PIXEL CIRCUIT, CONTROL METHOD, AND IMAGE SENSOR

    公开(公告)号:US20230137218A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-05-04

    申请号:US17566578

    申请日:2021-12-30

    摘要: This application belongs to the technical field of semiconductor devices, and relates to a pixel circuit, a control method, and an image sensor, including: at least two pixel units arranged in an array, wherein transmission transistors of two pixels of at least one pixel unit are connected to a corresponding first group of transmission control lines, and transmission transistors of other pixel unit are connected to a corresponding second group of transmission control lines. Therefore, the pixel circuit, the control method and the image sensor provided in the present application can control the density of phase focus of the image sensor by controlling the first group of transmission control lines and the second group of transmission control lines without changing the structure of the pixel, the structure is simple, and the optical performance is good.

    IMAGE SENSING DEVICE AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF

    公开(公告)号:US20230124596A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-04-20

    申请号:US17726002

    申请日:2022-04-21

    申请人: SK hynix Inc.

    发明人: Hajime SUZUKI

    摘要: Disclosed is an image sensing device including a plurality of selectors suitable for generating a plurality of selected pixel signals corresponding to one of a plurality of pixel signals; a plurality of signal converters suitable for: setting a plurality of initial voltages which are different from one another, on the basis of a plurality of initialization signals during an initialization period, and generating a plurality of converted pixel signals to which the plurality of initial voltages are respectively reflected, on the basis of the plurality of selected pixel signals and a ramp signal during a readout period; and a calculation circuit suitable for averaging the plurality of converted pixel signals.

    Imaging device
    5.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US11631707B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-04-18

    申请号:US17116958

    申请日:2020-12-09

    摘要: An imaging device including: a photoelectric converter that generates a signal charge by photoelectric conversion of light; a semiconductor substrate; a charge accumulation region that is an impurity region of a first conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate, the charge accumulation region being configured to receive the signal charge; a first transistor that includes, as a source or a drain, a first impurity region of the first conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate; and a blocking structure that is located between the charge accumulation region and the first transistor. The blocking structure includes a second impurity region of a second conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate, the second conductivity type being different from the first conductivity type, and a first electrode that is located above the semiconductor substrate, the first electrode being configured to be applied with a first voltage.

    Image sensor and method of monitoring the same

    公开(公告)号:US11627265B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-04-11

    申请号:US17036006

    申请日:2020-09-29

    摘要: An image sensor includes a pixel array, a row driver, a detector, an analog-to-digital converter and a controller. The pixel array includes a pixel area including a pixel and a dummy area including a monitoring circuit. The dummy area is disposed on a same substrate as the pixel area. The dummy area is disposed adjacent to the pixel area. The row driver is configured to output a driving signal to the pixel and the monitoring circuit. The detector is configured to receive a monitoring signal from the monitoring circuit. The analog-to-digital converter is configured to receive an analog signal corresponding to an incident light from the pixel and to convert the analog signal to a digital signal. The controller is configured to control the row driver and the analog-to-digital converter.

    Photoelectric conversion device, imaging system, and movable object

    公开(公告)号:US11627264B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-04-11

    申请号:US16670238

    申请日:2019-10-31

    摘要: A photoelectric conversion device includes a pixel unit having pixels arranged to form rows and columns, each including a transfer transistor that transfers charge in a photoelectric converter to an output unit, and a pixel control unit that controls the pixels. The pixel control unit is configured to supply a control signal in accordance with an exposure period individually defined for pixel blocks of the pixel unit to pixels of each pixel block and read out, from each pixel, a first signal obtained when the photoelectric converter is in a reset state and a second signal based on charge accumulated in the photoelectric converter during the exposure period. A period excluding both the exposure period and a readout period of the second signal corresponds to a reset period of the photoelectric converter. The transfer transistor is off in a readout period of the first and second signals.

    Electronic device comprising image sensor for identifying an operation setting and an external environmental condition and method of operation thereof

    公开(公告)号:US11626447B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-04-11

    申请号:US17130778

    申请日:2020-12-22

    摘要: An electronic device is provided and includes an image sensor including a first unit pixel including a first micro-lens and a plurality of first photodiodes facing each other with a first color filter interposed between the plurality of first photodiodes, and a second unit pixel including a second micro-lens and a plurality of second photodiodes facing each other with a second color filter interposed between the plurality of second photodiodes, a camera module including the image sensor, and a processor operatively connected with the image sensor. The first unit pixel includes a first photodiode, a second photodiode, a third photodiode, and a fourth photodiode, which are disposed in a square shape such that a horizontal number of photodiodes is identical to a vertical number of photodiodes. The second unit pixel includes a fifth photodiode, a sixth photodiode, a seventh photodiode, and an eighth photodiode, which are disposed in a square shape such that a horizontal number of photodiodes is identical to a vertical number of photodiodes. The image sensor identifies an operation setting and an external environmental condition of the camera module and, upon identifying that the operation setting is a preview mode and the external environmental condition is a high luminous environment, identifies a first area signal corresponding to a signal of the first photodiode and the second photodiode, which are concatenated with each other and included in the first unit pixel, and identifies a second area signal that corresponds to a signal of the fifth photodiode, included in the second unit pixel, corresponding to a location of the first photodiode and the sixth photodiode, included in the second unit pixel, corresponding to a location of the second photodiode, and forms first auto focus (AF) information based on the first area signal and the second area signal.

    IMAGE SENSOR AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS INCLUDING THE IMAGE SENSOR

    公开(公告)号:US20230098924A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-03-30

    申请号:US17947772

    申请日:2022-09-19

    摘要: An image sensor includes a sensor substrate including first, second, third, and fourth pixels, and a color separating lens array, wherein each of the first pixels includes a first focusing signal region and a second focusing signal region that independently generate focusing signals, and the first focusing signal region and the second focusing signal region are arranged to be adjacent to each other in the first pixel in a first direction, and each of the fourth pixels includes a third focusing signal region and a fourth focusing signal region that independently generate focusing signals, and the third focusing signal region and the fourth focusing signal region are arranged to be adjacent to each other in the fourth pixel in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

    IMAGE SENSING DEVICE HAVING A MIRRORING CIRCUIT SUITABLE FOR COMPENSATING AN OPERATING CURRENT

    公开(公告)号:US20230096575A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-03-30

    申请号:US18071083

    申请日:2022-11-29

    申请人: SK hynix Inc.

    发明人: Hyeon June KIM

    摘要: Disclosed is an image sensing device including a current supply circuit coupled between a supply terminal of a first voltage and a pair of output terminals, an input circuit coupled between the pair of output terminals and a common node, and suitable for receiving a pixel signal and a ramp signal, and a mirroring circuit coupled between the common node and a supply terminal of a second voltage, and suitable for compensating for an operating current, which flows between the common node and the supply terminal of the second voltage, based on a reference current when generating the operating current by mirroring the reference current.