plurality of vertical signal lines are sequentially read out to the horizontal output line in accordance with a driving pulse from the second scanning circuit, and a length in a row direction of the pixel array is smaller than a length in a column direction of the pixel array. | 11-14-2013 |
20140001339 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM USING THE SAME | 01-02-2014 |
20140036121 | SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR, CAMERA, AND METHOD OF DRIVING SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR - An image sensor includes a pixel unit having first and second photoelectric converters, an amplifier provided commonly for the first and second photoelectric converters, first and second transfer transistors configured to respectively transfer charges generated in the first and second electric converters to an input portion of the amplifier. The signal read out by the readout portion includes a first optical signal read out in a state in which charges are transferred from the first photoelectric converter to the input portion by the first transfer transistor, and a second optical signal read out, after the readout of the first optical signal, in a state in which charges are transferred from the second photoelectric converter to the input portion by the second transfer transistor. | 02-06-2014 |
20140253771 | METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - A signal for focus detection is generated by a first operation, in which a signal of at least one photoelectric conversion element included in a photoelectric conversion unit is read to an input node of an amplification unit and the signal is supplied to a common output line by the amplification unit and signals for forming an image are generated by a second operation, in which a signal of another photoelectric conversion element included in the same photoelectric conversion unit as that including the at least one photoelectric conversion element from which the signal has been read in the first operation is read to the input node of the amplification unit while holding the signal read in the first operation using the amplification unit and the signals are supplied to the common output line by the amplification unit. | 09-11-2014 |
20140320690 | IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - One embodiment according to the present invention is an imaging apparatus including a pixel. The pixel includes first and second photoelectric conversion units, a floating diffusion portion, and first and second transfer transistors. The first and second transfer transistors are configured to transfer electric carriers generated respectively at the first and second photoelectric conversion units to the floating diffusion portion. The imaging apparatus includes a first conductive member electrically connected to the gate electrode of the first transfer transistor, a second conductive member electrically connected to the gate electrode of the second transfer transistor, and a control unit. The distance of closest proximity between the first conductive member and the floating diffusion portion is longer than the distance of closest proximity between the second conductive member and the floating diffusion portion. | 10-30-2014 |
20140333817 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - An output impedance of a drive unit configured to drive a drive line is set to be varied during a period in which a drive pulse for setting each transfer transistor to be in a conductive state is supplied and during a period in which a drive pulse for setting each transfer transistor to be in a non-conductive state is supplied. | 11-13-2014 |
20150062394 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGING APPARATUS - The imaging apparatus has a plurality of pixels each of which has a plurality of photoelectric conversion units; generates a plurality of first combined signals obtained by combining signals based on electric charges of photoelectric conversion units in one side with each other, and a plurality of second signals obtained by combining signals based on electric charges of the plurality of photoelectric conversion units with each other; and outputs a part of the first combined signals out of the plurality of first combined signals. | 03-05-2015 |
20150077570 | TEST CIRCUIT FOR TESTING SIGNAL RECEIVING UNIT, IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, METHOD OF TESTING SIGNAL RECEIVING UNIT, AND METHOD OF TESTING IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - It is disclosed that, as an embodiment, a test circuit includes a test signal supply unit configured to supply a test signal via a signal line to signal receiving units provided in a plurality of columns, wherein the test signal supply unit is a voltage buffer or a current buffer, and the test circuit has a plurality of test signal supply units and a plurality of signal lines, and wherein at least one test signal supply unit is electrically connected to one signal line different from a signal line to which another test signal supply unit is electrically connected. | 03-19-2015 |
20150281610 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - Provided is a solid-state imaging apparatus, including: a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements each configured to generate charges by photoelectric conversion; and a plurality of transfer transistors, which are connected to the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, respectively, each configured to transfer the generated charges to the same floating diffusion, in which the plurality of transfer transistors are each configured to be on/off controlled based on a voltage input to a gate terminal thereof, and a length of a period during which the voltage input to the gate terminal changes when a corresponding one of the plurality of transfer transistors is switched from on to off varies from one transfer transistor to another. | 10-01-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080309806 | IMAGING SYSTEM, IMAGE SENSOR, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING IMAGING SYSTEM - An imaging system includes an image sensor and a mechanical shutter which controls the termination of exposure of the image sensor. The image sensor includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed in a matrix, and a vertical scanning unit which scans the pixel array for each row. The vertical scanning unit parallelly executes some of the reset operations of pixels on at least two adjacent rows of the pixel array. The charge accumulation operation of pixels starts upon completion of the reset operation and terminates in response to light shielding by the mechanical shutter. | 12-18-2008 |
20090218479 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An image sensing apparatus includes a pixel array, a first color filter, a second color filter, and a light shielding portion. The amount of electric charges generated in a first pixel after light of a first wavelength enters the first pixel is larger than that of electric charges generated in a second pixel after light of a second wavelength enters the second pixel. The light shielding portion defines the aperture regions of the first and second pixels so as to set the aperture area of the first pixel larger than that of the second pixel. | 09-03-2009 |
20090268083 | IMAGING SYSTEM, IMAGE SENSOR, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING IMAGING SYSTEM - An imaging system includes an image sensor and a mechanical shutter which controls the termination of exposure of the image sensor. The image sensor includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed in a matrix, and a vertical scanning unit which scans the pixel array for each row. The vertical scanning unit parallelly executes some of the reset operations of pixels on at least two adjacent rows of the pixel array. The charge accumulation operation of pixels starts upon completion of the reset operation and terminates in response to light shielding by the mechanical shutter. | 10-29-2009 |
20100238333 | PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE AND IMAGE SENSING SYSTEM - This invention discloses a photoelectric conversion device. The photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel array in which a plurality of pixels are arrayed in a row direction and a column direction, a plurality of readout circuits which read out signals from pixels for respective columns in the pixel array, and a control unit which controls the plurality of readout circuits, wherein each of the plurality of readout circuits includes a holding unit which holds a reference voltage supplied from an external power source, an operational amplification unit which amplifies the signals from the pixels for each column based on the reference voltage held in the holding unit, and a disconnection unit which electrically disconnects the external power source and the holding unit, and the control unit controls the disconnection unit to electrically disconnect the external power source and the holding unit when the operational amplification unit amplifies the signals from the pixels for each column. | 09-23-2010 |
20100327149 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING APPARATUS - An apparatus includes a pixel region having disposed therein in a matrix form a plurality of conversion components, an amplifier transistor which amplifies a signal from the plurality of conversion components, a reset transistor which sets the potential of an input portion of the amplifier transistor to a reset potential, and a select transistor which is connected in series to the amplifier transistor and selects and reads the amplified signal, and well contact regions which are provided within the pixel region. Each of the well contact regions is neighboring to a drain region of the reset transistor, and the drain region of the reset transistor has a lower impurity concentration than the impurity concentration in the source and drain regions of the select transistor. | 12-30-2010 |
20120105670 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An image sensing apparatus includes a pixel array, a first color filter, a second color filter, and a light shielding portion. The amount of electric charges generated in a first pixel after light of a first wavelength enters the first pixel is larger than that of electric charges generated in a second pixel after light of a second wavelength enters the second pixel. The light shielding portion defines the aperture regions of the first and second pixels so as to set the aperture area of the first pixel larger than that of the second pixel. | 05-03-2012 |
20140117211 | IMAGE SENSING APPARATUS AND IMAGING SYSTEM - An image sensing apparatus includes a pixel array, a first color filter, a second color filter, and a light shielding portion. The amount of electric charges generated in a first pixel after light of a first wavelength enters the first pixel is larger than that of electric charges generated in a second pixel after light of a second wavelength enters the second pixel. The light shielding portion defines the aperture regions of the first and second pixels so as to set the aperture area of the first pixel larger than that of the second pixel. | 05-01-2014 |