# US 12,120,439 B2 · Image sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,120,439 B2 - Document ID: US12120439B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/972,788 - Filed: 2022-10-25 - Published: 2023-10-19 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2022-04-19 - Assignees: SK hynix Inc. - Applicants: SK hynix Inc. - Inventors: Kwang June Sohn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120439B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/46: by combining or binning pixels - H04N 25/11: Arrangement of colour filter arrays [CFA]; Filter mosaics - 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 25/75: Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array - H04N 25/778: comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the arrangement pattern of the pixels corresponds to a first arrangement pattern of even-numbered color filters of even-numbered pixels, and the arrangement pattern of color filters of the pixel array corresponds to a second arrangement pattern of odd-numbered color filters of odd-numbered pixels. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, further comprising a readout line extending in the vertical direction and coupled to the respective unit pixel circuits. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image sensor of claim 1, wherein photodiodes of the pixels share corresponding one of the floating diffusion nodes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The Image sensor of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of switch circuits electrically couples some or all of the floating diffusion nodes in a binning mode, and electrically isolates each of the floating diffusion nodes in a normal mode. ### Claim 6 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image sensor of claim 6, wherein the first photodiodes share the first floating diffusion node, the second photodiodes share the second floating diffusion node, and the third photodiodes share the third floating diffusion node. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The image sensor of claim 6, further comprising: a fourth unit pixel circuit disposed in at least one second column, and including even-numbered fourth photodiodes; a fifth unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one second column, and including even-numbered fifth photodiodes; a sixth unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one second column, and including even-numbered sixth photodiodes; a fifth line coupled to a fourth floating diffusion node included in the fourth unit pixel circuit; sixth and seventh lines coupled to a fifth floating diffusion node included in the fifth unit pixel circuit; an eighth line coupled to a sixth floating diffusion node included in the sixth unit pixel circuit; a third switch suitable for selectively coupling the fifth line and the sixth line; and a fourth switch suitable for selectively coupling the seventh line and the eighth line, wherein the fourth to sixth unit pixel circuits sequentially read out respective second pixel signals from odd-numbered photodiodes among the fourth to sixth photodiodes through a second readout line when the third and fourth switches are simultaneously shorted according to the binning mode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image sensor of claim 8, wherein the fourth photodiodes share the fourth floating diffusion node, the fifth photodiodes share the fifth floating diffusion node, and the sixth photodiodes share the sixth floating diffusion node. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The image sensor of claim 8, further comprising: a seventh unit pixel circuit disposed in at least one third column, and including even-numbered seventh photodiodes; an eighth unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one third column, and including even-numbered eighth photodiodes; a ninth unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one third column, and including even-numbered ninth photodiodes; a ninth line coupled to a seventh floating diffusion node included in the seventh unit pixel circuit; tenth and eleventh lines coupled to an eighth floating diffusion node included in the eighth unit pixel circuit; a twelfth line coupled to a ninth floating diffusion node included in the ninth unit pixel circuit; a fifth switch suitable for selectively coupling the ninth line and the tenth line; and a sixth switch suitable for selectively coupling the eleventh line and the twelfth line, wherein the seventh to ninth unit pixel circuits sequentially read out respective third pixel signals from odd-numbered photodiodes among the seventh to ninth photodiodes through a third readout line when the fifth and sixth switches are simultaneously shorted according to the binning mode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image sensor of claim 10, wherein the seventh photodiodes share the seventh floating diffusion node, the eighth photodiodes share the eighth floating diffusion node, and the ninth photodiodes share the ninth floating diffusion node. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The image sensor of claim 10, wherein the first to sixth switches are opened in a normal mode. ### Claim 13 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The image sensor of claim 13, wherein the first photodiodes share the first floating diffusion node, the second photodiodes share the second floating diffusion node, and the third photodiodes share the third floating diffusion node. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The image sensor of claim 13, further comprising: a fourth unit pixel circuit disposed in at least one second column and including even-numbered fourth photodiodes; a fifth unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one second column and including even-numbered fifth photodiodes; a sixth unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one second column and including even-numbered sixth photodiodes; a fifth line coupled to a fourth floating diffusion node included in the fourth unit pixel circuit; sixth and seventh lines coupled to a fifth floating diffusion node included in the fifth unit pixel circuit; an eighth line coupled to a sixth floating diffusion node included in the sixth unit pixel circuit; a third switch suitable for selectively coupling the fifth line and the sixth line; and a fourth switch suitable for selectively coupling the seventh line and the eighth line, wherein the fourth and fifth unit pixel circuits sequentially read out respective third pixel signals from odd-numbered photodiodes among the fourth and fifth photodiodes through a second readout line when the third switch is shorted and the fourth switch is opened or shorted according to the binning mode, and wherein the fifth and sixth unit pixel circuits sequentially read out respective fourth pixel signals from odd-numbered photodiodes among the fifth and sixth photodiodes through the second readout line when the third switch is opened or shorted and the fourth switch is shorted according to the binning mode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image sensor of claim 15, wherein the fourth photodiodes share the fourth floating diffusion node, the fifth photodiodes share the fifth floating diffusion node, and the sixth photodiodes share the sixth floating diffusion node. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The image sensor of claim 15, further comprising: a seventh unit pixel circuit disposed in at least one third column and including even-numbered seventh photodiodes; an eighth unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one third column and including even-numbered eighth photodiodes; a ninth unit pixel circuit disposed in the at least one third column and including even-numbered ninth photodiodes; a ninth line coupled to a seventh floating diffusion node included in the seventh unit pixel circuit; tenth and eleventh lines coupled to an eighth floating diffusion node included in the eighth unit pixel circuit; a twelfth line coupled to a ninth floating diffusion node included in the ninth unit pixel circuit; a fifth switch suitable for selectively coupling the ninth line and the 10th line; and a sixth switch suitable for selectively coupling the eleventh line and the twelfth line, wherein the seventh and eighth unit pixel circuits sequentially read out respective fifth pixel signals from odd-numbered photodiodes among the seventh and eighth photodiodes through a third readout line when the fifth switch is shorted and the sixth switch is opened or shorted according to the binning mode, and wherein the eighth and ninth unit pixel circuits sequentially read out respective sixth pixel signals from odd-numbered photodiodes among the eighth and ninth photodiodes through the third readout line when the fifth switch is opened or shorted and the sixth switch is shorted according to the binning mode. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The image sensor of claim 17, wherein the seventh photodiodes share the seventh floating diffusion node, the eighth photodiodes share the eighth floating diffusion node, and the ninth photodiodes share the ninth floating diffusion node. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The image sensor of claim 17, wherein the first to sixth switches are opened in a normal mode.