# US 2014/0191112 A1 · Solid-state imaging apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191112 A1 - Document ID: US20140191112A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/099,628 - Filed: 2013-12-06 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: Olympus Corporation - Applicants: Olympus Corporation - Inventors: Yosuke Kusano; Susumu Yamazaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191112A1 ## CPC - H03M 1/06: Continuously compensating for, or preventing, undesired influence of physical parameters (periodically, {e.g. by using stored correction values,} H03M1/10) - H04N 25/7795: {Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals} - H04N 25/78: Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters - H10F 39/12: Image sensors - H03M 1/123: {Simultaneous, i.e. using one converter per channel but with common control or reference circuits for multiple converters} - H03M 1/56: Input signal compared with linear ramp - 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 - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION ## Abstract A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a pixel unit which has a plurality of pixels disposed in a two-dimensional matrix shape, wherein each of the pixels that a photoelectrical conversion element which generates a photoelectrical conversion signal corresponding to an amount of incident light disposed on a first substrate, and which outputs a photoelectrical conversion signal generated by each of the pixels to each row as a pixel signal, and an analog-to-digital converter which is disposed on every one or more columns of the pixel unit and generates a digital signal by digitizing a phase state of a multi-phase clock including clock signals of a plurality of phases different from each other at predetermined fixed intervals according to the pixel signal. Each of first and second circuit configuration units whose circuit scales are determined according to the multi-phase clock is disposed on a different substrate of a first or second substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A solid-state imaging apparatus comprising: a first substrate; a second substrate electrically connected with the first substrate by a connector; a pixel unit having pixels disposed in a two-dimensional matrix shape, each of the pixels including a photoelectrical conversion element which is disposed on the first substrate and is configured to generate a photoelectrical conversion signal according to an amount of incident light, the pixel unit being configured to output a photoelectrical conversion signal generated by each of the pixels from each row as a pixel signal; and analog-to-digital (A/D) converters, each of which is disposed on every one or more columns of the pixels provided in the pixel unit and is configured to generate a digital signal by digitizing a phase state of a multi-phase clock including clock signals of phases different from each other at predetermined fixed intervals corresponding to the pixel signal, wherein each of the A/D converters comprises first and second circuit sections whose circuit scales are determined according to the multi-phase clock, wherein the first circuit section is disposed on one of the first substrate and the second substrate, and wherein the second circuit section is disposed on the other one of the first substrate and the second substrate on which the first circuit section is not disposed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the A/D converters comprises: a comparison circuit configured to compare the input pixel signal to a reference signal which monotonically increases or decreases with the passage of time, and to output a comparison signal indicating that a relationship between the reference signal and the pixel signal satisfies a predetermined condition; a latch unit having latch circuits configured to hold a phase state of the clock signal of a corresponding phase of the multi-phase clock at a timing at which the comparison signal is output; and a repeater unit having buffer circuits configured to compensate and drive a voltage of the clock signal of the corresponding phase of the multi-phase clock and to output the driven clock signal to the corresponding latch circuit, wherein the first circuit section comprises the latch unit, and wherein the second circuit section comprises the repeater unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the A/D converters comprises: a comparison circuit configured to compare the input pixel signal to a reference signal that monotonically increases or decreases with the passage of time, and to output a comparison signal indicating that a relationship between the reference signal and the pixel signal satisfies a predetermined condition; a latch unit having latch circuits configured to hold a phase state of the clocks signal of a corresponding phase of the multi-phase clock at a timing at which the comparison signal is output; a signal driving circuit configured to drive an output signal of a predetermined latch circuit of the latch unit; a lower-order digital signal generation unit configured to generate a lower-order side digital signal by digitizing the phase state of the multi-phase clock based on an output signal of each latch circuit of the latch unit; and a higher-order digital signal generation unit configured to generate a digitized higher-order side digital signal based on a signal of a predetermined bit of an output signal of a predetermined latch circuit driven by the signal driving circuit or the lower-order digital signal generated by the lower-order digital generation unit, wherein the first circuit section comprises the signal driving circuit, and wherein the second circuit section comprises the lower-order digital signal generation unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the signal driving circuit comprises a Schmitt trigger circuit, wherein the lower-order digital signal generation unit comprises: an encoder configured to encode a phase state of the multi-phase clock based on an output signal of each latch circuit of the latch unit; and a lower-order counter configured to count the number of occurrences of a predetermined state of an output signal of the encoder, wherein the higher-order digital signal generation unit comprises: a multiplexer configured to output one of an output signal of a predetermined latch circuit driven by the signal driving circuit and an output signal of a predetermined bit of the lower-order counter; and a higher-order counter configured to count the number of occurrences of a predetermined state of an output signal of the multiplexer, and wherein the second circuit section comprises at least one of the encoder and the lower-order counter as a circuit element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a reference signal generation circuit disposed on the second substrate and configured to generate the reference signal; and a clock generation circuit disposed on the second substrate and configured to generate the multi-phase clock at a timing at which the A/D converter starts A/D conversion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The solid-state imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first circuit section is disposed on the first substrate, and wherein the second circuit section is disposed on the second substrate.