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US 10,321,080 B2Granted
Pixel output level control device and CMOS image sensor using the same
AssigneeSK hynix Inc.
InventorsTae-Hoon Kim, Woong-Hee Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pixel output level control device may include: a pixel output level control unit suitable for controlling a pixel output level of a pixel signal of a pixel for reducing the time required for settling the pixel signal during a specific period; and a pixel output level retention unit suitable for maintaining the pixel output level of the pixel signal during the specific period to a fixed value, according to control of the pixel output level control unit.
Claims9
A pixel output level control device comprising:
- a pixel output level control circuit configured to control a pixel output level of a pixel signal of a pixel to reduce the time required for settling the pixel signal during a specific period;
- and
- a pixel output level retention circuit configured to maintain the pixel output level of the pixel signal during the specific period to a fixed value, according to control of the pixel output level control circuit,
- wherein the specific period comprises a period in which a transfer signal is activated and a cell select signal is deactivated, and wherein the fixed value is the same or substantially the same to a pixel output level when the pixel is reset.
1 more element
A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor (CIS) comprising:
- a pixel array configured to output a pixel signal corresponding to incident light;
- a row decoder configured to select and controlling a pixel within the pixel array for each row line, according to control of a control circuit;
- a pixel biasing circuit configured to bias the pixel signal outputted from the pixel array;
- a ramp signal generator configured to generate a ramp signal according to control of the control circuit;
- a pixel output level control device configured to control and maintaining a pixel output level during a period in which a transfer signal is activated and a cell select signal is deactivated;
- a comparison circuit configured to compare each pixel signal applied from the pixel array with the ramp signal applied from the ramp signal generator;
- a counting circuit configured to count a clock applied from the control circuit according to each output signal from the comparison circuit;
- a memory circuit configured to store the counting information provided from the counting circuit according to control of the control circuit;
- the control circuit configured to control the operations of the row decoder, the ramp signal generator, the counting circuit, the memory circuit and a column readout circuit;
- and
- the column readout circuit configured to output data of the memory circuit according to control of the control circuit.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.