# US 12,771,372 B2 · Analog-to-digital converter and image sensor including the same

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- Number: US 12,771,372 B2
- Document ID: US12771372B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 19/024,232
- Filed: 2025-01-16
- Published: 2025-08-21
- Granted: 2026-10-20
- Earliest claimed: 2024-02-21
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Seunghoon Jung; Sungyong Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12771372B2

## CPC

- H03M 1/34: Analogue value compared with reference values (H03M1/48 takes precedence)
- H04N 25/772: comprising A/D, V/T, V/F, I/T or I/F converters
- H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters
- H03M: CODING; DECODING; CODE CONVERSION IN GENERAL (using fluidic means F15C4/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. G01D, G01R, G06F, G06T, G09G, G10L, G11B, G11C, H04B, H04L, H04M, H04N; ciphering or deciphering for cryptography or other purposes involving the need for secrecy G09C)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An image sensor includes a counter circuit that outputs a count value corresponding to a magnitude of a pixel signal. The counter circuit includes a first counter circuit that latches a counting code to generate at least one least significant bit signal of a count value; and a second counter circuit that generates most significant bit signals sequentially toggling in response to one of the at least one least significant bit signal or an inversion signal of the one of the at least one least significant bit signal. The first counter circuit includes a plurality of latch circuits and an addition circuit. The second counter circuit is arranged between the plurality of latch circuits along a first virtual line connecting a comparator and the plurality of latch circuits.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image sensor comprising:
a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, each pixel configured to output a pixel signal;
a comparator configured to generate a comparison signal based on a ramp signal and the pixel signal;
a counter circuit configured to receive a counting code and the comparison signal and output a count value corresponding to a magnitude of the pixel signal based on the comparison signal; and
a control circuit configured to control the plurality of pixels, the comparator, and the counter circuit,
wherein the counter circuit includes:
a first counter circuit configured to latch the counting code and generate at least one least significant bit signal of the count value; and
a second counter circuit configured to generate most significant bit signals sequentially toggling in response to one of the at least one least significant bit signal or an inversion signal of the one of the at least one least significant bit signal,
wherein the first counter circuit includes a plurality of latch circuits and an addition circuit,
wherein the second counter circuit is arranged between the plurality of latch circuits along a first virtual line connecting the comparator and the plurality of latch circuits,
wherein the image sensor is formed on a substrate including a front surface and a back surface opposite to the front surface, and
wherein the first virtual line is parallel to the front surface or the back surface of the substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the first counter circuit includes:
a first latch circuit configured to latch the counting code corresponding to the at least one least significant bit signal, convert the latched counting code into a binary code, and output the binary code;
a second latch circuit configured to latch a first binary code among outputs of the first latch circuit; and
the addition circuit configured to add a second binary code among the outputs of the first latch circuit and the first binary code latched by the second latch circuit, and
wherein the second counter circuit is arranged between the first latch circuit and the second latch circuit along the first virtual line.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The image sensor of claim 2, wherein:
the addition circuit is configured to receive the second binary code through a first line connected to the first latch circuit and receive the first binary code through a second line connected to the second latch circuit,
the second counter circuit is configured to receive one of the at least one least significant bit signal from the first latch circuit through a third line, and
a length of one of the first line and the second line is longer than a length of the third line.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The image sensor of claim 2, wherein:
the plurality of pixels are arranged in the pixel array along a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows parallel to the front surface or the back surface of the substrate,
the addition circuit is configured to receive the second binary code through a first line connected to the first latch circuit and receive the first binary code through a second line connected to the second latch circuit, and
a second virtual line perpendicular to the front surface or the back surface of the substrate passes through a portion of one of the first line or the second line and the second counter circuit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The image sensor of claim 2, wherein:
the plurality of pixels are arranged in the pixel array along a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows parallel to the front surface or the back surface of the substrate,
the addition circuit is configured to receive the second binary code through a first line connected to the first latch circuit and receive the first binary code through a second line connected to the second latch circuit, and
at least a portion of the first line and the second line overlaps the second counter circuit when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the front surface or the back surface of the substrate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pixels are arranged in the pixel array along a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows, and
wherein the first virtual line is parallel to one of the plurality of columns.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The image sensor of claim 6, wherein the first counter circuit includes:
a first latch circuit configured to latch the counting code corresponding to the at least one least significant bit signal, convert the latched counting code into a binary code, and output the binary code;
a second latch circuit configured to latch a first binary code among outputs of the first latch circuit; and
the addition circuit configured to add a second binary code among the outputs of the first latch circuit and the first binary code latched by the second latch circuit, and
wherein the first latch circuit, the second counter circuit, the addition circuit, and the second latch circuit are arranged close to the comparator along the first virtual line in an order of the first latch circuit, the second counter circuit, the addition circuit, and the second latch circuit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The image sensor of claim 6, wherein the first counter circuit includes:
a first latch circuit configured to latch the counting code corresponding to the at least one least significant bit signal, convert the latched counting code into a binary code, and output the binary code;
a second latch circuit configured to latch a first binary code among outputs of the first latch circuit; and
the addition circuit configured to add a second binary code among the outputs of the first latch circuit and the first binary code latched by the second latch circuit, and
wherein the first latch circuit, the addition circuit, the second counter circuit, and the second latch circuit are arranged close to the comparator along the first virtual line in an order of the first latch circuit, the addition circuit, the second counter circuit, and the second latch circuit along the first virtual line.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the count value includes the at least one least significant bit signal and the most significant bit signals, and
wherein a number of bits of the at least one least significant bit signal is less than a number of bits of the most significant bit signals.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the second counter circuit is configured to generate the most significant bit signals sequentially toggling in response to a bit signal corresponding to the most significant bit of the least significant bit signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The image sensor of claim 1, wherein the counting code includes a gray code, and the second counter circuit includes a ripple counter based on a binary code.

### Claim 12

An image sensor comprising:
a pixel array including a plurality of pixels;
a plurality of column lines configured to output pixel voltages of the plurality of pixels;
a plurality of comparators connected to each of the plurality of column lines, and each configured to generate a comparison signal based on a ramp signal and a pixel voltage; and
a plurality of counter circuits configured to receive the comparison signal from each of the plurality of comparators and output a count value corresponding to the pixel voltage based on the comparison signal,
wherein each of the plurality of counter circuits includes:
a first latch circuit configured to latch a gray code;
a second latch circuit configured to latch a first binary code among outputs of the first latch circuit;
a most significant bit counter circuit configured to receive an output of a most significant bit among the outputs of the first latch circuit and count high-order n bits of the count value, wherein the n is an integer of 1 or more; and
an arithmetic unit configured to perform an operation on a second binary code among the outputs of the first latch circuit and the first binary code,
wherein the gray code corresponds to lower-order m bits of the count value, wherein the m is an integer of 1 or more, and
wherein the most significant bit counter circuit is arranged such that a first distance between the first latch circuit and the most significant bit counter circuit is smaller than a second distance between the first latch circuit and the second latch circuit.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The image sensor of claim 12, wherein the most significant bit counter circuit includes a plurality of flip-flops configured to sequentially toggle in response to a most significant bit signal among outputs of the first latch circuit or an inversion signal of the most significant bit signal to count “n” upper bits of the count value.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The image sensor of claim 12, wherein the first latch circuit includes:
a plurality of latches each configured to latch a bit of the gray code; and
a binary conversion unit configured to convert an output of the plurality of latches into a binary code.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The image sensor of claim 12, wherein the first latch circuit, the most significant bit counter circuit, the arithmetic unit, and the second latch circuit are arranged adjacent to a corresponding comparator among the plurality of comparators in an order of the first latch circuit, the most significant bit counter circuit, the arithmetic unit, and the second latch circuit.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The image sensor of claim 12, wherein the first latch circuit, the arithmetic unit, the most significant bit counter circuit, and the second latch circuit are arranged adjacent to a corresponding comparator among the plurality of comparators in an order of the first latch circuit, the arithmetic unit, the most significant bit counter circuit, and the second latch circuit.

### Claim 17

An image sensor comprising:
a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, each pixel configured to output a pixel signal; and
an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the pixel signal into pixel data,
wherein the analog-to-digital converter comprises:
a comparator configured to generate a comparison signal based on a ramp signal and an input signal; and
a counter circuit configured to receive a counting code and the comparison signal and output a count value corresponding to a magnitude of the input signal based on the comparison signal,
wherein the counter circuit includes:
a first counter circuit including a plurality of latch circuits and an adder, and the first counter circuit configured to:
latch the counting code, and
generate least significant bit signals of the count value; and
a second counter circuit configured to generate most significant bit signals sequentially toggling in response to one of the least significant bit signals or an inversion signal of the one of the least significant bit signals, and
wherein the plurality of latch circuits, the adder, and the second counter circuit are arranged in series, and the second counter circuit is arranged between the plurality of latch circuits.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The image sensor of claim 17, wherein:
the first counter circuit includes a first latch circuit and a second latch circuit,
the adder is configured to generate the least significant bit signal by adding a first bit signal stored in the first latch circuit and a second bit signal stored in the second latch circuit, and
the second counter circuit includes a plurality of flip-flops connected to each other in cascade, wherein the flip-flop located at the front most among the plurality of flip-flops is configured to receive the most significant bit signal or an inverted signal of the most significant bit signal as a clock signal.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The image sensor of claim 18, further comprising:
a first line configured to connect the adder and the first latch circuit;
a second line configured to connect the adder and the second latch circuit; and
a third line configured to connect the first latch circuit and the second counter circuit,
wherein a length of the third line is shorter than a length of at least one of the first line and the second line.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The image sensor of claim 19, wherein the first line transmits the first bit signal, the second line transmits the second bit signal, and the third line transmits the most significant bit signal.