# US 10,771,085 B2 · Robot, analog-to-digital converter, and solid-state imaging device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,085 B2 - Document ID: US10771085B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/200,798 - Filed: 2018-11-27 - Published: 2019-05-30 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-28 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Shinichi Sekita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771085B2 ## CPC - H03M 1/466: {using switched capacitors} - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - H03M 1/145: {the steps being performed sequentially in series-connected stages (H03M1/141, H03M1/143, H03M1/16 take precedence)} - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - G05B 2219/40613: Camera, laser scanner on end effector, hand eye manipulator, local - H03M 1/56: Input signal compared with linear ramp - H03M: CODING; DECODING; CODE CONVERSION IN GENERAL (using fluidic means F15C4/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. G01D, G01R, G06F, G06T, G09G, G10L, G11B, G11C, H04B, H04L, H04M, H04N; ciphering or deciphering for cryptography or other purposes involving the need for secrecy G09C) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract An analog-to-digital converter includes: a first to an (m+1)-th capacitive element each of which has a first end connected to a first terminal of a comparison circuit and have a predetermined capacitance ratio; and selection circuits which are connected to second ends of the capacitive elements, respectively. Each of the capacitive elements includes: a first electrode disposed in a semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the second end; a third electrode disposed above the semiconductor substrate to oppose the first electrode and electrically connected to the second end; a second electrode disposed between the first electrode and the third electrode, above the semiconductor substrate, and electrically connected to the first end; a first insulation film disposed between the first and second electrodes; and a second insulation film disposed between the third and second electrodes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robot comprising: a base; and an arm that is supported to be movable with respect to the base and includes a solid- state imaging device, wherein the solid-state imaging device includes an analog-to-digital converter that performs analog-to-digital conversion on a pixel signal generated by reading pixel information from a light receiving element, the analog-to-digital converter includes: a comparison circuit that compares a voltage applied to a first terminal with a reference voltage applied to a second terminal, and outputs an output signal indicating a comparison result from a third terminal; capacitive elements each of which has a first end connected to the first terminal of the comparison circuit via a first line, and includes: a first to an m-th capacitive element (where m is an integer of 2 or more) that each have a predetermined capacitance ratio; and an (m+1)-th capacitive element that has a capacitance that is substantially same as the capacitance of the first capacitive element; and selection circuits that are connected to second ends of the capacitive elements, respectively, via second lines, and each of the capacitive elements includes: a first electrode disposed in a semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the second end; a third electrode disposed above the semiconductor substrate to oppose the first electrode and electrically connected to the second end; a second electrode disposed between the first electrode and the third electrode, above the semiconductor substrate, to oppose the first electrode and the third electrode and electrically connected to the first end; a first insulation film disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; a second insulation film disposed between the third electrode and the second electrode; wherein the capacitive elements are configured in a capacitive cell array that includes capacitive cells disposed in rows and columns to be symmetric with respect to a symmetry axis, and each of second to the m-th capacitive elements of the first to the m-th capacitive elements includes at least one capacitive cell disposed on one side of the symmetry axis, and the same number of capacitive cells as that disposed on the one side are disposed on the other side of the symmetry axis. ### Claim 2 An analog-to-digital converter comprising: a comparison circuit that compares a voltage applied to a first terminal with a reference voltage applied to a second terminal, and outputs an output signal indicating a comparison result from a third terminal; capacitive elements each of which has a first end connected to the first terminal of the comparison circuit via a first line, and includes: a first to an m-th capacitive element (where m is an integer of 2 or more) that each have a predetermined capacitance ratio; and an (m+1) -th capacitive element that has a capacitance that is substantially same as the capacitance of the first capacitive element; and selection circuits that are connected to second ends of the capacitive elements, respectively, via second lines, wherein each of the capacitive elements includes: a first electrode disposed in a semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the second end; a third electrode disposed above the semiconductor substrate to oppose the first electrode and electrically connected to the second end; a second electrode disposed between the first electrode and the third electrode, above the semiconductor substrate, to oppose the first electrode and the third electrode and electrically connected to the first end; a first insulation film disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; a second insulation film disposed between the third electrode and the second electrode; wherein the capacitive elements are configured in a capacitive cell array that includes capacitive cells disposed in rows and columns to be symmetric with respect to a symmetry axis, and each of second to the m-th capacitive elements of the first to the m-th capacitive elements includes at least one capacitive cell disposed on one side of the symmetry axis, and the same number of capacitive cells as that disposed on the one side are disposed on the other side of the symmetry axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The analog-to-digital converter according to claim 2, wherein the second lines are disposed in a layer higher than the first line. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The analog-to-digital converter according to claim 2, wherein each of second to the m-th capacitive elements includes at least two capacitive cells disposed symmetrically with respect to the symmetry axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The analog-to-digital converter according to claim 2, wherein the first capacitive element includes one capacitive cell and the (m+1)-th capacitive element includes one capacitive cell, the one capacitive cell of the first capacitive element and the one capacitive cell of the (m+1)-th capacitive element being disposed symmetrically with respect to the symmetry axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The analog-to-digital converter according to claim 2, wherein the second lines are disposed symmetrically with respect to the symmetry axis in a predetermined wiring layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The analog-to-digital converter according to claim 2, wherein, when an analog signal is converted into a digital signal, the first to the m-th capacitive elements are used to generate higher-order m bits of the digital signal through successive approximation A/D (analog-to-digital) conversion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The analog-to-digital converter according to claim 7, wherein, when the analog signal is converted into the digital signal, the (m+1)-th capacitive element is used to generate an m-th bit and a subsequent bit of the digital signal through integral A/D conversion, and the higher-order m bits of the digital signal generated through the successive approximation A/D conversion are added to the m-th bit and the subsequent bit of the digital signal generated through the integral A/D conversion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) An imaging device, comprising: a light receiving element that has a photoelectric conversion function; and the analog-to-digital converter according to claim 2, the analog-to-digital converter performing analog-to-digital conversion on a pixel signal generated by reading pixel information from the light receiving element.