Photoelectric conversion device, image capturing device, and photoelectric conversion method

A photoelectric conversion device comprising:

• a pixel block including a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels including:
• photoelectric conversion circuitry to photoelectrically convert light striking the photoelectric conversion circuitry into pixel data and output the pixel data, and
• reset circuitry to reset electrical charge of the photoelectrically converted pixel data and output a reset signal;
• signal generating circuitry including reference signal generator circuitry to generate a reference signal;
• and
• signal processing circuitry configured to:
• perform correlated double sampling (CDS) on the reference signal to obtain correction data;
• perform the CDS on the pixel data and the reset signal to generate an output signal;
• and
• correct the output signal with the correction data,
• wherein the signal processing circuitry further includes:
• an amplifier circuit to amplify an analog signal;
• and
• an analog-digital (AD) conversion circuit to convert the amplified analog signal to a digital signal,
• wherein the number of at least one of the amplifier circuit and the AD conversion circuit is more than one, and
• wherein a set of the amplifier circuit and the AD conversion circuit operates as a processing system that corrects the output signal with the correction data,
• wherein the signal processing circuitry performs an idling operation to correct the output signal without using the correction data until the reference signal output from the signal generating circuitry becomes stable, and
• after ending the idling operation, the signal processing circuitry corrects the output signal with the correction data.

A photoelectric conversion method comprising:

• photoelectrically converting light striking photoelectric conversion circuitry of a pixel block into pixel data and outputting the pixel data;
• resetting electrical charge of the photoelectrically converted pixel data and outputting a reset signal;
• generating a reference signal;
• performing correlated double sampling (CDS) on the reference signal to obtain correction data;
• performing CDS on the pixel data and the reset signal to generate an output signal;
• and
• correcting the output signal with the correction data,
• wherein the reference signal has a value equal to a value of the reset signal.

A photoelectric conversion method comprising:

• photoelectrically converting light striking photoelectric conversion circuitry of a pixel block into pixel data and outputting the pixel data;
• resetting electrical charge of the photoelectrically converted pixel data and outputting a reset signal;
• generating a reference signal;
• performing correlated double sampling (CDS) on the reference signal to obtain correction data;
• performing CDS on the pixel data and the reset signal to generate an output signal;
• correcting the output signal with the correction data;
• performing an idling operation to correct the output signal without using the correction data until the reference signal becomes stable, and
• after ending the idling operation, correcting the output signal with the correction data.

A photoelectric conversion device comprising:

• a pixel block including a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels including:
• photoelectric conversion circuitry to photoelectrically convert light striking the photoelectric conversion circuitry into pixel data and output the pixel data;
• and
• reset circuitry to reset electrical charge of the photoelectrically converted pixel data and output a reset signal;
• signal generating circuitry including reference signal generator circuitry to generate a reference signal;
• and
• a signal processing block including:
• means for performing correlated double sampling (CDS) on the reference signal to obtain correction data;
• means for performing the CDS on the pixel data and the reset signal to generate an output signal;
• and
• means for correcting the output signal with the correction data,
• wherein the reference signal has a value equal to a value of the reset signal.

A photoelectric conversion device comprising:

• a pixel block including a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels including:
• photoelectric conversion circuitry to photoelectrically convert light striking the photoelectric conversion circuitry into pixel data and output the pixel data, and
• reset circuitry to reset electrical charge of the photoelectrically converted pixel data and output a reset signal;
• signal generating circuitry including reference signal generator circuitry to generate a reference signal;
• and
• a signal processing block including:
• means for performing correlated double sampling (CDS) on the reference signal to obtain correction data;
• means for performing the CDS on the pixel data and the reset signal to generate an output signal;
• and
• means for correcting the output signal with the correction data,
• wherein each of the plurality of pixels further includes a first amplifier circuit to amplify one of the pixel data and the reset signal,
• wherein the signal generating circuitry includes a second amplifier circuit to amplify the reference signal, and
• wherein the reset circuitry and the reference signal generator circuitry are identical circuits, and the first amplifier circuit and the second amplifier circuit are identical circuits.