IMAGE SENSOR AND METHOD FOR READOUT OF AN IMAGE SENSOR

    公开(公告)号:EP3324545A1

    公开(公告)日:2018-05-23

    申请号:EP16200064.0

    申请日:2016-11-22

    申请人: ams AG

    摘要: An image sensor is proposed to have a stack with at least a pixel array tier (PXT) and a control logic tier (CLT). The pixel array tier (PXT) comprises an array of pixels which are arranged into pixel columns (n), each pixel column (n) comprising a number of N sub-columns: Each sub-column is denoted by N(n,i) with 1 ≤ i ≤ N. The control logic tier (CLT) comprises an array of analog-to-digital-converters (ADC(m)) which are arranged into ADC columns (m), wherein each analog-to-digital converter (ADC(m)) comprises a number of M stages. Each stage is denoted by M(m,j) with 1 ≤ j ≤ M, Furthermore, each respective sub-column N(n,i) is electrically connected to a dedicated stage M(m,j=i) and the stages M(m,j) are electrically interconnected to form the analog-to-digital converters (ADC(m)), respectively. The control logic tier (CLT) is arranged to sequentially read out the sub-columns N(n,i), wherein the stages M(m,j=i) dedicated to the sub-columns N(n,i) are arranged as input stages to sequentially receive signal levels of the pixels in the sub-columns N(n,i), respectively. The input stages are arranged to perform on the sequentially received signal levels a coarse first analog-to-digital conversion. The remaining stages M(m,j≠i) are arranged to sequentially perform finer analog-to-digital conversions of the received signal levels.

    Image pickup unit and image-pickup and display system
    5.
    发明授权
    Image pickup unit and image-pickup and display system 有权
    图像拾取单元和图像拾取和显示系统

    公开(公告)号:EP2560373B1

    公开(公告)日:2018-02-28

    申请号:EP12179817.7

    申请日:2012-08-09

    IPC分类号: H04N5/32 H04N5/359

    CPC分类号: H04N5/3597 H04N5/32 H04N5/379

    摘要: An image pickup unit includes: an image pickup section including pixels, each of the pixels including a photoelectric conversion device; and a drive section performing a line-sequential readout drive and a line-sequential reset drive. The drive section intermittently performs the line-sequential reset drive multiple times during one frame period, to allow a non-overlap period to be provided at least in part of reset operation periods in an overlap period. The overlap period is a period during which a drive period of one of the multiple line-sequential reset drives and a drive period of one of the remaining multiple line-sequential reset drives are overlapped. The non-overlap period is a period during which each of the reset operations by the one of the multiple line-sequential drives is not overlapped with any of the reset operations by the one of the remaining multiple line-sequential reset drives.

    IMAGE PICKUP UNIT, IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND IMAGE PICKUP CONTROL PROGRAM
    6.
    发明公开
    IMAGE PICKUP UNIT, IMAGE PICKUP DEVICE AND IMAGE PICKUP CONTROL PROGRAM 审中-公开
    图像拾取单元,图像拾取设备和图像拾取控制程序

    公开(公告)号:EP2833620A1

    公开(公告)日:2015-02-04

    申请号:EP13768038.5

    申请日:2013-03-28

    申请人: Nikon Corporation

    发明人: TSUNAI, Shiro

    摘要: When the amplification ratio is low and strong incident light causes a large charge, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is weak is also weak, but when the amplification ratio is high in regions where the incident light is weak, the signal retrieved from regions where the incident light is strong becomes saturated. Therefore, the dynamic range of the imaging unit is narrow. Provided is an imaging unit comprising an imaging section that includes a first group having one or more pixels and a second group having one or more pixels different from those of the first group; and a control section that, while a single charge accumulation is performed in the first group, causes pixel signals to be output by performing charge accumulation in the second group a number of times differing from a number of times charge accumulation is performed in the first group.

    摘要翻译: 当放大比率低并且强入射光导致大电荷时,从入射光较弱的区域取回的信号也很弱,但是当入射光较弱的区域中的放大率高时,从 入射光强的区域变得饱和。 因此,成像单元的动态范围很窄。 提供了一种成像单元,包括成像部分,该成像部分包括具有一个或多个像素的第一组和具有与第一组不同的一个或多个像素的第二组; 以及控制部分,其在第一组中执行单个电荷累积的同时,通过在第二组中执行与在第一组中执行电荷累积的次数不同的次数的第二组中的电荷累积来输出像素信号 。