US 7,460,164 B2Granted

Image capture device having amplification circuit for amplifying signal from photoelectric conversion portion

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsHiroki Hyama, Akira Okita, Hideaki Takada, Katsuhito Sakurai

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Abstract

An image capture device includes a plurality of image capture elements for capturing an object image, a plurality of vertical output lines for reading signals out of the plurality of image capture elements, and a plurality of processing circuits. Each processing circuit includes a first capacitor element having a first electrode connected to one of the plurality of vertical output lines, a differential amplifier having a first input terminal connected to a second electrode of the first capacitor element, a second capacitor element connected between the first input terminal and an output terminal of the differential amplifier, and a first switch configured to control conduction between the first input terminal and the output terminal of the differential amplifier. The image capture device further includes a plurality of third capacitor elements configured to hold signals from the differential amplifiers of the plurality of processing circuits and to limit an output frequency band of each differential amplifier, and a horizontal output line for sequentially outputting signals from the plurality of third capacitor elements.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An image capture device comprising:

a plurality of image capture elements for capturing an object image, each image capture element including:
a photoelectric conversion element;
an amplification transistor which outputs a signal based on a charge generated by a photodiode;
a reset switch for resetting an input to the amplification transistor to a predetermined voltage;
and
a transfer switch for transferring a charge generated by the photodiode;
a plurality of vertical output lines for reading signals out of the plurality of image capture elements;
a plurality of processing circuits, each processing circuit including:
a first capacitor element having a first electrode connected to one of the plurality of vertical output lines;
an amplifier having a first input terminal connected to a second electrode of the first capacitor element;
a second capacitor element connected between the first input terminal and an output terminal of the amplifier;
and
a first switch configured to control conduction between the first input terminal and the output terminal of the amplifier;
a plurality of third capacitor elements configured to hold signals from the amplifiers of the plurality of processing circuits, a first terminal of each third capacitor element receiving signals from the amplifier;
and
a horizontal output line for sequentially outputting signals from the first terminals of the plurality of third capacitor elements;
wherein the first switch is turned off after the reset switch is turned off, and the transfer switch is turned on after the first switch is turned off.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.