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US 8,508,641 B2Granted
Solid-state image sensor and imaging apparatus
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorMineo Uchida
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an imaging mode for reading a part of a plurality of pixels, signals of same color adjacent pixels are simultaneously read out to capacities, and at least two capacities in a same pixel row are once short-circuited. Further, capacities of a plurality of the pixel rows are once short-circuited to perform operation for averaging the pixels in vertical and horizontal directions. With the configuration, it is possible to solve deterioration in image quality due to occurrence of moire caused by reduction in sampling frequency in a thinning reading operation mode capable of high-speed reading.
Claims13
A solid-state image sensor comprising:
- a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element configured to photoelectrically convert an object image and is two-dimensionally arranged in a column direction of a column and in a row direction of a row;
- first and second output lines arranged in each column to transfer a pixel signal output from each pixel in the column direction, wherein pixel signals of same color adjacent pixels in the column direction in a same column of the pixel array are configured to be alternately output to the first and second output lines;
- first and second storage units configured to temporarily store the pixel signals of the same color adjacent pixels transferred in the column direction from the respective first and second output lines;
- and
- switches configured to short-circuit the first storage units and the second storage units after the first and second storage units store the pixel signals of the same color adjacent pixels.
2 more elements
A solid-state image sensor comprising:
- a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element that photoelectrically converts an object image and is two-dimensionally arranged in a column direction of a column and in a row direction of a row;
- first and second output lines arranged in each column to transfer a pixel signal output from each pixel in the column direction, wherein pixel signals of same color adjacent pixels in the column direction in a same column of the pixel array are configured to be alternately output to the first and second output lines;
- first and second storage units configured to temporarily store the pixel signals of the same color adjacent pixels transferred in the column direction from the respective first and second output lines;
- and
- first and second switches configured to respectively short-circuit the first storage units and the second storage units in different columns after the first and second storage units store the pixel signals of the same color adjacent pixels.
2 more elements
An imaging apparatus comprising:
- a solid-state image sensor having a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element that photoelectrically converts an object image and is two-dimensionally arranged in a column direction of a column and in a row direction of row;
- first and second output lines that are arranged in each column to transfer a pixel signal output from each pixel in the column direction, wherein pixel signals of same color adjacent pixels in the column direction in a same column of the pixel array are alternately output to the first and second output lines;
- first and second storage units configured to temporarily store the pixel signals of the same color adjacent pixels transferred in the column direction from the respective first and second output lines, and switches configured to short-circuit the first storage units and the second storage units after the first and second storage units store the pixel signals of the same color adjacent pixels;
- and
- a signal processor configured to perform predetermined processing on the pixel signal output from the solid-state image sensor, output image data, and cause a storage medium to store the image data.
2 more elements
An imaging apparatus comprising:
- a solid-state image sensor having a pixel array including a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion element that photoelectrically converts an object image and is two-dimensionally arranged in a column direction of a column and in a row direction of a row;
- first and second output lines arranged in each column to transfer a pixel signal output from each pixel in the column direction, wherein pixel signals of same color adjacent pixels in the column direction in a same column of the pixel array are configured to be alternately output to the first and second output lines;
- first and second storage units configured to temporarily store the pixel signals of the same color adjacent pixels transferred in the column direction from the respective first and second output lines, and first and second switches configured to respectively short-circuit the first storage units and the second storage units in different columns after the first and second storage units store the pixel signals of the same color adjacent pixels;
- and
- a signal processor configured to perform predetermined processing on the pixel signal output from the solid-state image sensor, output image data, and cause a storage medium to store the image data.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.