公开(公告)号：US20180176491A1

公开(公告)日：2018-06-21

申请号：US15806911

申请日：2017-11-08

Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation

Inventor： Fumihide MURAO

IPC: H04N5/361 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/378

CPC classification number: H04N5/361 ,  H04N5/3575 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: In a related image pickup device, there is a problem that an effect of noises that are superimposed on a signal on a signal reading path from a pixel circuit cannot be reduced. According to an embodiment, an image pickup device includes a first sampling-and-holding circuit 51 configured to sample a signal output from a pixel circuit, a buffer circuit 52 configured to amplify a signal held in the first sampling-and-holding circuit 51, and a second sampling-and-holding circuit 53 configured to sample a signal output from the buffer circuit 52, in which the image pickup device obtains a digital value corresponding to a signal output from the pixel circuit by passing the signal output from the pixel circuit through the first sampling-and-holding circuit 51, the buffer circuit 52, and the second sampling-and-holding circuit 53 in this order, and thereby transmitting the signal to an analog/digital conversion circuit 24.

公开(公告)号：US20180149831A1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-31

申请号：US15884726

申请日：2018-01-31

Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION

Inventor： Tatsuya KITAMORI ,  Katsumi DOSAKA ,  Fumihide MURAO

IPC: G02B7/36 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/374 ,  G02B7/30 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/369

CPC classification number: G02B7/365 ,  G02B7/30 ,  H01L27/14627 ,  H04N5/3696 ,  H04N5/3742 ,  H04N5/37457

Abstract: In an image sensor according to related art, charge information cannot be read at the same time from a pair of photoelectric conversion elements placed corresponding to one microlens. According to one embodiment, an image sensor includes a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element placed corresponding to one microlens, a first transfer transistor placed corresponding to the first photoelectric conversion element and a second transfer transistor placed corresponding to the second photoelectric conversion element, a read timing signal line that supplies a common read timing signal to the first transfer transistor and the second transfer transistor, a first output line that outputs a signal of the first photoelectric conversion element to the outside, and a second output line that outputs a signal of the second photoelectric conversion element to the outside.

公开(公告)号：US20170187969A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-29

申请号：US15378223

申请日：2016-12-14

Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation

Inventor： Tatsuya KITAMORI ,  Fumihide MURAO ,  Kyoji YAMASAKI

IPC: H04N5/357 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/376 ,  H04N5/378

CPC classification number: H04N5/357 ,  H01L27/14605 ,  H01L27/14621 ,  H01L27/14627 ,  H01L27/14636 ,  H01L27/14645 ,  H04N5/347 ,  H04N5/3696 ,  H04N5/37457 ,  H04N5/3765 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A related art imaging device is accompanied by the problem that it must perform read processing on pixel data generated within pixel units for every row, and an SN ratio of the pixel data is not capable of being enhanced sufficiently. According to one embodiment, an imaging device has common floating diffusion wirings and floating diffusion switches which switch whether or not to couple floating diffusions of a plurality of pixel units arranged in a column direction, and combines pixel data generated by the pixel units in the floating diffusions coupled within the pixel units.

公开(公告)号：US20180063450A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-01

申请号：US15650170

申请日：2017-07-14

Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation

Inventor： Fumihide MURAO

IPC: H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/378

CPC classification number: H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/23277 ,  H04N5/343 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/37455 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: In a related-art image pickup device, there is a problem that the power consumption increases. A semiconductor device includes a plurality of pixel circuits connected to one vertical signal line SL, and an inverting amplification circuit configured to amplify a signal level obtained through the vertical signal line SL with an amplification factor determined according to a capacitance ratio between an input capacity Ci and a feedback capacity Cf, in which the feedback capacity Cf is disconnected from an output of the inverting amplification circuit and connected to the vertical signal line SL in a charge recovery period set in a period between a first timing and a second timing, the first timing being a timing when amplification of an image pickup signal read from a first pixel circuit by the inverting amplification circuit has been completed, the second timing being a timing when amplification of a dark level signal read from a second pixel circuit by the inverting amplification circuit is started.

公开(公告)号：US20170251158A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-31

申请号：US15463921

申请日：2017-03-20

Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation

Inventor： Yasutoshi AIBARA ,  Fumihide MURAO

IPC: H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/351 ,  H04N5/378

CPC classification number: H04N5/37455 ,  H04N5/351 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor used as a solid-state image sensing device includes a pixel circuit for outputting a voltage of a level corresponding to the illuminance, and an A/D converter for converting an output voltage of the pixel circuit into a digital signal. The resolution on the low illuminance side is higher than the resolution on the high illuminance side in the A/D converter. Thus, the dynamic range can be increased and the operation speed can be increased, compared to the case in which the resolution is constant independent of the illuminance.

公开(公告)号：US20180054578A1

公开(公告)日：2018-02-22

申请号：US15597312

申请日：2017-05-17

Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation

Inventor： Tatsuya KITAMORI ,  Fumiyasu SASAKI ,  Fumihide MURAO

IPC: H04N5/361 ,  H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/376 ,  H04N5/347 ,  H04N5/232

CPC classification number: H04N5/361 ,  H04N5/23245 ,  H04N5/347 ,  H04N5/3696 ,  H04N5/3742 ,  H04N5/37457 ,  H04N5/3765 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: To solve the problem of conventional image sensing devices that require much time for reading pixel signals, an image sensing device according to an embodiment includes a first pixel unit coupled to a first vertical read line, a second pixel unit coupled to a second vertical read line and placed in the column of the first pixel unit, a first transfer switch provided at an end of the first read line, and a second transfer switch provided at an end of the second read line. When the first transfer switch is controlled to be closed and the second transfer switch is controlled to be conductive, the image sensing device performs a reset process of the vertical read line by a dark level signal output from the second pixel unit, and a conversion process of the dark level read from the first pixel unit, and the pixel signal into digital values.

公开(公告)号：US20170187972A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-29

申请号：US15364482

申请日：2016-11-30

Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation

Inventor： Fumihide MURAO

IPC: H04N5/363 ,  H04N5/359 ,  H04N5/378

CPC classification number: H04N5/363 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/37457

Abstract: A conventional image sensing device has a problem of a large variation of a reset voltage of a floating diffusion. According to an embodiment, an image sensing device includes a reset circuit switching a voltage to be supplied to a floating diffusion when the floating diffusion is reset. In a first reset operation (PD reset) performed prior to a light-exposure period for exposing a photoelectric conversion element with light, the reset circuit supplies a first reset voltage generated based on a power-source voltage to the floating diffusion. In a second reset operation (FD reset) performed during the light-exposure period for exposing the photoelectric conversion element with the light, the reset circuit supplies a second reset voltage generated based on a reset correction voltage lower than the power-source voltage to the floating diffusion, and then supplies the first reset voltage.

公开(公告)号：US20180295303A1

公开(公告)日：2018-10-11

申请号：US15904610

申请日：2018-02-26

Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation

Inventor： Fumihide MURAO

IPC: H04N5/363 ,  H04N5/353 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H01L27/146

Abstract: According to an embodiment, an imaging element includes a first chip in which a light detection circuit that amplifies a voltage level corresponding to an amount of light received by a photoelectric conversion element using a first source follower circuit and outputs a first imaging signal voltage is formed so as to be exposed to light and a second chip on which the first chip is stacked to shield a circuit formation region from light. In the circuit formation region of the second chip, at least a pixel value storage capacitance, an input transfer transistor which transfers the first imaging signal voltage output from the light detection circuit to the pixel value storage capacitance, and a second source follower circuit which amplifies a voltage generated on the basis of the first imaging signal voltage stored in the pixel value storage capacitance and outputs a second imaging signal voltage are formed.

公开(公告)号：US20160227143A1

公开(公告)日：2016-08-04

申请号：US14961630

申请日：2015-12-07

Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION

Inventor： Tatsuya KITAMORI ,  Katsumi DOSAKA ,  Fumihide MURAO

IPC: H04N5/378 ,  H04N5/372 ,  G02B7/36 ,  H04N5/369

CPC classification number: G02B7/365 ,  G02B7/30 ,  H01L27/14627 ,  H04N5/3696 ,  H04N5/3742 ,  H04N5/37457

Abstract: In an image sensor according to related art, charge information cannot be read at the same time from a pair of photoelectric conversion elements placed corresponding to one microlens. According to one embodiment, an image sensor includes a first photoelectric conversion element and a second photoelectric conversion element placed corresponding to one microlens, a first transfer transistor placed corresponding to the first photoelectric conversion element and a second transfer transistor placed corresponding to the second photoelectric conversion element, a read timing signal line that supplies a common read timing signal to the first transfer transistor and the second transfer transistor, a first output line that outputs a signal of the first photoelectric conversion element to the outside, and a second output line that outputs a signal of the second photoelectric conversion element to the outside.

Abstract translation: 在根据现有技术的图像传感器中，不能同时从对应于一个微透镜放置的一对光电转换元件读取电荷信息。 根据一个实施例，图像传感器包括对应于一个微透镜放置的第一光电转换元件和第二光电转换元件，对应于第一光电转换元件放置的第一转移晶体管和与第二光电转换相对应放置的第二转移晶体管 元件，向第一传输晶体管和第二传输晶体管提供公共读定时信号的读定时信号线，将第一光电转换元件的信号输出到外部的第一输出线和输出 第二光电转换元件的信号到外部。

公开(公告)号：US20150109506A1

公开(公告)日：2015-04-23

申请号：US14517807

申请日：2014-10-18

Applicant: Renesas Electronics Corporation

Inventor： Yasutoshi AIBARA ,  Fumihide MURAO

IPC: H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/351

CPC classification number: H04N5/37455 ,  H04N5/351 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor used as a solid-state image sensing device includes a pixel circuit for outputting a voltage of a level corresponding to the illuminance, and an A/D converter for converting an output voltage of the pixel circuit into a digital signal. The resolution on the low illuminance side is higher than the resolution on the high illuminance side in the A/D converter. Thus, the dynamic range can be increased and the operation speed can be increased, compared to the case in which the resolution is constant independent of the illuminance.

Abstract translation: 用作固态图像感测装置的CMOS图像传感器包括用于输出与照度相对应的电平的像素电路，以及用于将像素电路的输出电压转换为数字信号的A / D转换器。 低照度侧的分辨率高于A / D转换器的高照度侧的分辨率。 因此，与独立于照度的分辨率恒定的情况相比，可以增加动态范围并且可以提高操作速度。