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US 2008/0291310 A1Published application
Imager and system utilizing pixel with internal reset control and method of operating same
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsJohn Ladd, Gennadiy A. Agranov
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pixel having no dedicated reset control line. By using the voltage on the column line to control the gate of the reset transistor, there is no need to provide a dedicate reset control line.
Claims36
A pixel circuit comprising:
- a photosensor;
- a circuit including a storage node for providing an output signal to a column line based on a signal from said photosensor;
- and
- a reset circuit that resets the storage node when activated by the column line.
1 more element
An imager comprising:
- a pixel array comprising:
- a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising:
- a photosensor;
- and
- a transfer transistor;
- a pixel readout circuit associated with one or more pixels,
- each said pixel readout circuit comprising:
- a storage region for receiving a charge from a photosensor through an associated transfer transistor;
- a transistor circuit coupled to said storage region for providing an output signal to a column line coupled to a switchably operable voltage source;
- and
- a reset transistor for resetting said storage region, said reset transistor having a gate coupled to said column line.
8 more elements
A camera system, comprising:
- a processor;
- an imager coupled to said processor, said imager comprising:
- a photosensor;
- a circuit including a storage node for providing an output signal to a column line based on a signal from said photosensor;
- and
- a reset circuit having an reset control line for resetting said storage node, said reset circuit control line being coupled to said column line.
3 more elements
A method of operating a pixel, comprising:
- performing a reset of the pixel, by:
- controlling a reset of the pixel by selectively applying a voltage on a signal line coupled between a gate of a reset transistor of said pixel and a column line.
A method of operating a pixel, comprising:
- performing a reset of the pixel, by:
- selectively coupling a floating diffusion node through a reset transistor to a voltage source by applying a voltage on a column line to a gate of the reset transistor.
A method of operating a pixel comprising:
- performing a reset of a pixel by applying a voltage on a column line which temporarily closes a switching circuit coupling a storage region of said pixel to a second voltage;
- reading out a reset signal from said pixel;
- and
- reading out an integrated charge signal from said pixel.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.