Scalable-pixel-size image sensor
AssigneeGigajot Technology, Inc.
InventorsJiaju Ma, Michael Guidash
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Photodetection elements within an integrated-circuit pixel array are dynamically configurable to any of at least three uniform-aspect-ratio, size-scaled pixel footprints through read-out-time control of in-pixel transfer gates associated with respective photodetection elements and binning transistors coupled between the transfer gates for respective clusters of the photodetection elements and a shared reset node.
Claims26
An integrated-circuit pixel comprising:
- four sets of photodetection elements, each of the sets disposed in a respective one of four sub-pixel quadrants defined by first and second orthogonal axes that traverse the integrated-circuit pixel;
- four readout circuits each coupled to a respective one of the four sets of photodetection elements, each of the readout circuits having:
- a floating diffusion node;
- a first transfer gate coupled between the floating diffusion node and a constituent photodetection element of the respective one of the four sets of photodetection elements;
- and
- an amplifier transistor having a gate terminal coupled to the floating diffusion node;
- a shared reset node;
- a reset transistor coupled between the shared reset node and a reset-voltage supply;
- and
- a plurality of binning transistors each coupled between the shared reset node and the floating diffusion node of a respective one of the readout circuits.
A method of operation within an integrated-circuit pixel having four sets of photodetection elements disposed in respective sub-pixel quadrants defined by first and second orthogonal axes that traverse the integrated-circuit pixel, a shared reset node, four floating diffusion nodes, four readout circuits coupled respectively to the four floating diffusion nodes, and four binning transistors coupled between the shared reset node and respective ones of the four floating diffusion nodes, the method comprising:
- switching a reset transistor to a conducting state throughout a reset interval to couple the shared reset node to a reset-voltage supply;
- and
- switching the binning transistors to conducting states during the reset interval to couple the respective floating diffusion nodes to the shared reset node such that each of the floating diffusion nodes is charged to a reset potential by the reset-voltage supply.
An integrated-circuit image sensor comprising:
- a pixel having four sets of photodetection elements disposed in respective quadrants defined by first and second orthogonal axes that traverse the pixel, a shared reset node, a reset transistor, four floating diffusion nodes, four readout circuits coupled respectively to the floating diffusion nodes, and four binning transistors coupled between the shared reset node and respective ones of the four floating diffusion nodes;
- and
- control circuitry to:
- switch the reset transistor to a conducting state throughout a reset interval to couple the shared reset node to a reset-voltage supply;
- switch the four binning transistors to conducting states during the reset interval to couple the respective floating diffusion nodes to the shared reset node such that each of the four floating diffusion nodes is charged to a reset potential by the reset-voltage supply.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.