Solid-state imaging element, imaging device, and method for controlling solid-state imaging element
AssigneeSony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
InventorsYoshimitsu Shiotani, Takuya Mikami, Takao Konishi
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Abstract
In a solid-state imaging element in which effective pixels are arranged, image quality of image data is improved. In a pixel array unit, a plurality of effective pixels that is not shaded from light is arranged. A drive unit performs control to drive each of the plurality of effective pixels to generate an analog signal according to the exposure amount as an effective pixel signal and control to drive a specific pixel among the plurality of effective pixels to generate an analog signal according to a dark current as an additional shaded pixel signal. A signal processing unit corrects the effective pixel signal using the additional shaded pixel signal.
Claims11
A solid-state imaging element, comprising:
- a pixel array unit comprising:
- a plurality of effective pixels that is not shaded from light;
- a decapixel block comprising ten effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels, wherein the ten effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels share a first floating diffusion layer;
- and
- an octapixel block comprising eight effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels, wherein the eight effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels share a second floating diffusion layer:
- a drive unit configured to:
- drive each of the plurality of effective pixels to generate a first analog signal as an effective pixel signal, wherein the first analog signal is generated based on an exposure amount;
- and
- drive a specific pixel among the plurality of effective pixels to generate a second analog signal as an additional shaded pixel signal, wherein the second analog signal is generated based on a dark current;
- and
- a signal processing unit configured to correct the effective pixel signal based on using the additional shaded pixel signal.
An imaging device, comprising:
- a pixel array unit comprising:
- a plurality of effective pixels that is not shaded from light;
- a decapixel block comprising ten effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels, wherein the ten effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels share a first floating diffusion layer;
- and
- an octapixel block comprising eight effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels, wherein the eight effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels share a second floating diffusion layer;
- and
- a drive unit configured to:
- drive each of the plurality of effective pixels to generate a first analog signal as an effective pixel signal, wherein the first analog signal is generated based on an exposure amount;
- and
- drive a specific pixel among the plurality of effective pixels to generate a second analog signal as an additional shaded pixel signal, wherein the second analog signal is generated based on a dark current;
- a signal processing unit configured to correct the effective pixel signal based on the additional shaded pixel signal;
- and
- a recording unit configured to record image data comprising the corrected effective pixel signals.
A method for controlling a solid-state imaging element, the method comprising:
- driving each of a plurality of effective pixels in a pixel array unit to generate a first analog signal as an effective pixel signal, wherein
- the plurality of effective pixels is not shaded from light,
- the first analog signal is generated based on an exposure amount, and
- the pixel array unit includes:
- a decapixel block comprising ten effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels, wherein the ten effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels share a first floating diffusion layer, and
- an octapixel block comprising eight effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels, wherein the eight effective pixels of the plurality of effective pixels share a second floating diffusion layer;
- driving a specific pixel among the plurality of effective pixels to generate a second analog signal as an additional shaded pixel signal, wherein the second analog signal is generated based on a dark current;
- and
- correcting the effective pixel signal based on the additional shaded pixel signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.