# US 11,114,498 B2 · Image sensor and imaging apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,114,498 B2 - Document ID: US11114498B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/892,668 - Filed: 2020-06-04 - Published: 2020-09-17 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-29 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Tatsuki Nishino; Yosuke Ueno; Yusuke Moriyama; Shizunori Matsumoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114498B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/617: for reducing electromagnetic interference, e.g. clocking noise - H10F 39/151: {Geometry or disposition of pixel elements, address lines or gate electrodes} - H04N 25/40: Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled - H04N 25/60: Noise processing, e.g. detecting, correcting, reducing or removing noise - H04N 25/618: for random or high-frequency noise - H04N 25/71: Charge-coupled device [CCD] sensors; Charge-transfer registers specially adapted for CCD sensors - H04N 25/76: Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors - H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components - 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 - H10F 39/803: {Pixels having integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract An image signal output unit is controlled in accordance with a first control signal indicating either voltage state of an on voltage for causing a conductive state and an off voltage having a polarity different from that of the on voltage, and outputs an analog image signal corresponding to the electric charge held by an electric charge holding unit in the conductive state. A reset unit is controlled in accordance with a second control signal indicating either voltage state of the on voltage and the off voltage, resets the electric charge holding unit in the conductive state, transmits a fluctuation in the off voltage to the electric charge holding unit, and fluctuates the analog image signal. A reference signal generation unit generates a reference signal being a signal serving as a reference used when conversion from an analog image signal output from the image signal output unit into a digital image signal is performed. A reference signal correction unit corrects the generated reference signal in accordance with the fluctuation in the off voltage. An analog-to-digital conversion unit performs the conversion on the basis of the corrected reference signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light detecting device, comprising: a pixel configured to output a pixel signal, wherein the pixel includes: a photoelectric conversion region; a floating diffusion region coupled to the photoelectric conversion region; and a select transistor; a vertical signal line coupled to one of a source of the select transistor or a drain of the select transistor; switch circuitry that includes a first switch coupled to a gate of the select transistor; and a negative voltage power source coupled to the switch circuitry, wherein the negative voltage power source is configured to generate a negative potential, and the gate of the select transistor is configured to selectively couple to one of the negative potential or a power potential via the first switch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising: a reference signal generation circuit configured to generate a reference signal; a correction circuit coupled between the negative voltage power source and the reference signal generation circuit; and a comparator configured to compare the pixel signal and the reference signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The light detecting device according to claim 2, wherein the comparator is further configured to execute, based on the comparison of the pixel signal and the reference signal, detection of a match between the pixel signal and the reference signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The light detecting device according to claim 3, further comprising a count circuit configured to: execute a counting process in a period from a start of the comparison to the detection in the comparator; and output, as a digital image signal, a count value based on the execution of the counting process. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The light detecting device according to claim 2, wherein the correction circuit is configured to correct the reference signal based on a fluctuation in a voltage of the negative voltage power source. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The light detecting device according to claim 2, wherein the correction circuit includes a capacitor and a voltage-electric current conversion circuit, the capacitor is configured to transmit, to the voltage-electric current conversion circuit, an amount of a fluctuation in the negative potential, and the voltage-electric current conversion circuit is configured to output an electric current as a correction signal based on the amount of the fluctuation in the negative potential. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The light detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, wherein each of the plurality of pixels is configured to output the pixel signal; and a plurality of analog-to-digital converters, wherein each of the plurality of analog-to-digital converters is configured to convert the pixel signal output from a respective pixel of the plurality of pixels into a digital image signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The light detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel further includes a reset transistor coupled to the floating diffusion region, the switch circuitry further includes a second switch, and the second switch is coupled to a gate of the reset transistor. ### Claim 9 A light detecting device, comprising: a pixel configured to output a pixel signal, wherein the pixel includes: a photoelectric conversion region; a floating diffusion region coupled to the photoelectric conversion region; and a reset transistor coupled to the floating diffusion region; a vertical signal line configured to transmit the pixel signal; switch circuitry that includes a first switch coupled to a gate of the reset transistor; and a negative voltage power source coupled to the switch circuitry, wherein the negative voltage power source is configured to generate a negative potential, and the gate of the reset transistor is configured to selectively couple to one of the negative potential or a power potential via the first switch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The light detecting device according to claim 9, further comprising: a reference signal generation circuit configured to generate a reference signal; a correction circuit coupled between the negative voltage power source and the reference signal generation circuit; and a comparator configured to compare the pixel signal and the reference signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The light detecting device according to claim 10, wherein the comparator is further configured to execute, based on the comparison of the pixel signal and the reference signal, detection of a match between the pixel signal and the reference signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The light detecting device according to claim 11, further comprising a count circuit configured to: execute a counting process in a period from a start of the comparison to the detection in the comparator; and output, as a digital image signal, a count value based on the execution of the counting process. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The light detecting device according to claim 10, wherein the correction circuit is configured to correct the reference signal based on a fluctuation in a voltage of the negative voltage power source. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The light detecting device according to claim 10, wherein the correction circuit includes a capacitor and a voltage-electric current conversion circuit, the capacitor is configured to transmit, to the voltage-electric current conversion circuit, an amount of a fluctuation in the negative potential, and the voltage-electric current conversion circuit is configured to output an electric current as a correction signal based on the amount of the fluctuation in the negative potential. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The light detecting device according to claim 9, further comprising: a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, wherein each of the plurality of pixels is configured to output the pixel signal; and a plurality of analog-to-digital converters, wherein each of the plurality of analog-to-digital converters is configured to convert the pixel signal output from a respective pixel of the plurality of pixels into a digital image signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The light detecting device according to claim 9, wherein the pixel further includes a select transistor coupled to the vertical signal line, the switch circuitry further includes a second switch, and the second switch is coupled to a gate of the select transistor.