Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090159784 | INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICE AND IMAGING APPARATUS USING INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICE - An integrated circuit device of the present invention includes a plurality of signal processing circuits classified into a plurality of groups, each signal processing circuit including an amplifier circuit for amplifying an input electric signal and a bias circuit having an input terminal connected electrically to a bias source and supplying a bias input terminal of the amplifier circuit with an operation bias for an amplifying operation of the amplifier circuit; and a plurality of connection wirings arranged each for each of the groups separately, such that the input terminals of the bias circuits of the signal processing circuits in one of the groups are commonly connected through the connection wirings. This provides an integrated circuit device suppressing the lowering of an image quality in consideration of enabling lower power consumption, a low noise characteristic, and high integration, and an imaging apparatus using the integrated circuit. | 06-25-2009 |
20100134171 | CLOCK GENERATION CIRCUIT AND INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A clock generation circuit comprises: a first generation unit; a second generation unit; and a control unit that, using a plurality of third delay elements that respectively have a propagation delay time that correlates with the propagation delay time of a first delay element, and correlates with the propagation delay time of a second delay element, generates a control signal for controlling the third delay elements such that a total of propagation delay times of the plurality of third delay elements corresponds to a target value depending on a cycle of the external clock, and controls the propagation delay time of the first delay element, the propagation delay time of the second delay element, and the propagation delay times of the third delay elements using the control signal. | 06-03-2010 |
20100231762 | IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING METHOD AND CAMERA USING THE IMAGE SIGNAL PROCESSING APPARATUS - When clamping a signal from a solid state image sensor, float of an optical black pixel output due to incoming of infrared light avoids a malfunction of a clamp from occurring. When clamping a signal from the solid state image sensor, the difference between the optical black pixel output and a clamp target level is output as a difference output, the difference output is compared with a comparison level to integrate the number of times larger than the comparison level every horizontal line. When the number of times is equal to or more than a certain rate (⅔) from the number of optical black pixels on the horizontal line, an optical black float state is determined and clamping operation is performed in accordance with a held value immediately before. | 09-16-2010 |
20100327176 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An image pickup apparatus includes a detection unit in which a matrix of pixels converts radiation or light into analog electrical signals, a reading circuit configured to perform signal processing operation by reading the analog electric signals on a row-by-row basis, an A/D converter configured to convert a pixel signal output from the reading circuit into pixel data, and a correction processing unit configured to correct the pixel data. A control unit performs control processing so that the reading circuit outputs reset signals to the A/D converter in a period in which the signal processing operation of a predetermined row is performed, the A/D converter converts the reset signals into pieces of reset data in the period, and the correction processing unit averages the pieces of reset data output from the A/D converter and performs subtraction with the averaged reset data and the pixel data output from the A/D converter. | 12-30-2010 |
20110210778 | CLOCK GENERATION CIRCUIT AND INTEGRATED CIRCUIT - A clock generation circuit comprises: a first generation unit; a second generation unit; and a control unit that, using a plurality of third delay elements that respectively have a propagation delay time that correlates with the propagation delay time of a first delay element, and correlates with the propagation delay time of a second delay element, generates a control signal for controlling the third delay elements such that a total of propagation delay times of the plurality of third delay elements corresponds to a target value depending on a cycle of the external clock, and controls the propagation delay time of the first delay element, the propagation delay time of the second delay element, and the propagation delay times of the third delay elements using the control signal. | 09-01-2011 |
20110309235 | A/D CONVERTER, SOLID-STATE IMAGE SENSOR USING PLURALITY OF A/D CONVERTERS AND DRIVING METHOD OF A/D CONVERTER - An analog-to-digital converter converts an analog signal into a digital signal by measuring a time period until a magnitude relation between a voltage level of a reference signal that changes along with time and a voltage level of the analog signal is inverted. The converter comprises a holding unit which holds, as a voltage level that is an analog value, an offset value of the analog-to-digital converter upon analog-to-digital converting a reference voltage level by the analog-to-digital converter, wherein the offset value of the analog-to-digital converter is corrected by changing the voltage level of the analog signal by the voltage level of the offset value held by the holding unit. | 12-22-2011 |
20120026371 | IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE, IMAGE CAPTURING SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF DRIVING IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE - An image capturing device comprises a pixel array having a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion portion, a plurality of signal lines connected to the pixel array, a plurality of column amplifiers configured to respectively amplify signals transferred from the pixel array via the signal lines, the column amplifier comprising a first input terminal, a first output terminal, an amplifier having a second input terminal and a second output terminal, a feedback capacitance arranged between the second input terminal and the first output terminal, an input capacitance having an electrode connected to the first input terminal, and an electrode connected to the second input terminal, a first switch arranged between the second input terminal and the second output terminal, a second switch arranged between the first output terminal and the second output terminal, and a third switch arranged between a reference voltage terminal and the first output terminal. | 02-02-2012 |
20120242878 | AD CONVERTING CIRCUIT, PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERTING APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND DRIVING METHOD FOR AD CONVERTING CIRCUIT - An apparatus for acquiring an i-bit digital code by a first stage AD conversion and a j-bit digital code by a second stage AD conversion includes a comparing unit which compares a reference signal and an analog signal in the first stage AD conversion; and an amplifying unit for outputting an amplified residual signal acquired by amplifying a difference between the analog signal and an analog signal corresponding to the i-bit digital code. The comparing unit compares the amplified residual signal and the reference signal in the second stage AD conversion. | 09-27-2012 |
20130088628 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING SYSTEM - A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, a plurality of readout circuits provided in each column of the plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, configured to read out for each column a signal of the plurality of pixels, a plurality of comparison units configured to compare a signal output from the plurality of readout circuits with a reference signal whose level changes with time, a counter configured to perform a count operation from when the level of the reference signal starts to change, first and second buffers each configured to buffer a count value of the counter, and a plurality of storing units connected to the plurality of comparison units, configured to store a count value of the counter when a magnitude relation between a signal output from the plurality of the readout circuits and the reference signal is inverted. | 04-11-2013 |
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 |
20130229543 | IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND IMAGING APPARATUS DRIVING METHOD - An imaging apparatus, driving method of the imaging apparatus, and an imaging system, are provided, wherein pixels output at least two image signals with different viable signal ranges, and the pixel signal with a larger signal range is converted to a digital signal during a first period, and the pixel signal with a smaller signal range is converted to a digital signal during a second period shorter than the first period. | 09-05-2013 |
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 |
20130235240 | IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING SYSTEM, AND DRIVING METHOD OF IMAGING DEVICE - Each of pixels in an imaging device includes a photoelectric converter and a first transistor. A signal based on a charge generated by the photoelectric converter is to be input into the first transistor. The imaging device includes a second transistor arranged at a ratio of one as to the pixels. A reference signal is to be input into the second transistor. The second transistor defines a differential pair together with the first transistor. The imaging device includes a comparator including the first transistor and the second transistor. Each of the pixels includes a selecting unit configured to turn off the first transistor by applying the first voltage to a control node of the first transistor. | 09-12-2013 |
20130341489 | SOLID-STATE IMAGING DEVICE - A solid-state imaging device including an AD converter and a pixel array is provided. The AD converter performs a ramp comparison and a successive-approximation. The AD converter determines a digital value by performing one of the ramp comparison and the successive-approximation as a former comparison operation and then performing the other as a latter comparison operation in the range narrowed down by the former comparison operation. The pixel array supplies, to the AD converter, a reference signal corresponding to a reset level of the pixel, and an image signal having image information. The AD converter performs the latter comparison operation without performing the former comparison operation, when the reference signal is supplied. | 12-26-2013 |
20140078362 | AD CONVERTING CIRCUIT, PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERTING APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND DRIVING METHOD FOR AD CONVERTING CIRCUIT - An apparatus for acquiring an i-bit digital code by a first stage AD conversion and a j-bit digital code by a second stage AD conversion includes a comparing unit which compares a reference signal and an analog signal in the first stage AD conversion; and an amplifying unit for outputting an amplified residual signal acquired by amplifying a difference between the analog signal and an analog signal corresponding to the i-bit digital code. The comparing unit compares the amplified residual signal and the reference signal in the second stage AD conversion. | 03-20-2014 |
20140168449 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS, IMAGE PICKUP SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR DRIVING IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS - There are provided an image pickup apparatus, an image pickup system, and a method for driving the image pickup apparatus which perform correction of a reference potential used in an operation performed by a successive approximation AD conversion circuit and correction of a digital signal, into which a pixel signal which is output by a pixel is converted. | 06-19-2014 |
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 |
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 |