US 12,764,437 B2 · Image sensor with shared low conversion gain capacitor

Abstract

An image sensor comprising a pixel cell array is described. The pixel cell array includes a plurality of pixel cells arranged in rows and columns. Individual pixel cells included in the plurality of pixel cells each includes one or more photodiodes configured to photogenerate image charge in response to incident light, a first floating diffusion, a second floating diffusion, a third floating diffusion, a dual floating diffusion transistor coupled between the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion, a lateral overflow transistor coupled between the first floating diffusion and the third floating diffusion, and a shared low conversion gain capacitor. The dual floating diffusion transistor and the lateral overflow transistor are coupled in parallel to the first floating diffusion. The second floating diffusion is coupled between the shared low conversion gain capacitor and the first floating diffusion.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An image sensor, comprising:

a pixel cell array including a plurality of pixel cells arranged in rows and columns, wherein individual pixel cells included in the plurality of pixel cells each includes:
one or more photodiodes configured to photogenerate image charge in response to incident light;
a first floating diffusion, a second floating diffusion, and a third floating diffusion, wherein the first floating diffusion is coupled to receive the image charge from the one or more photodiodes;
a dual floating diffusion transistor coupled between the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion;
a lateral overflow transistor coupled between the first floating diffusion and the third floating diffusion, wherein the dual floating diffusion transistor and the lateral overflow transistor are coupled in parallel to the first floating diffusion;
and
a shared low conversion gain capacitor coupled to the dual floating diffusion transistor, wherein the second floating diffusion is coupled between the shared low conversion gain capacitor and the first floating diffusion.

4 more elements

An imaging system, comprising:

a pixel cell array, including a plurality of pixel cells arranged in rows and columns, wherein individual pixel cells included in the plurality of pixel cells each includes:
one or more photodiodes configured to photogenerate image charge in response to incident light;
a first floating diffusion and a second floating diffusion, wherein the first floating diffusion is coupled to receive the image charge from the one or more photodiodes;
a dual floating diffusion transistor coupled between the first floating diffusion and the second floating diffusion;
and
a shared low conversion gain capacitor coupled to the dual floating diffusion transistor and selectively coupled to the first floating diffusion;
a plurality of bitlines coupled to the pixel cell array;
control circuitry coupled to the pixel cell array to control operation of the pixel cell array;
and
readout circuitry coupled to the pixel cell array through the plurality of bitlines to readout image data representative of the image charge from the pixel cell array,
wherein the plurality of pixel cells includes a first pixel cell and a second pixel cell adjacent to the first pixel cell, and wherein the shared low conversion gain capacitor of the first pixel cell is coupled to the shared low conversion gain capacitor of the second pixel cell.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image sensor with shared low conversion gain capacitor

Life of this patent

Image sensor with shared low conversion gain capacitor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20