Image sensor with pixel binning device
AssigneeUnited Microelectronics Corp.
InventorZhibiao Zhou
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image sensor includes a first pixel and a second pixel. The first pixel receives a first signal sensed by a first photodiode. The second pixel receives a second signal sensed by a second photodiode. A pixel binning device includes a first transistor, a second transistor and a binning circuit, wherein the first transistor switchably couples to the first pixel to transfer the first signal, the second transistor switchably couples to the second pixel to transfer the second signal, and the binning circuit couples to the first transistor and the second transistor to bin the first signal and the second signal.
Claims17
An image sensor, comprising:
- a first pixel comprising a first photodiode and a first transistor module, wherein the first transistor module couples to the first photodiode to receive a first signal sensed by the first photodiode;
- a second pixel comprising a second photodiode and a second transistor module, wherein the second transistor module couples to the second photodiode to receive a second signal sensed by the second photodiode;
- and
- a pixel binning device comprising a first transistor, a second transistor and a binning circuit, wherein the first transistor switchably couples to the first transistor module to transfer the first signal, the second transistor switchably couples to the second transistor module to transfer the second signal, the binning circuit couples to the first transistor and the second transistor to bin the first signal and the second signal, and the first transistor and the second transistor are simultaneously turned on or off.
An image sensor, comprising:
- a first pixel comprising a first photodiode and a first transistor module, wherein the first transistor module couples to the first photodiode to receive a first signal sensed by the first photodiode;
- a first sensing line coupling to the first transistor module to transfer the first signal to a readout circuitry;
- a second pixel comprising a second photodiode and a second transistor module, wherein the second transistor module couples to the second photodiode to receive a second signal sensed by the second photodiode;
- a third pixel comprising a third photodiode and a third transistor module, wherein the third transistor module couples to the third photodiode to receive a third signal sensed by the third photodiode;
- a pixel binning device comprising a second transistor, a third transistor and a binning circuit, wherein the second transistor switchably couples to the second transistor module to transfer the second signal, the third transistor switchably couples to the third transistor module to transfer the third signal, and the binning circuit couples to the second transistor, the third transistor and the first sensing line to bin the third signal, the second signal and the first signal, and wherein the second transistor and the third transistor are simultaneously turned on or off.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.