公开(公告)号：US07292276B2

公开(公告)日：2007-11-06

申请号：US10875780

申请日：2004-06-25

申请人： Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Hiromi Kusakabe ,  Nagataka Tanaka

发明人： Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Hiromi Kusakabe ,  Nagataka Tanaka

IPC分类号： H04N3/14

CPC分类号： H04N5/3658 ,  H04N5/3575 ,  H04N5/3591 ,  H04N5/361 ,  H04N5/3698 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/3741 ,  H04N5/378

摘要： In a CMOS image sensor, current leakage after a series of noise removing operations has been completed is suppressed in a read operation for each horizontal line, thereby suppressing image noise occurring on the output display screen of the image sensor. There are provided signal storage regions for storing the signals read from the unit cells in the same row selected in the imaging area onto vertical signal lines and horizontal select transistors for sequentially selecting and reading the signals stored in the individual signal storage regions and transferring them to read horizontal signal lines. At least in the period during which the signals are read from the signal storage regions, one of the drain and source of the transistor electrically connected to the signal path between the vertical signal line and horizontal signal line is biased in the reverse direction with respect to the substrate region. Two adjacent ones of the horizontal select transistors form a pair. The horizontal select transistors in each pair share one of the source/drain regions so as to be connected to the horizontal signal line in common, and the others of the source/drain regions are connected to the vertical signal line individually.

摘要翻译： 在CMOS图像传感器中，对于每个水平线的读取操作，抑制了一系列噪声去除操作之后的电流泄漏，从而抑制了图像传感器的输出显示屏幕上出现的图像噪声。 提供信号存储区域，用于将从成像区域中选择的同一行中的单位单元读取的信号存储到垂直信号线和水平选择晶体管上，用于顺序选择和读取存储在各个信号存储区域中的信号并将其传送到 读取水平信号线。 至少在从信号存储区读取信号的期间中，与垂直信号线和水平信号线之间的信号路径电连接的晶体管的漏极和源极之一相对于 衬底区域。 两个相邻的水平选择晶体管形成一对。 每对中的水平选择晶体管共享源极/漏极区域中的一个，以便与水平信号线共同连接，源极/漏极区域中的另一个分别连接到垂直信号线。

公开(公告)号：US07362366B2

公开(公告)日：2008-04-22

申请号：US10875781

申请日：2004-06-25

申请人： Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Hiromi Kusakabe ,  Nagataka Tanaka

发明人： Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Hiromi Kusakabe ,  Nagataka Tanaka

IPC分类号： H04N3/14

CPC分类号： H04N5/3658 ,  H04N5/3575 ,  H04N5/3591 ,  H04N5/361 ,  H04N5/3698 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/3741 ,  H04N5/378

摘要： In a CMOS image sensor, current leakage after a series of noise removing operations has been completed is suppressed in a read operation for each horizontal line, thereby suppressing image noise occurring on the output display screen of the image sensor. There are provided signal storage regions for storing the signals read from the unit cells in the same row selected in the imaging area onto vertical signal lines and horizontal select transistors for sequentially selecting and reading the signals stored in the individual signal storage regions and transferring them to read horizontal signal lines. At least in the period during which the signals are read from the signal storage regions, one of the drain and source of the transistor electrically connected to the signal path between the vertical signal line and horizontal signal line is biased in the reverse direction with respect to the substrate region. Two adjacent ones of the horizontal select transistors form a pair. The horizontal select transistors in each pair share one of the source/drain regions so as to be connected to the horizontal signal line in common, and the others of the source/drain regions are connected to the vertical signal line individually.

摘要翻译： 在CMOS图像传感器中，对于每个水平线的读取操作，抑制了一系列噪声去除操作之后的电流泄漏，从而抑制了图像传感器的输出显示屏幕上出现的图像噪声。 提供信号存储区域，用于将从成像区域中选择的同一行中的单位单元读取的信号存储到垂直信号线和水平选择晶体管上，用于顺序选择和读取存储在各个信号存储区域中的信号并将其传送到 读取水平信号线。 至少在从信号存储区读取信号的期间中，与垂直信号线和水平信号线之间的信号路径电连接的晶体管的漏极和源极之一相对于 衬底区域。 两个相邻的水平选择晶体管形成一对。 每对中的水平选择晶体管共享源极/漏极区域中的一个，以便与水平信号线共同连接，源极/漏极区域中的另一个分别连接到垂直信号线。

公开(公告)号：US06801256B1

公开(公告)日：2004-10-05

申请号：US09322994

申请日：1999-06-01

申请人： Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Hiromi Kusakabe ,  Nagataka Tanaka

发明人： Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Hiromi Kusakabe ,  Nagataka Tanaka

IPC分类号： H04N314

CPC分类号： H04N5/3658 ,  H04N5/3575 ,  H04N5/3591 ,  H04N5/361 ,  H04N5/3698 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/3741 ,  H04N5/378

摘要： In a CMOS image sensor, current leakage after a series of noise removing operations has been completed is suppressed in a read operation for each horizontal line, thereby suppressing image noise occurring on the output display screen of the image sensor. There are provided signal storage regions for storing the signals read from the unit cells in the same row selected in the imaging area onto vertical signal lines and horizontal select transistors for sequentially selecting and reading the signals stored in the individual signal storage regions and transferring them to read horizontal signal lines. At least in the period during which the signals are read from the signal storage regions, one of the drain and source of the transistor electrically connected to the signal path between the vertical signal line and horizontal signal line is biased in the reverse direction with respect to the substrate region. Two adjacent ones of the horizontal select transistors form a pair. The horizontal select transistors in each pair share one of the source/drain regions so as to be connected to the horizontal signal line in common, and the others of the source/drain regions are connected to the vertical signal line individually.

公开(公告)号：US06507365B1

公开(公告)日：2003-01-14

申请号：US09450749

申请日：1999-11-30

申请人： Nobuo Nakamura ,  Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Yoshiyuki Matsunaga ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Fumio Izawa ,  Hiroki Miura ,  Ryohei Miyagawa ,  Ikuko Inoue ,  Tsuyoshi Arakawa ,  Yoshiyuki Tomizawa ,  Makoto Hoshino

发明人： Nobuo Nakamura ,  Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Yoshiyuki Matsunaga ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Fumio Izawa ,  Hiroki Miura ,  Ryohei Miyagawa ,  Ikuko Inoue ,  Tsuyoshi Arakawa ,  Yoshiyuki Tomizawa ,  Makoto Hoshino

IPC分类号： H04N314

CPC分类号： H04N5/361 ,  H04N5/23274 ,  H04N5/2357 ,  H04N5/3452 ,  H04N5/3454 ,  H04N5/353 ,  H04N5/374

摘要： A solid-state imaging device with a variable (continuous) electronic shutter function comprises an imaging area where unit cells with photodiodes acting as pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, read lines for driving the read transistors in each pixel row, vertical selection lines for driving the vertical selection transistors in each pixel row, a vertical driving circuit for selectively driving vertical selection lines, vertical signal lines for outputting the signal from each unit cell in the pixel rows driven sequentially, and a row selection circuit for controlling the vertical driving circuit in such a manner that the vertical driving circuit drives the read transistors in each pixel row with the desired signal storage timing and signal read timing twice in that order and thereby drives the vertical selection transistors in the pixel row in synchronization with the signal read timing.

摘要翻译： 具有可变（连续）电子快门功能的固态成像装置包括成像区域，其中以二维作为像素的光电二极管的单位单元被二维布置，用于驱动每个像素行中的读取晶体管的读取线，用于驱动的​​垂直选择线 每个像素行中的垂直选择晶体管，用于选择性地驱动垂直选择线的垂直驱动电路，用于输出依次驱动的像素行中的每个单元的信号的垂直信号线和用于控制垂直驱动电路的行选择电路 垂直驱动电路以期望的信号存储定时和信号读取定时以该顺序驱动每个像素行中的读取晶体管，从而与信号读取定时同步地驱动像素行中的垂直选择晶体管。

公开(公告)号：US07623170B2

公开(公告)日：2009-11-24

申请号：US11154604

申请日：2005-06-17

申请人： Nobuo Nakamura ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Tadashi Sugiki ,  Yukio Endo

发明人： Nobuo Nakamura ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Tadashi Sugiki ,  Yukio Endo

IPC分类号： H04N5/335

CPC分类号： H04N5/2355 ,  H04N5/235 ,  H04N5/35527 ,  H04N5/35572 ,  H04N5/35581 ,  H04N5/372 ,  H04N5/3728 ,  H04N5/374

摘要： An image pickup apparatus comprising an array of unit cells, vertical signal lines, and a control circuit. The unit cells are arranged in rows and columns. Each unit cell has a light-receiving device for receiving light and generating an electric charge corresponding to the light, a charge-accumulating section for accumulating the electric charge generated by the light-receiving device, a transfer device for transferring the electric charge from the light-receiving device to the charge-accumulating section, and a charge-limiting device for limiting the electric charge accumulated in the charge-accumulating section. The vertical signal lines extend along the columns of unit cells, respectively, each for receiving a electric data item corresponding to the electric charge accumulated in the charge-accumulating section of any unit cell of the associated column. The control circuit controls each of the unit cells, causing the charge-limiting device to limit the charge generated by the light-receiving device during a first period and transferred to the charge-accumulating section through the transfer device. The charge generated by the light-receiving device during a second period following the first period and transferred to the charge-accumulating section through the transfer device is added to the electric charge accumulated in the charge-accumulating section.

摘要翻译： 一种图像拾取装置，包括单位单元阵列，垂直信号线和控制电路。 单位单元以行和列排列。 每个单元具有用于接收光并产生与该光相对应的电荷的光接收装置，用于累积由光接收装置产生的电荷的电荷累积部分，用于将电荷从 光接收装置到蓄电部，以及用于限制积蓄在蓄电部中的电荷的充电限制装置。 垂直信号线分别沿着单位单元的列延伸，每个用于接收与相关列的任何单位单元的电荷累积部分中累积的电荷相对应的电数据项。 控制电路控制每个单元电池，使得充电限制装置在第一时段期间限制由光接收装置产生的电荷，并通过传送装置传送到电荷累积部分。 在第一时间段之后的第二时段期间由光接收装置产生的电荷通过传送装置传送到电荷累积部分的电荷被加到累积在电荷累积部分中的电荷中。

公开(公告)号：US20050231619A1

公开(公告)日：2005-10-20

申请号：US11154604

申请日：2005-06-17

申请人： Nobuo Nakamura ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Tadashi Sugiki ,  Yukio Endo

发明人： Nobuo Nakamura ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Tadashi Sugiki ,  Yukio Endo

IPC分类号： H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/235 ,  H04N5/335 ,  H04N5/341 ,  H04N5/347 ,  H04N5/353 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/372 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/3745

CPC分类号： H04N5/2355 ,  H04N5/235 ,  H04N5/35527 ,  H04N5/35572 ,  H04N5/35581 ,  H04N5/372 ,  H04N5/3728 ,  H04N5/374

摘要： An image pickup apparatus comprising an array of unit cells, vertical signal lines, and a control circuit. The unit cells are arranged in rows and columns. Each unit cell has a light-receiving device for receiving light and generating an electric charge corresponding to the light, a charge-accumulating section for accumulating the electric charge generated by the light-receiving device, a transfer device for transferring the electric charge from the light-receiving device to the charge-accumulating section, and a charge-limiting device for limiting the electric charge accumulated in the charge-accumulating section. The vertical signal lines extend along the columns of unit cells, respectively, each for receiving a electric data item corresponding to the electric charge accumulated in the charge-accumulating section of any unit cell of the associated column. The control circuit controls each of the unit cells, causing the charge-limiting device to limit the charge generated by the light-receiving device during a first period and transferred to the charge-accumulating section through the transfer device. The charge generated by the light-receiving device during a second period following the first period and transferred to the charge-accumulating section through the transfer device is added to the electric charge accumulated in the charge-accumulating section.

摘要翻译： 一种图像拾取装置，包括单位单元阵列，垂直信号线和控制电路。 单位单元以行和列排列。 每个单元具有用于接收光并产生与该光相对应的电荷的光接收装置，用于累积由光接收装置产生的电荷的电荷累积部分，用于将电荷从 光接收装置到蓄电部，以及用于限制积蓄在蓄电部中的电荷的充电限制装置。 垂直信号线分别沿着单位单元的列延伸，每个用于接收与相关列的任何单位单元的电荷累积部分中累积的电荷相对应的电数据项。 控制电路控制每个单元电池，使得充电限制装置在第一时段期间限制由光接收装置产生的电荷，并通过传送装置传送到电荷累积部分。 在第一时间段之后的第二时段期间由光接收装置产生的电荷通过传送装置传送到电荷累积部分的电荷被加到累积在电荷累积部分中的电荷中。

公开(公告)号：US06930722B1

公开(公告)日：2005-08-16

申请号：US09342729

申请日：1999-06-29

申请人： Nobuo Nakamura ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Tadashi Sugiki ,  Yukio Endo

发明人： Nobuo Nakamura ,  Yoriko Tanaka ,  Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Tadashi Sugiki ,  Yukio Endo

IPC分类号： H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/235 ,  H04N5/335 ,  H04N5/341 ,  H04N5/347 ,  H04N5/353 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/372 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/3745

CPC分类号： H04N5/2355 ,  H04N5/235 ,  H04N5/35527 ,  H04N5/35572 ,  H04N5/35581 ,  H04N5/372 ,  H04N5/3728 ,  H04N5/374

摘要： An image pickup apparatus comprising an array of unit cells, vertical signal lines, and a control circuit. The unit cells are arranged in rows and columns. Each unit cell has a light-receiving device for receiving light and generating an electric charge corresponding to the light, a charge-accumulating section for accumulating the electric charge generated by the light-receiving device, a transfer device for transferring the electric charge from the light-receiving device to the charge-accumulating section, and a charge-limiting device for limiting the electric charge accumulated in the charge-accumulating section. The vertical signal lines extend along the columns of unit cells, respectively, each for receiving a electric data item corresponding to the electric charge accumulated in the charge-accumulating section of any unit cell of the associated column. The control circuit controls each of the unit cells, causing the charge-limiting device to limit the charge generated by the light-receiving device during a first period and transferred to the charge-accumulating section through the transfer device. The charge generated by the light-receiving device during a second period following the first period and transferred to the charge-accumulating section through the transfer device is added to the electric charge accumulated in the charge-accumulating section.

公开(公告)号：US06903768B1

公开(公告)日：2005-06-07

申请号：US09349232

申请日：1999-07-08

申请人： Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Yoshitaka Egawa

发明人： Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Yoshitaka Egawa

IPC分类号： H01L27/146 ,  H04N5/335 ,  H04N5/365 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N5/217

CPC分类号： H04N5/3658 ,  H04N5/361

摘要： In a solid state image sensor device comprising a cell area wherein unit cells each having photoelectric diodes are arranged in a matrix form on a semiconductor substrate, the cell area being composed of a photo-sensitive pixel region for sensing an image, and an optical black pixel region for defining an optical black level, and a vertical shift register for selecting the unit cells of the image sensing cell array, in a group along each of horizontal lines, and vertical signal lines, each of which reads each of signals from the unit cells selected by turning on an address register by means of the vertical shift register, the vertical signal lines in the optical black pixel region are connected with each other through a wiring. Since the vertical signal lines in the optical black pixel region are connected with each other by a wiring, even if outputs from an optical black pixel region vary in the pixels, the outputs are made averaged and uniform and a variation in fixed pattern noises between the horizontal lines are reduced.

摘要翻译： 在包括单元区域的固态图像传感器装置中，其中每个具有光电二极管的单位单元以矩阵形式布置在半导体衬底上，所述单元区域由用于感测图像的光敏像素区域和光学黑色 用于定义光学黑色电平的像素区域和用于选择每个水平线的组中的图像感测单元阵列的单位单元的垂直移位寄存器和每个从单元读取每个信号的垂直信号线 通过借助于垂直移位寄存器接通地址寄存器而选择的单元，光学黑色像素区域中的垂直信号线通过布线相互连接。 由于光学黑色像素区域中的垂直信号线通过布线彼此连接，所以即使来自光学黑色像素区域的输出在像素中变化，则输出被平均化和均匀，并且固定图案噪声的变化在 水平线减少。

公开(公告)号：US06947087B2

公开(公告)日：2005-09-20

申请号：US09749763

申请日：2000-12-28

申请人： Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Nobuo Nakamura

发明人： Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Nobuo Nakamura

IPC分类号： H01L21/339 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H01L29/762 ,  H04N5/335 ,  H04N5/353 ,  H04N5/355 ,  H04N5/369 ,  H04N5/374 ,  H04N5/3745 ,  H04N3/14

CPC分类号： H01L27/14643 ,  H04N5/35527 ,  H04N5/3765

摘要： A solid-state imaging device includes unit cells, arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, each having a photodiode for photoelectrically converting incident light to store signal charges, a readout transistor Td for reading out the signal charges and amplifying transistor Tb for amplifying signals readout at a detection node, a plurality of vertical shift registers for generating signal charge readout pulses ESi, DRi, ROi and a voltage switching circuit for setting a voltage VDR of the readout pulse DRi for dynamic range control lower than voltages of both a readout pulse ESi for an electronic shutter and a usual readout pulse ROi. The solid-state imaging device provides excellent images without clipping from a small signal region to large signal region.

摘要翻译： 固态成像装置包括以行和列为矩阵排列的单位单元，每个单元具有用于光电转换入射光以存储信号电荷的光电二极管，用于读出信号电荷的读出晶体管Td和用于放大信号的放大晶体管Tb 在检测节点读出多个用于产生信号电荷读出脉冲ESi，DRi，ROi的垂直移位寄存器和用于将动态范围控制的读出脉冲DRi的电压VDR设定为低于读出脉冲的电压的电压切换电路 ESi用于电子快门和通常的读出脉冲ROi。 固态成像装置提供优异的图像而不会从小的信号区域到大的信号区域被削波。

公开(公告)号：US06999120B1

公开(公告)日：2006-02-14

申请号：US09680968

申请日：2000-10-06

申请人： Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Nobuo Nakamura

发明人： Yoshitaka Egawa ,  Shinji Ohsawa ,  Yukio Endo ,  Nobuo Nakamura

IPC分类号： H04N5/335

CPC分类号： H04N5/353 ,  H04N5/3653

摘要： Disclosed is a solid-state imaging device comprising pickup circuit formed by the arrangement of a unit cell in two dimensions, a plurality of reading lines provided in a horizontal direction corresponding to each pixel row in the pickup region to transmit the reading drive signal φREADi for driving each reading circuit of the unit cell of respectively corresponding pixel row, a vertical drive selection circuit configured to drive the reading circuit by selectively supplying the reading drive signal to these reading lines, and first row selection circuit and a second row selection circuit configured to control the vertical drive circuit so as to drive reading circuit of each pixel row on the basis of the first pulse and the second pulse φROREAD and φESREAD respectively. The solid-state imaging device is capable of controlling a minimum electric charge accumulation time in the photodiode to less than 1H (a horizontal cycle) and is capable of conducting an extremely high-speed shutter operation.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种固态成像装置，其包括通过在二维中布置单位单元而形成的拾取电路，在与拾取区域中的每个像素行对应的水平方向上设置的多条读取线，以将读取驱动信号phiREADi传送给 驱动分别对应的像素行的单元的每个读取电路;垂直驱动选择电路，被配置为通过向这些读取线选择性地提供读取驱动信号来驱动读取电路，以及第一行选择电路和第二行选择电路， 控制垂直驱动电路，以分别基于第一脉冲和第二脉冲phiROREAD和phiESREAD来驱动每个像素行的读取电路。 固态成像装置能够将光电二极管中的最小电荷积累时间控制为小于1H（水平周期），并且能够进行极高速的快门操作。