US 6,046,466 A · Solid-state imaging device · patentgrep

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Abstract

A photoelectric conversion device suitable for use as an element of a photodetector array includes a photodiode for generating a first signal charge in response to incident light, an output unit including a JFET, and at least one transistor having an electrode that generates a second signal charge in response to incident light. The first and second signal charges may be output separately or combined. The second signal charge, or the first and second signal charges combined, may be monitored during an exposure time to determine the desired end of the exposure. An image sensor array may have one or more pixels with such light monitoring capability. The output signal for monitoring the light may be output over a reset drain interconnection, directly from the monitoring pixel or through other pixels via inter-pixel MOSFETS. Exposure time may be controlled, by timing a shutter or a strobe or the like, based on the monitored accumulation of signal charge during exposure. Microlenses may be provided on-chip to increase the effective aperture ratio of the array. The microlenses are designed to avoid interfering with the incident light used for monitoring. Resulting pixel-to-pixel variations in effective aperture ratio, if any, may be electronically compensated.

Claims68

Dependent claims

A photoelectric conversion device comprising:

(a) a photoelectric conversion element structured and arranged so as to generate, in response to incident light, a first signal charge corresponding to the incident light;
(b) an output unit comprising an amplification transistor having a control electrode, the amplification transistor being structured and arranged such that the control electrode generates, in response to the incident light, a second signal charge corresponding to the incident light, and the output unit being structured and arranged so as to output an electric signal corresponding to a charge present in the control electrode;
and
(c) a transfer unit structured and arranged so as to transfer to the control electrode the first signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element, the transfer unit being supplied with a control signal so as to transfer the first signal charge in a manner either (1) so as to cause the output unit to output an electric signal corresponding to the sum of the first and second signal charges or (2) so as to cause the output unit to separately output both an electric signal corresponding to the first signal charge and an electric signal corresponding to the second signal charge.

1 more element

A photoelectric conversion device comprising:

(a) a photoelectric conversion element structured and arranged so as to generate, in response to incident light, a first signal charge corresponding to the incident light;
(b) an output unit comprising an amplification transistor having a control electrode, the output unit structured and arranged so as to output an electric signal corresponding to a charge present in the control electrode;
(c) a transfer unit structured and arranged so as to be able to transfer the first signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element to the control electrode;
and
(d) a reset transistor positioned and arranged so as to be able to remove the charge present in the control electrode and so that at least a main electrode of the reset transistor generates, in response to the incident light, a second signal charge corresponding to the incident light, the reset transistor and the transfer unit being supplied with control signals so as to transfer the first signal charge to the output unit, causing the output unit to output an electric signal corresponding to the first signal charge, and so as to cause the second signal charge to be output from the reset transistor.

2 more elements

A photoelectric conversion device comprising:

(a) a photoelectric conversion element structured and arranged so as to generate, in response to incident light, a first signal charge corresponding to the incident light;
(b) an output unit comprising an amplification transistor having a control electrode, the output unit being structured and arranged so as to output an electric signal corresponding to a charge present at the control electrode;
(c) a transfer unit positioned and arranged so as to be able to transfer the first signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element to the control electrode;
and
(d) a reset transistor structured and arranged so as to be able to remove from the control electrode the charge present at the control electrode, the reset transistor being further structured and arranged so that at least a main electrode thereof generates, in response to the incident light, a second signal charge corresponding to the incident light, the reset transistor and the transfer unit being supplied with control signals so as to transfer the first and second signal charges to the control electrode either (1) such that the first and second signal charges are combined at the control electrode, or (2) such that the first and second signal charges are successively and individually present in the control electrode.

2 more elements

A photoelectric conversion device comprising:

(a) a photoelectric conversion element structured and arranged so as to generate, in response to incident light, a first signal charge corresponding to the incident light;
(b) an output unit comprising an amplification transistor having a control electrode, the output unit being structured and arranged so as to output an electric signal corresponding to a charge present at the control electrode, the amplification transistor being structured and arranged such that the control electrode generates, in response to the incident light, a second signal charge corresponding to the incident light;
(c) a transfer unit structured and arranged so as to be able to transfer the first signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element to the control electrode;
and
(d) a reset transistor structured and arranged so as to be able to remove from the control electrode the signal charge present at the control electrode, the reset transistor being further structured and arranged so that at least a main electrode thereof generates, in response to the incident light, a third signal charge corresponding to the incident light, the reset transistor and the transfer unit being supplied with control signals so as to transfer the first signal charge to the control electrode and so as to transfer the second and third signal charges to said main electrode of the reset transistor for output from said main electrode, the second and third signal charges being either (1) combined at said main electrode and output together as a combined signal charge, or (2) output sequentially at said main electrode.

2 more elements

A photoelectric conversion device comprising:

(a) a photoelectric conversion element structured and arranged so as to generate, in response to incident light, a first signal charge corresponding to the incident light;
(b) an output unit comprising an amplification transistor having a control electrode, the output unit being structured and arranged so as to output an electric signal corresponding to a charge present at the control electrode, the amplification transistor being structured and arranged such that the control electrode generates, in response to the incident light, a second signal charge corresponding to the incident light;
(c) a transfer unit structured and arranged so as to be able to transfer to the control electrode the first signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element;
and
(d) a reset transistor structured and arranged so as to be able to remove from the control electrode the charge present at the control electrode, the reset transistor being further structured and arranged such that at least a main electrode thereof generates, in response to the incident light, a third signal charge corresponding to the incident light, the reset transistor and the transfer unit being supplied with control signals so as to output the third signal charge from said main electrode of the reset transistor and so as to transfer to the control electrode both the first and second signal charges, the first and second signal charges being so transferred either (1) so as to combine the first and second signal charges at the control electrode, or (2) so as to make the first and second signal charges individually present at the control electrode in succession.

2 more elements

A photoelectric conversion device comprising:

(a) a photoelectric conversion element structured and arranged so as to generate, in response to incident light, a first signal charge corresponding to the incident light;
(b) an output unit comprising an amplification transistor having a control electrode, the output unit being structured and arranged to as to output an electric signal corresponding to a charge present at the control electrode, the amplification transistor being structured and arranged such that the control electrode generates, in response to the incident light, a second signal charge corresponding to the incident light;
(c) a transfer unit structured and arranged so as to be able to transfer the first signal charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element to the control electrode;
and
(d) a reset transistor structured and arranged so as to be able to remove from the control electrode the charge present at the control electrode, the reset transistor being further structured and arranged such that at least a main electrode thereof generates, in response to the incident light, a third signal charge corresponding to the incident light, the reset transistor and the transfer unit being supplied with control signals so as to cause the first, second, and third signal charges to be present, at the control electrode of the amplification transistor, with (1) all three signal charges combined at once at the control electrode, (2) all three signal charges individually in succession present at the control electrode, or (3) the first signal charge present individually and the second and third charges present in combination at the control electrode.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/209,322Filed 9 Dec 1998 · continuation in part
Priority: JP 9-24843512 Sep 1997
Granted: 4 Apr 2000
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

H10F 39/803
Constructional details of image sensors: pixels having integrated switching, control, storage or amplification elements
H04N 23/71
Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene: circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
H04N 25/77
Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors: pixel circuitry, e.g. memories, A/D converters, pixel amplifiers, shared circuits or shared components
H10F 39/196
Image sensors: junction field effect transistor [JFET] image sensors; Static induction transistor [SIT] image sensors

Family

Serial152,138Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 10 Sep 1998
US 6,046,466 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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