# US 12,764,439 B2 · Image sensor device and operation method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,764,439 B2 - Document ID: US12764439B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/400,213 - Filed: 2023-12-29 - Published: 2024-12-19 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-06-19 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Minwoo Lee; Min-Sun Keel; Kyung-Min Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12764439B2 ## CPC - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H04N 25/40: Extracting pixel data from image sensors by controlling scanning circuits, e.g. by modifying the number of pixels sampled or to be sampled - H04N 25/75: Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array - H04N 25/772: comprising A/D, V/T, V/F, I/T or I/F converters - H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Disclosed is an image sensor device which includes a first pixel located at a first row and a first column, corresponding to a first color filter, and outputting a first pixel signal through a first column line, a second pixel located at a second row different from the first row and the first column, corresponding to the first color filter, and outputting a second pixel signal through a second column line, and a conversion circuit receiving the first pixel signal through the first column line, receiving the second pixel signal through the second column line, and generating first image data and second image data based on the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal. The first pixel signal and the second pixel signal are respectively output through the first column line and the second column line simultaneously. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image sensor device comprising: a first pixel located at a first row and a first column, corresponding to a first color filter, and configured to output a first pixel signal through a first column line; a second pixel located at a second row different from the first row and the first column, corresponding to the first color filter, and configured to output a second pixel signal through a second column line; a third pixel located at the first row and the first column, corresponding to a second color filter, and configured to output a third pixel signal through a third column line; a fourth pixel located at the first row and the first column, corresponding to a third color filter, and configured to output a fourth pixel signal through a fourth column line; a fifth pixel located at the first row and the first column, corresponding to a fourth color filter, and configured to output a fifth pixel signal through a fifth column line; and a conversion circuit configured to receive the first pixel signal through the first column line, receive the second pixel signal through the second column line, and generate first image data and second image data based on the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal, wherein the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal are respectively output through the first column line and the second column line simultaneously, and wherein the third pixel signal, the fourth pixel signal, and the fifth pixel signal are respectively output through the third column line, the fourth column line, and the fifth column line simultaneously with the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein the conversion circuit is further configured to: further receive the third pixel signal, the fourth pixel signal, and the fifth pixel signal through the third column line, the fourth column line, and the fifth column line, respectively; and generate the first image data based on the first pixel signal, the third pixel signal, the fourth pixel signal, and the fifth pixel signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image sensor device of claim 1, further comprising: a sixth pixel located at the second row and the first column, corresponding to the second color filter, and configured to output a sixth pixel signal through a sixth column line, wherein the sixth pixel signal is output through the sixth column line simultaneously with the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image sensor device of claim 3, wherein the conversion circuit is further configured to: receive the sixth pixel signal through the sixth column line; and generate third image data based on the sixth pixel signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein a second frame rate corresponding to the second image data is higher than a first frame rate corresponding to the first image data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image sensor device of claim 5, wherein a range expressed by the second image data is a portion of a range expressed by the first image data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein a first frame rate corresponding to the first image data is identical to a second frame rate corresponding to the second image data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image sensor device of claim 7, wherein a range expressed by the first image data corresponds to a range expressed by the second image data. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image sensor device of claim 1, wherein each of the first pixel and the second pixel has a split photodiode structure including a large photodiode and a small photodiode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image sensor device of claim 9, wherein the first pixel signal includes: a first component pixel signal output from the large photodiode of the first pixel in a first high conversion mode; a second component pixel signal output from the large photodiode of the first pixel in a first low conversion mode; a third component pixel signal output from the small photodiode of the first pixel in a second high conversion mode; and a fourth component pixel signal output from the small photodiode of the first pixel in a second low conversion mode. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image sensor device of claim 10, wherein the conversion circuit includes: a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to sample the first component pixel signal, the third component pixel signal, and the fourth component pixel signal; and a second ADC configured to sample the second component pixel signal, wherein the second ADC samples the second component pixel signal while the first ADC samples the first component pixel signal, the third component pixel signal, and the fourth component pixel signal, and wherein the first image data are based on a result of sampling the first component pixel signal, the third component pixel signal, and the fourth component pixel signal by the first ADC and a result of sampling the second component pixel signal by the second ADC. ### Claim 12 An image sensor device comprising: a first pixel located at a first row and a first column, corresponding to a first color filter, and configured to output a first pixel signal through a first column line; a second pixel located at a second row different from the first row and the first column, corresponding to the first color filter, and configured to output a second pixel signal through a second column line; a switching circuit connected to the first column line and the second column line; a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to receive one of the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal from the switching circuit and to generate first image data by sampling the one pixel signal thus received; and a second ADC configured to receive the other of the first pixel signal and the second pixel signal from the switching circuit and to generate second image data by sampling the other pixel signal thus received, wherein, when the first pixel is associated with the first image data, the switching circuit performs a first switching operation such that the first column line is connected to the first ADC and the second column line is connected to the second ADC, and wherein, when the first pixel is associated with the second image data, the switching circuit performs a second switching operation such that the first column line is connected to the second ADC and the second column line is connected to the first ADC.