# US 2014/0192242 A1 · Image pickup apparatus, image pickup system and driving method of image pickup apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192242 A1 - Document ID: US20140192242A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/147,377 - Filed: 2014-01-03 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hirofumi Totsuka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192242A1 ## CPC - H04N 25/77: Pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components - H04N 25/46: by combining or binning pixels - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image pickup apparatus of an embodiment includes pixel units each including a photoelectric conversion unit and an amplification transistor that outputs a signal based on an electric carrier generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, a first output line to which signals from first and other pixel units are output, and a second output line to which signals from second and other pixel units are output. A connection unit is arranged to control an electric connection between input nodes of the amplification transistors of the first and second pixel units is arranged. A control unit is arranged to selectively output a signal from at least one of the first and second pixel units to the first output line out of the first and second output lines when the connection unit mutually connects the input nodes of the first and second pixel units. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image pickup apparatus comprising: a plurality of pixel units each including a photoelectric conversion unit and an amplification transistor that outputs a signal based on an electric carrier generated by the photoelectric conversion unit; a first output line to which a signal from two or more pixel units, including a first pixel unit, among the plurality of pixel units is output; a second output line to which a signal from two or more pixel units, including a second pixel unit, among the plurality of pixel units is output; a connection unit configured to control an electric connection between an input node of the amplification transistor included in the first pixel unit and an input node of the amplification transistor included in the second pixel unit; and a control unit configured to selectively output a signal from at least one of the first pixel unit and the second pixel unit to the first output line out of the first output line and the second output line, in a case where the connection unit mutually connects the input node of the first pixel unit and the input node of the second pixel unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit includes a first selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the first pixel unit and a second selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the second pixel unit, and the first selection transistor and the second selection transistor are controlled independently from each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of pixel units includes a third pixel unit and a fourth pixel unit, a signal from the third pixel unit is output to the first output line, a signal from the fourth pixel unit is output to the second output line, the connection unit is configured to control an electric connection between an input node of the amplification transistor included in the third pixel unit and an input node of the amplification transistor included in the fourth pixel unit, and in a case where the connection unit mutually connects the input nodes of the first and second pixel units and mutually connects the input nodes of the third and fourth pixel units, the control unit selectively outputs a signal from at least one of the third pixel unit and the fourth pixel unit to the second output line out of the first output line and the second output line. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit includes a third selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the third pixel unit and a fourth selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the fourth pixel unit, and the third selection transistor and the fourth selection transistor are controlled independently from each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of pixel units includes a fifth pixel unit and a sixth pixel unit, the amplification transistor included in the fifth pixel unit is electrically connected to the first output line, the amplification transistor included in the sixth pixel unit is electrically connected to the second output line, and the connection unit mutually and electrically connects input nodes of the amplification transistors included in the first, the second, the fifth and the sixth pixel units. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit includes a fifth selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the fifth pixel unit and a sixth selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the sixth pixel unit and the fifth selection transistor and the sixth selection transistor are electrically connected to a common control line. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit includes a fifth selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the fifth pixel unit and a sixth selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the sixth pixel unit, and the fifth selection transistor and the sixth selection transistor are electrically connected to different control lines. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of pixel units includes a second photoelectric conversion unit different from the photoelectric conversion unit, and the amplification transistor is configured to output a signal based on an electric carrier of the second photoelectric conversion unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit includes a first connection transistor and a second connection transistor, one node of the first connection transistor is electrically connected to the input node of the amplification transistor included in the first pixel unit, one node of the second connection transistor is electrically connected to the input node of the amplification transistor included in the second pixel unit, and a different node of the first connection transistor and a different node of the second selection transistor are electrically connected, through a reset transistor, to a node that supplies a voltage for reset. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of pixel units is arranged in a matrix manner, and the first pixel unit and the second pixel unit are arranged in a same row. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the connection unit mutually connects the plurality of input nodes, the control unit outputs a signal from at least one of the first pixel unit and the second pixel unit to the first output line, and blocks an output of a signal from the first pixel unit or the second pixel unit to the second output line. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the connection unit mutually connects the input node of the first pixel unit and the input node of the second pixel unit, the control unit selectively outputs a signal from the first pixel unit or the second pixel unit to the first output line out of the first output line and the second output line. ### Claim 13 An image pickup apparatus comprising: a plurality of pixel units each including a photoelectric conversion unit and an amplification transistor that outputs a signal based on an electric carrier generated by the photoelectric conversion unit; a first output line to which a signal from two or more pixel units, including a first pixel unit, among the plurality of pixel units is output; a second output line to which a signal from two or more pixel units, including a second pixel unit, among the plurality of pixel units is output; a connection unit configured to control an electric connection between an input node of the amplification transistor included in the first pixel unit and an input node of the amplification transistor included in the second pixel unit; and a control unit configured to selectively output an addition signal of a signal of the first pixel unit and a signal of the second pixel unit to the first output line out of the first output line and the second output line, wherein the addition signal is acquired by mutually connecting the input node of the first pixel unit and the input node of the second pixel unit by the connection unit. ### Claim 14 An image pickup apparatus comprising: a plurality of pixel units each configured to include a photoelectric conversion unit and an amplification transistor that outputs a signal based on an electric carrier generated by the photoelectric conversion unit, and be arranged in a matrix manner; a first output line to which a signal from two or more pixel units arranged in a first column, including a first pixel unit, among the plurality of pixel units is output; a second output line to which a signal from two or more pixel units arranged in a second column, including a second pixel unit, among the plurality of pixel units is output; a connection unit configured to control an electric connection between an input node of the amplification transistor included in the first pixel unit and an input node of the amplification transistor included in the second pixel unit; a first selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the first pixel unit; and a second selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the second pixel unit, wherein: the first pixel unit and the second pixel unit are arranged in a same row; and the first selection transistor and the second selection transistor are controlled independently from each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An image pickup system comprising: an image pickup apparatus according to claims 1; and a signal processing apparatus configured to process a signal output from the image pickup apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) An image pickup system comprising: an image pickup apparatus according to claim 13; and a signal processing apparatus configured to process a signal output from the image pickup apparatus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) An image pickup system comprising: an image pickup apparatus according to claim 14; and a signal processing apparatus configured to process a signal output from the image pickup apparatus. ### Claim 18 A driving method of an image pickup apparatus, wherein: the image pickup apparatus comprises: a plurality of pixel units each including a photoelectric conversion unit and an amplification transistor that outputs a signal based on an electric carrier generated by the photoelectric conversion unit; a first output line to which a signal from two or more pixel units, including a first pixel unit, among the plurality of pixel units is output; a second output line to which a signal from two or more pixel units, including a second pixel unit, among the plurality of pixel units is output; and a connection unit configured to control an electric connection between an input node of the amplification transistor included in the first pixel unit and an input node of the amplification transistor included in the second pixel; and the driving method comprises: a first output step of selectively outputting a signal from at least one of the first pixel unit and the second pixel unit to the first output line out of the first output line and the second output line, in a case where the connection unit mutually and electrically connects the plurality of input nodes; and a second output step of outputting a signal from the first pixel unit to the first output line and outputting a signal from the second pixel unit to the second output line, in a case where the connection unit blocks the electric connection of the plurality of input nodes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The driving method according to claim 18, wherein the image pickup apparatus further includes a first selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the first pixel unit and a second selection transistor connected in series to the amplification transistor included in the second pixel unit; the connection unit includes a connection transistor arranged between an input node of the amplification transistor included in the first pixel unit and an input node of the amplification transistor included in the second pixel unit; the first output step includes a step of turning on the first selection transistor and turning off the second selection transistor when the connection transistor is turned on; and the second output step includes a step of turning on the first selection transistor and turning on the second selection transistor when the connection transistor is turned off. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The driving method according to claim 18, further comprising a third output step of outputting a signal from a pixel unit different from the first and second pixel units among the plurality of pixel units to the second output line in parallel with the first output step.