# US 11,451,726 B2 · Imaging device and drive method therefor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,726 B2 - Document ID: US11451726B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/364,441 - Filed: 2021-06-30 - Published: 2021-10-21 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-26 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Takeyoshi Tokuhara; Yoshiaki Satou; Yusuke Okada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451726B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/585: with pixels having different sensitivities within the sensor, e.g. fast or slow pixels or pixels having different sizes - H10F 39/803: {Pixels having integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements} - H04N 25/59: by controlling the amount of charge storable in the pixel, e.g. modification of the charge conversion ratio of the floating node capacitance - H04N 25/709: Circuitry for control of the power supply - H04N 25/76: Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors - H10F 39/811: {Interconnections} - H10F 39/8037: {the integrated elements comprising a transistor} - 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 imaging device includes: a photoelectric converter including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer that generates a signal charge; a charge accumulator connected to the first electrode to accumulate the signal charge; a first voltage supply circuit connected to the second electrode and that selectively supplies at least two different voltages including a first voltage and a third voltage greater than the first voltage; and a second voltage supply circuit that is connected to the charge accumulator via capacitance and that selectively supplies at least two different voltages including a second voltage and a fourth voltage less than the second voltage, where in a first period in which the first voltage supply circuit supplies the first voltage, the first period being included in an accumulation period for accumulating the signal charge in the charge accumulator, the second voltage supply circuit supplies the second voltage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging device comprising: a photoelectric converter that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and that generates a signal charge; a charge accumulator that is connected to the first electrode to accumulate the signal charge; a first voltage supply circuit that is connected to the second electrode and that selectively supplies at least two different voltages including a first voltage and a third voltage greater than the first voltage; and a second voltage supply circuit that is connected to the charge accumulator via capacitance and that selectively supplies at least two different voltages including a second voltage and a fourth voltage less than the second voltage, wherein in a first period in which the first voltage supply circuit supplies the first voltage, the first period being included in an accumulation period for accumulating the signal charge in the charge accumulator, the second voltage supply circuit supplies the second voltage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising: a capacitor that is connected between the second voltage supply circuit and the charge accumulator and that functions as the capacitance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the signal charge is a hole. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric converter has no sensitivity in the first period. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the second voltage supply circuit supplies the second voltage in the accumulation period. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the second voltage supply circuit supplies the fourth voltage in a reset period for resetting a voltage of the charge accumulator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the first voltage supply circuit supplies the third voltage in a second period that is different from the first period and that is included in the accumulation period. ### Claim 8 An imaging device comprising: a photoelectric converter that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a photoelectric conversion layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and that generates a signal charge; a charge accumulator that is connected to the first electrode to accumulate the signal charge; a first voltage supply circuit that is connected to the second electrode and that selectively supplies at least two different voltages including a first voltage and a third voltage less than the first voltage; and a second voltage supply circuit that is connected to the charge accumulator via capacitance and that selectively supplies at least two different voltages including a second voltage and a fourth voltage greater than the second voltage, wherein in a first period in which the first voltage supply circuit supplies the first voltage, the first period being included in an accumulation period for accumulating the signal charge in the charge accumulator, the second voltage supply circuit supplies the second voltage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The imaging device according to claim 8, further comprising: a capacitor that is connected between the second voltage supply circuit and the charge accumulator and that functions as the capacitance. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the signal charge is an electron. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the photoelectric converter has no sensitivity in the first period. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the second voltage supply circuit supplies the second voltage in the accumulation period. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the second voltage supply circuit supplies the fourth voltage in a reset period for resetting a voltage of the charge accumulator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the first voltage supply circuit supplies the third voltage in a second period that is different from the first period and that is included in the accumulation period.