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US 2022/0102403 A1Published application
Scalable-pixel-size image sensor
AssigneeGigajot Technology, Inc.
InventorsJiaju Ma, Michael Guidash
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Abstract
Photodetection elements within an integrated-circuit pixel array are dynamically configurable to any of at least three uniform-aspect-ratio, size-scaled pixel footprints through read-out-time control of in-pixel transfer gates associated with respective photodetection elements and binning transistors coupled between the transfer gates for respective clusters of the photodetection elements and a shared reset node.
Claims22
1-26. (canceled)
An image sensor comprising:
- first and second subpixels centered on a first axis and each having a respective floating diffusion node coupled to a plurality of photodetection elements via corresponding transfer gates;
- third and fourth subpixels centered on a second axis parallel to the first axis and each having a respective floating diffusion node coupled to a plurality of photodetection elements via corresponding transfer gates;
- a reset transistor coupled between a reset voltage supply and a shared reset node;
- and
- first, second, third and fourth binning transistors connected directly between the floating diffusion nodes of the first, second, third and fourth subpixels, respectively, and the shared reset node.
2 more elements
An integrated-circuit pixel comprising:
- a plurality of photodetection elements;
- and
- readout circuitry to generate:
- a first readout signal corresponding to photocharge accumulated within a single one of the photodetection elements in response to control signals that specify a first effective pixel size, the single one of the photodetection elements having a first aspect ratio;
- a second readout signal corresponding to photocharge accumulated collectively within a single cluster of the photodetection elements in response to control signals that specify a second effective pixel size, the single cluster of the photodetection elements spanning a first area having the first aspect ratio and including more than one and fewer than all of the photodetection elements;
- and
- a third readout signal corresponding to photocharge accumulated collectively within multiple clusters of the photodetection elements in response to control signals that specify a third effective pixel size, the multiple clusters of the photodetection elements collectively spanning a second area larger than the first area and having the first aspect ratio, and each individual cluster of the multiple clusters including more than one of the photodetection elements.
4 more elements
An integrated-circuit pixel comprising:
- a plurality of photodetection elements;
- and
- means for generating:
- a first readout signal corresponding to photocharge accumulated within a single one of the photodetection elements in response to control signals that specify a first effective pixel size, the single one of the photodetection elements having a first aspect ratio;
- a second readout signal corresponding to photocharge accumulated collectively within a single cluster of the photodetection elements in response to control signals that specify a second effective pixel size, the single cluster of the photodetection elements spanning a first area having the first aspect ratio and including more than one and fewer than all of the photodetection elements;
- and
- a third readout signal corresponding to photocharge accumulated collectively within multiple clusters of the photodetection elements in response to control signals that specify a third effective pixel size, the multiple clusters of the photodetection elements collectively spanning a second area larger than the first area and having the first aspect ratio, and each individual cluster of the multiple clusters including more than one of the photodetection elements.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.