# US 10,872,920 B2 · Sensor chip and electronic apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,872,920 B2 - Document ID: US10872920B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/469,818 - Filed: 2018-08-22 - Published: 2020-03-19 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-05 - Assignees: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Applicants: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation - Inventors: Yohtaro Yasu; Katsuhiko Hanzawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10872920B2 ## CPC - G01S 7/4863: Detector arrays, e.g. charge-transfer gates - H04N 25/532: by controlling global shutters in CMOS SSIS - H04N 25/671: for non-uniformity detection or correction - H04N 25/779: Circuitry for scanning or addressing the pixel array - H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals} - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H04N 25/79: Arrangements of circuitry being divided between different or multiple substrates, chips or circuit boards, e.g. stacked image sensors - H10F 39/809: {of hybrid image sensors} - H10F 39/811: {Interconnections} - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract A sensor chip includes: a pixel array unit that has a rectangular-shaped area in which a plurality of sensor elements are arranged in an array pattern; and a global control circuit, in which driving elements simultaneously driving the sensor elements are arranged in one direction, and each of the driving elements is connected to a control line disposed for each one column of the sensor elements, that is arranged to have a longitudinal direction to be along a long side of the pixel array unit. For example, the present technology can be applied to ToF sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor chip comprising: a pixel array unit that has a rectangular-shaped area in which a plurality of sensor elements are arranged in an array pattern; and a global control circuit, in which driving elements simultaneously driving the sensor elements are arranged in one direction, and each of the driving elements is connected to a control line disposed for each one column of the sensor elements, that is arranged to have a longitudinal direction to be along a long side of the pixel array unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor chip according to claim 1, wherein two global control circuits are arranged on both sides of the pixel array unit along a longitudinal direction of the pixel array unit, and the driving elements of each of the global control circuits are connected to both ends of the control line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sensor chip according to claim 2, wherein the control line arranged for each one column of the sensor elements is divided at approximate center of the pixel array unit, and among the driving elements of the two global control circuits arranged on both sides of the pixel array unit, the driving elements of one side are connected to the divided control line of one side, and the driving elements of the other side are connected to the divided control line of the other side. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sensor chip according to claim 1, wherein the sensor chip has a stacking structure in which a sensor substrate in which the pixel array unit is arranged and a logic substrate in which the global control circuit is arranged are stacked. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sensor chip according to claim 4, wherein the driving elements arranged in the global control circuit of the logic substrate are connected to a one end portion of the control line through a connection portion disposed on a periphery of an area in which the pixel array unit is arranged in the sensor substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The sensor chip according to claim 4, wherein two global control circuits are arranged in the logic substrate in correspondence with both sides of the pixel array unit along a longitudinal direction of the pixel array unit, and the driving elements arranged in the two global control circuits arranged in the logic substrate are connected to both end portions of the control line through connection portions disposed on both sides, facing each other, on the periphery of the area in which the pixel array unit is arranged in the sensor substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The sensor chip according to claim 4, wherein the control line arranged for each one column of the sensor elements is divided at approximate center of the pixel array unit, and among the driving elements of the two global control circuits arranged in the logic substrate in correspondence with both sides of the pixel array unit respectively, the driving elements of one side are connected to the divided control line of one side, and the driving elements of the other side are connected to the divided control line of the other side. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The sensor chip according to claim 4, wherein the global control circuit is arranged at approximate center of the logic substrate, and the driving elements arranged in the global control circuit of the logic substrate are connected to approximate center of the control line through a connection portion disposed to overlap the pixel array unit in a plan view. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The sensor chip according to claim 4, wherein the control line arranged for each one column of the sensor elements is divided at approximate center of the pixel array unit, and two driving elements are arranged for each one column of the sensor elements in the global control circuit, the driving elements of one side are connected to an end portion of a center side of the pixel array unit of the control line of one side, and the driving elements of the other side are connected to an end portion of the center side of the pixel array unit of the control line of the other side. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The sensor chip according to claim 4, wherein the two global control circuits are arranged in the logic substrate, the driving elements of one of the global control circuits are connected to center of one half portion of the control line of one side, and the driving elements of the other of the global control circuits are connected to center of one half portion of the control line of the other side. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The sensor chip according to claim 4, wherein the control line arranged for each one column of the sensor elements is divided at approximate center of the pixel array unit, and the two global control circuits are arranged in the logic substrate, the driving elements of one of the global control circuits are connected to center of the control line of one side, and the driving elements of the other global control circuit are connected to center of the control line of the other side. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The sensor chip according to claim 11, wherein the control line is divided into three or more control lines, and the driving elements of corresponding three or more global control circuits are connected at approximate center of the control lines. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The sensor chip according to claim 12, wherein the control line is divided into a plurality of parts, at least one global control circuit is arranged in the logic substrate, and a plurality of buffer circuits corresponding to the division number of the control line are arranged. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The sensor chip according to claim 4, wherein the sensor chip is configured by stacking three or more semiconductor substrates. ### Claim 15 An electronic apparatus including a sensor chip comprising: a pixel array unit that has a rectangular-shaped area in which a plurality of sensor elements are arranged in an array pattern; and a global control circuit, in which driving elements simultaneously driving the sensor elements are arranged in one direction, and each of the driving elements is connected to a control line disposed for each one column of the sensor elements, that is arranged to have a longitudinal direction to be along a long side of the pixel array unit.