# US 2014/0192241 A1 · Imaging apparatus and processing method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192241 A1 - Document ID: US20140192241A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/221,394 - Filed: 2014-03-21 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2007-07-04 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Toru Koizumi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192241A1 ## CPC - H04N 25/767: Horizontal readout lines, multiplexers or registers - H04N 23/741: by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors - H04N 25/587: acquired sequentially, e.g. using the combination of odd and even image fields - H04N 25/76: Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors - H04N 25/778: comprising amplifiers shared between a plurality of pixels, i.e. at least one part of the amplifier must be on the sensor array itself - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A solid-state imaging apparatus of a dynamic range enlarged by reading out a carrier accumulated in a carrier accumulation unit at a plurality of times during a single carrier accumulation time period. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-7. (canceled) ### Claim 8 An imaging apparatus having a plurality of pixels and a control unit, each of the pixels comprising: a photoelectric conversion unit configured to accumulate a carrier generated by a photoelectric conversion; a carrier accumulation unit configured to accumulate a carrier from the photoelectric conversion unit; a transfer unit configured to transfer a carrier accumulated in the carrier accumulation unit; an amplifier configured to amplify a signal based on a carrier transferred by the transfer unit; and an overflow drain into which a carrier from the photoelectric conversion unit is to be discharged, wherein the control unit is configured to control the transfer unit to perform a transfer by the transfer unit plural times for a single carrier accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of the pixels comprises a reset unit configured to reset the carrier transferred by the transfer unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to control the transfer unit and the reset unit to perform an operation including the transfer and the reset by the reset unit after the transfer plural times for a single carrier accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of the pixels comprises: a read out unit configured to read out a signal amplified by the amplifier; and a reset unit configured to reset the carrier transferred by the transfer unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to control the transfer unit, the read out unit, and the reset unit to perform an operation including the transfer, the read out by the read out unit after the transfer, and the reset by the reset unit after the read out plural times for a single carrier accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein each of the pixels comprises a floating diffusion region electrically connected to the amplifier, and wherein the transfer unit is configured to transfer the carrier accumulated in the carrier accumulation unit to the floating diffusion region. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the carrier accumulation unit has a PN junction capacitor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the carrier from the photoelectric conversion unit is discharged to the overflow drain when the carrier accumulation unit accumulates the carrier from the photoelectric conversion unit. ### Claim 14 An imaging apparatus having a plurality of pixels and a control unit, each of the pixels comprising: a photoelectric conversion unit configured to accumulate a carrier generated by a photoelectric conversion; a carrier accumulation unit configured to accumulate a carrier from the photoelectric conversion unit; an amplifier configured to amplify a signal based on a carrier accumulated in the carrier accumulated unit; a read out unit configured to read out a signal amplified by the amplifier; and an overflow into which a carrier from the photoelectric conversion unit is to be discharged, wherein the control unit is configured to control the read out unit to perform a readout by the read out unit plural times for a single carrier accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion unit. ### Claim 15 An imaging system comprising: an imaging apparatus having a plurality of pixels; a control unit configured to control the imaging apparatus; and a signal processing unit configured to process a signal from the imaging device, wherein each of the pixels includes: (a) a photoelectric conversion unit configured to accumulate a carrier generated by a photoelectric conversion; (b) a carrier accumulation unit configured to accumulate a carrier from the photoelectric conversion unit; (c) a transfer unit configured to transfer a carrier accumulated in the carrier accumulation unit; (d) an amplifier configured to amplify a signal based on a carrier transferred by the transfer unit; and (e) an overflow drain into which a carrier from the photoelectric conversion unit is to be discharged, wherein the control unit is configured to control the transfer unit to perform a transfer by the transfer unit plural times for a single carrier accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion unit. ### Claim 16 An imaging system comprising: an imaging apparatus having a plurality of pixels; a control unit configured to control the imaging apparatus; and a signal processing unit configured to process a signal from the imaging device, wherein each of the pixels comprises: (a) a photoelectric conversion unit configured to accumulate a carrier generated by a photoelectric conversion; (b) a carrier accumulation unit configured to accumulate a carrier from the photoelectric conversion unit; (c) an amplifier configured to amplify a signal based on a carrier accumulated in the carrier accumulated unit; (d) a read out unit configured to read out a signal amplified by the amplifier; and (e) an overflow drain into which a carrier from the photoelectric conversion unit is to be discharged, wherein the control unit is configured to control the read out unit to perform a readout by the read out unit plural times for a single carrier accumulation period in the photoelectric conversion unit.