Pixel array with inverted voltage follower
AssigneeCommissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
InventorFrançois Ayel
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Abstract
A pixel array including a first pixel having a first transistor having: its control node coupled to a first photodiode; a first of its main conducting nodes coupled to a voltage output rail; and a second of its main conducting nodes coupled to a further voltage rail; a variable impedance coupling the voltage output rail to a first supply rail of the pixel array; and a current source coupling the further voltage rail to a second supply rail of the pixel array, wherein the variable impedance is controlled based on the voltage level on the further voltage rail.
Claims12
A pixel array comprising:
- a first pixel comprising a first transistor having:
- its control node coupled to a first photodiode;
- a first of its main conducting nodes coupled to a voltage output rail;
- and a second of its main conducting nodes coupled to a further voltage rail;
- a variable impedance electrically coupling the voltage output rail to a first supply rail of the pixel array, wherein only the variable impedance is coupled between the voltage output rail and the first supply rail;
- and
- a current source coupling the further voltage rail to a second supply rail of the pixel array, wherein the variable impedance is controlled based on the voltage level on the further voltage rail.
A method of driving a first pixel of a pixel array during a read operation of the first pixel, the method comprising:
- applying, to a control node of a first transistor of the first pixel, a voltage level generated by a first photodiode, a first of the main conducting nodes of the first transistor being coupled to a voltage output rail and a second of the main conducting nodes of the first transistor being coupled to a further voltage rail;
- and
- adjusting a variable impedance electrically coupling the voltage output rail to a first supply rail of the pixel array, the variable impedance being adjusted based on the voltage on the further voltage rail, the further voltage rail being coupled to a second supply rail via a current source;
- wherein only the variable impedance is coupled between the voltage output rail and the first supply rail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.