US 2024/0406600 A1 · HYBRID IMAGE SENSORS WITH MULTIMODE SHUTTERS

Abstract

One example hybrid image sensor with multimode shutters includes a plurality of pixel arrays, each array of pixels comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a light-sensing element configured to generate and store a charge in response to incoming light; each pixel array comprising: a charge storage device configured to receive charge from each of the light-sensing elements of the pixel array; a first plurality of switches, each switch of the first plurality of switches connected between a respective pixel of the pixel array and the charge storage device; a second plurality of switches, the second plurality of switches comprising a high-resolution selection switch and a low-resolution selection switch, each of the high-resolution selection switch and the low-resolution selection switch connected in parallel to an output of the charge storage device; a plurality of pixel output lines, each pixel output line configured to output signals representative of pixel values corresponding to one or more pixel arrays coupled to the respective pixel output line.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A sensor apparatus comprising:

a plurality of pixel arrays, each array of pixels comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a light-sensing element configured to generate and store a charge in response to incoming light;
each pixel array comprising:
a charge storage device configured to receive charge from each of the light-sensing elements of the pixel array;
a first plurality of switches, each switch of the first plurality of switches connected between a respective pixel of the pixel array and the charge storage device;
a second plurality of switches, the second plurality of switches comprising a high-resolution selection switch and a low-resolution selection switch, each of the high-resolution selection switch and the low-resolution selection switch connected in parallel to an output of the charge storage device;
a plurality of pixel output lines, each pixel output line configured to output signals representative of pixel values corresponding to one or more pixel arrays coupled to the respective pixel output line.

3 more elements

A method comprising:

enabling, in an image sensor having at least a rolling-shutter mode and a global-shutter mode, the global shutter mode, the image sensor having a plurality of pixel arrays, each pixel array comprising a plurality of light-sensing elements and a charge storage device configured to receive charge from each of the light-sensing elements of the pixel array, the light-sensing elements selectively connectable to the charge storage device;
resetting the charge storage devices of the image sensor to establish a reset voltage;
transferring, for each pixel array, a reset voltage to a corresponding correlated double sampling (“CDS”) component;
accumulating, during an integration period, charge within each of the light-sensing elements of the pixels arrays;
transferring, for each pixel array, accumulated charge from each light-sensing element to the corresponding charge storage device to store as a signal voltage;
transferring, for each pixel array, the signal voltage from the corresponding charge storage device to a corresponding CDS component;
outputting the reset voltage and the signal voltage from the corresponding CDS component.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hybrid image sensors with multimode shutters

Life of this patent

Hybrid image sensors with multimode shutters

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20