# US 10,484,637 B2 · Image sensor and image capture apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,484,637 B2 - Document ID: US10484637B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/376,046 - Filed: 2019-04-05 - Published: 2019-08-01 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-22 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hirokazu Kobayashi; Nobuhiro Takeda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10484637B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/778: comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself - H04N 23/667: Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract In a pixel section of an image sensor, pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, each of the pixels including an amplifier transistor that is connected to a power voltage and has a gate into which a voltage of a signal charge generated by a photoelectric conversion area is input and a selection transistor that is connected to the amplifier transistor and a signal line. The image sensor includes an AD conversion circuit having a reference transistor having a gate into which a ramp signal is input and a constant current source that is connected to the reference transistor and the signal line. The voltage of the ramp signal or a driving ability of the reference transistor changes depending on whether one selection transistor or a plurality of selection transistors is/are turned on per signal line to obtain a signal charge to be AD-converted. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image sensor comprising: a plurality of pixel sections in which pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, each of the pixels connecting to a common amplifier transistor, the common amplifier transistor being connected to a power voltage and having a gate into which voltages of signal charges, generated by photoelectric conversion areas included in the pixels, are respectively input; and AD conversion circuits that are provided for the plurality of pixel sections respectively, wherein each of the AD conversion circuits includes: a reference transistor that has a gate into which a ramp signal having a voltage that changes at a constant rate is input; and a constant current source that is connected to the reference transistor and the common amplifier transistor, and wherein the common amplifier transistor and the reference transistor form a current mirror circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a controller that controls the voltage of the ramp signal or a driving ability of the reference transistor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the AD conversion circuits corresponds to an area in which pixels are arranged in a plural and a plurality of columns. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein the AD conversion circuits are formed on a board different from board on which the plurality of pixel sections are formed, and are electrically connected to the plurality of pixel sections by using Through Silicon Vias (TSVs), respectively. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein a gain coefficient of the common amplifier transistor is different from a gain coefficient of the reference transistor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein the common amplifier transistor is disposed outside of the corresponding pixels, and a size of the common amplifier transistor is different from a size of the reference transistor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of pixel sections includes same-color pixels. ### Claim 8 An imaging apparatus comprising: an image sensor; and an optical imaging system, wherein the image sensor comprises: a plurality of pixel sections in which pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, each of the pixels connecting to a common amplifier transistor, the common amplifier transistor being connected to a power voltage and having a gate into which voltages of signal charges, generated by photoelectric conversion areas included in the pixels, are respectively input; and AD conversion circuits that axe provided for the plurality of pixel sections respectively, wherein each of the AD conversion circuits includes: a reference transistor that has a gate into which a ramp signal having a voltage that changes at a constant rate is input; and a constant current source that is connected to the reference transistor and the common amplifier transistor, wherein the common amplifier transistor and the reference transistor form a current mirror circuit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising one or processors that execute a program stored in a memory, wherein the one or more processors selects a mode of the image sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the one or more processors selects the mode from among a plurality of modes including at least a first ode and a second mode with a smaller number of pixels than the first mode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the one or more processors the mode from among a plurality of modes including at least a first mode for capturing a still image and a second mode for capturing a moving image. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the one or more processors the mode from among a plurality of modes including at least a first mode for capturing a still image and a second mode for capturing a live view image. ### Claim 13 An imaging apparatus comprising: an image sensor; an image memory that stores digital signals transfer from the image sensor; and a processor that applies noise reduction process to the digital signal stored in the image memory, wherein the image sensor comprises: a plurality of pixel sections in which pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, each of the pixels connecting to a common amplifier transistor, the common amplifier transistor being connected to a power voltage and having a gate into which voltages of signal charges, generated by photoelectric conversion areas included in the pixels, are respectively input; and AD conversion circuits that are provided for the plurality pixel sections respectively, wherein each of the AD conversion circuits includes: a reference transistor that has a gate is to which a ramp signal having voltage that changes at a constant rate is input; and a constant current source that is connected to the reference transistor and the common amplifier transistor, wherein the common amplifier and the reference transistor form a current mirror circuit, and wherein the image memory stores the digital signals transferred from the AD conversion circuits. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The imaging apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a display device having a touch panel, wherein the processor obtains information pertaining to a subject region.