# US 2013/0153752 A1 · Electronic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153752 A1 - Document ID: US20130153752A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/711,467 - Filed: 2012-12-11 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Katsuhito Sakurai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153752A1 ## CPC - H10F 39/10: Integrated devices - H02J 4/00: Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36) - H04N 25/616: involving a correlated sampling function, e.g. correlated double sampling [CDS] or triple sampling - H04N 25/677: for reducing the column or line fixed pattern noise - H04N 25/767: Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers - H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H10F 39/199: {Back-illuminated image sensors} - H10F 39/8023: {Disposition of the elements in pixels, e.g. smaller elements in the centre of the imager compared to larger elements at the periphery} - H10F 39/8037: {the integrated elements comprising a transistor} - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An electronic device according to one or more embodiments of the invention comprises a plurality of first output lines and a plurality of current to voltage convertors. Current signals from a plurality of signal sources are output to the first output lines. Each of the current to voltage convertors are electrically connected to a corresponding one of the first output lines. The current to voltage convertor includes a first amplification unit. An offset reduction unit in a subsequent stage of the current to voltage convertor is provided for each of the first output lines. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device comprising: a plurality of first output lines for current signals from a plurality of signal sources being output to the first output lines; and a plurality of current to voltage convertors, each of the current to voltage convertors being electrically connected to a corresponding one of the first output lines, wherein the current to voltage convertor includes a first amplification unit, and wherein an offset reduction unit in a subsequent stage of the current to voltage convertor is provided for each of the first output lines. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising the plurality of the signal sources, wherein at least two of the plurality of the signal sources are electrically connected to each of the first output lines, and wherein each of the plurality of the signal sources includes a photoelectric conversion unit and a transistor configured to output a current signal based on an amount of charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the corresponding first output line. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first amplification unit includes an operational amplifier having a first input node and a second input node, wherein a resistor is provided in an electrical path between the first input node and an output node of the operational amplifier of the first amplification unit, wherein the first input node is configured to be provided with the current signal from the signal source, wherein the second input node is configured to be provided with a reference voltage, wherein the current to voltage convertor is configured to convert the current signal into a voltage between both nodes of the resistor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the resistor is configured to have variable resistance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of the signal sources are configured to simultaneously output the current signals from two or more of the signal sources to the first output line, and wherein the first output line is configured such that the current signals simultaneously output to the first output line are summed up at the first output line. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electronic device according to claim 5, further comprising a bias current source configured to provide each of the plurality of the signal sources with a bias current, wherein the bias current source is configured to provide a first bias current for one of the plurality of the signal sources individually outputting the current signal, and to provide a second bias current, having a larger amplitude than that of the first bias current, for two or more of the plurality of the signal sources simultaneously outputting the current signals. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The electronic device according to claim 2, further comprising a first semiconductor substrate, wherein the photoelectric conversion unit is provided in the first semiconductor substrate, wherein the first output lines are provided on a first surface of the first semiconductor substrate, and wherein the photoelectric conversion unit is configured to convert incident light from a second surface of the first semiconductor substrate, opposite to the first surface, into a charge. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The electronic device according to claim 7, further comprising a second semiconductor substrate facing to the first surface of the first semiconductor substrate, wherein the first output lines are provided between the first and second semiconductor substrates, and wherein either one of or both of the transistor and the current to voltage convertor is/are provided in the second semiconductor substrate. ### Claim 9 An electronic device comprising: a plurality of first output lines for current signals from a plurality of signal sources being output to the first output lines; and a plurality of current to voltage convertors, each of the current to voltage convertors being electrically connected to a corresponding one of the first output lines, wherein the current to voltage convertor includes an first amplification unit, and a first storing unit and a second storing unit electrically connected to an output node of the current to voltage converter are provided for each of the first output lines. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the first storing unit includes a first capacitor electrically connected to the output node of the current to voltage converter via a first switch, wherein the second storing unit includes a second capacitor electrically connected to the output node of the current to voltage converter via a second switch. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The electronic device according to claim 10, further comprising: a second output line and a third output line, wherein voltage signals stored in the first and second storing unit are to be output correspondingly to the second and third output lines by capacitive division of charges; and a differential processing unit configured to output a differential signal based on the difference between the voltage signals at the second and third output lines. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The electronic device according to claim 9, further comprising the plurality of the signal sources, wherein at least two of the plurality of the signal sources are electrically connected to each of the first output lines, and wherein each of the plurality of the signal sources includes a photoelectric conversion unit and a transistor configured to output a current signal based on an amount of charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the corresponding first output line. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the first amplification unit includes an operational amplifier having a first input node and a second input node, wherein a resistor is provided in an electrical path between the first input node and an output node of the operational amplifier of the first amplification unit, wherein the first input node is configured to be provided with the current signal from the signal source, wherein the second input node is configured to be provided with a reference voltage, wherein the current to voltage convertor is configured to convert the current signal into a voltage between both nodes of the resistor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the resistor is configured to have variable resistance. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of the signal sources are configured to simultaneously output the current signals from two or more of the signal sources to the first output line, and wherein the first output line is configured such that the current signals simultaneously output to the first output line are summed up at the first output line. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic device according to claim 15, further comprising a bias current source configured to provide each of the plurality of the signal sources with a bias current, wherein the bias current source is configured to provide a first bias current for one of the plurality of the signal sources individually outputting the current signal, and to provide a second bias current, having a larger amplitude than that of the first bias current, for two or more of the plurality of the signal sources simultaneously outputting the current signals. ### Claim 17 An electronic device comprising: a plurality of first output lines for current signals from a plurality of signal sources being output to the first output lines; and a plurality of current to voltage convertors, each of the current to voltage convertors being electrically connected to a corresponding one of the first output lines, wherein the current to voltage convertor includes a first amplification unit, wherein a third capacitor, a fourth capacitor, a second amplification unit and a switch are provided for each of the first output lines, wherein the second amplification unit includes an operational amplifier having at least two input nodes, wherein one node of the third capacitor is electrically connected to an output node of the current to voltage convertor, and another node of the third capacitor is electrically connected to one of the input nodes of the operational amplifier of the second amplification unit, wherein one node of the fourth capacitor is electrically connected to the one of the input nodes of the operational amplifier of the second amplification unit, and another node of the fourth capacitor is electrically connected to an output node of the operational amplifier of the second amplification unit, and wherein the switch is provided in an electrical path between the one of the input nodes of the operational amplifier of the second amplification unit and the output node of the operational amplifier of the second amplification unit in parallel to the fourth capacitor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The electronic device according to claim 17, further comprising the plurality of the signal sources, wherein at least two of the plurality of the signal sources are electrically connected to each of the first output lines, and wherein each of the plurality of the signal sources includes a photoelectric conversion unit and a transistor configured to output a current signal based on an amount of charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit to the corresponding first output line. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the first amplification unit includes an operational amplifier having a first input node and a second input node, wherein a resistor is provided in an electrical path between the first input node and an output node of the operational amplifier of the first amplification unit, wherein the first input node is configured to be provided with the current signal from the signal source, wherein the second input node is configured to be provided with a reference voltage, wherein the current to voltage convertor is configured to convert the current signal into a voltage between both nodes of the resistor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the resistor is configured to have variable resistance.