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US 12,120,439 B2Granted
Image sensor
AssigneeSK hynix Inc.
InventorKwang June Sohn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is an image sensor including a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixel circuits arranged in a grid structure, and a plurality of switch circuits suitable for selectively coupling floating diffusion nodes included in the respective unit pixel circuits arranged in a vertical direction among the plurality of unit pixel circuits, wherein an arrangement pattern of pixels included in each of the plurality of unit pixel circuits is different from an arrangement pattern of color filters of the pixel array.
Claims19
An image sensor comprising:
- a pixel array including a plurality of unit pixel circuits arranged in a grid structure;
- and
- a plurality of switch circuits suitable for selectively coupling floating diffusion nodes included in the respective unit pixel circuits arranged in a vertical direction among the plurality of unit pixel circuits,
- wherein an arrangement pattern of pixels included in each of the plurality of unit pixel circuits is different from an arrangement pattern of color filters of the pixel array.
1 more element
An image sensor comprising:
- a first unit pixel circuit disposed in at least one first column and including even-numbered first photodiodes;
- a second unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one first column and including even-numbered second photodiodes;
- a third unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one first column and including even-numbered third photodiodes;
- a first line coupled to a first floating diffusion node included in the first unit pixel circuit;
- second and third lines coupled to a second floating diffusion node included in the second unit pixel circuit;
- a fourth line coupled to a third floating diffusion node included in the third unit pixel circuit;
- a first switch suitable for selectively coupling the first line and the second line;
- and
- a second switch suitable for selectively coupling the third line and the fourth line,
- wherein the first to third unit pixel circuits sequentially read out respective first pixel signals from odd-numbered photodiodes among the first to third photodiodes through a first readout line when the first and second switches are simultaneously shorted according to a binning mode.
7 more elements
An image sensor comprising:
- a first unit pixel circuit disposed in at least one first column and including even-numbered first photodiodes;
- a second unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one first column and including even-numbered second photodiodes;
- a third unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one first column and including even-numbered third photodiodes;
- a first line coupled to a first floating diffusion node included in the first unit pixel circuit;
- second and third lines coupled to a second floating diffusion node included in the second unit pixel circuit;
- a fourth line coupled to a third floating diffusion node included in the third unit pixel circuit;
- a first switch suitable for selectively coupling the first line and the second line;
- and
- a second switch suitable for selectively coupling the third line and the fourth line,
- wherein the first and second unit pixel circuits sequentially read out respective first pixel signals from odd-numbered photodiodes among the first and second photodiodes through a first readout line when the first switch is shorted and the second switch is opened or shorted according to a binning mode, and
- wherein the second and third unit pixel circuits sequentially read out respective second pixel signals from odd-numbered photodiodes among the second and third photodiodes through the first readout line when the first switch is opened or shorted and the second switch is shorted according to the binning mode.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.